Viking Knit

by Judy Larson

Category: Weaving
Technique(s): Knitting, Wrapping
Skill Level: Beginner

Stories abound concerning the origins of Viking Knit, a weave also known as Trichinopoly. Woven silver wire chains were used to decorate clothing of the Vikings and bits of this type of silverwork have been recovered from many different archeological sites from the time of the Vikings throughout Scandinavia.

Many Viking Hoards, dating as far back as the 8th or 9th century, found throughout areas of Viking conquest have contained jewelry pieces that look very similar to the Viking Knit we make today. Some of the pieces were made with wire almost as thin as a human hair!

The first steps in this tutorial show how to make a basic single knit Viking Knit chain. After mastering the single knit it will be easier to move on to making double and triple knit chains and to use finer wire. Steps 15 and 16 explain how to weave double and triple knit chains. The top chain in the opening photo is Double Knit 26 gauge wire with 7 petals. The middle chain is Double Knit 24 gauge wire with 5 petals. The bottom chain is Single Knit with 5 petals.

Materials

24 Gauge Round Dead Soft .925 Sterling Silver Wire

H8-24D

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 5FT
Price: $6.22
Gold Club Price: $4.66

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Tools

foot-long 3/8" dowel

Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each

C.H.P Milano Italian Flush Cutter, 5 1/2 Inches

PLR-487.00

PLR-487.00
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Price: $16.97
Gold Club Price: $12.73

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Round Nose Wire Pliers

G2-507

G2-507
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Price: $32.95
Gold Club Price: $24.71

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Chain Nose Wire Pliers

G2-508

G2-508
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Price: $32.95
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5 1/2 Inch Nylon Flat Jaw Pliers with Replacement Jaws

G2-1

G2-1
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Price: $9.97
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T-pin

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Rosewood Handheld Draw Plate

G28-8

G28-8
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Instructions

Step 1

Read through the tutorial before starting the project. Follow all safety precautions pertaining to the tools and supplies being used and the space you are working in.

There are many tools on the market that can be used as the base to weave Viking Knit. Different artists use different tools and become comfortable with them. Since I had dowels on hand, that is what I used. It is always a good idea to experiment with different tools as one may work better for you than another. Whatever tool is used, the technique is the same.

Most dowels come in 3 or 4 foot lengths. Cut an 11" to 12" piece of 3/8" dowel and sand the ends so they are smooth and slightly rounded. Center the dowel end on a circle divided into 5 equal sections. Use a pencil to place tic marks on the dowel at the division points. As you gain confidence in this new-to-you technique, more sections can be added, but right now a mandrel divided into 5 sections is the easiest to work with for your first project.

Judy Larson's Viking Knit - , Wire Weaving, Knitting, Knitting With Wire, Wire Wrapping, Wrapping, Wire Wrapping Jewelry, viking knit

Step 2

Prepare the dowel: This step is not necessary but the lines do help to keep the knit ribs straight. Hold the dowel stable on a flat surface. Hold a pencil stable on the surface with the pencil lead on one of the tic marks. Slide the pencil across the flat table surface making a line on the dowel. Repeat with the other tic marks. If you make a mistake, using pencil allows you to erase it and start over. When satisfied with the divisions, make the lines darker. It is easy to do along the edge of an old hotel room key card placed next to the line.

Step 3

The next time one of those fake plastic credit cards comes in the mail, keep it with your wire supplies to use when making Viking Knit. An old room key card will also work. The size wire used to make the "flower" can be the same size as the knit wire but no more than one size larger.

Working from the spool, wrap 22 gauge round wire around the card five times-first photo. Carefully slide the wire wraps off the card. Wrap the wire from the spool four times around all the wires about ½" in from one end-second photo. Being precise with the "stem" length is not important-third photo. Trim the excess wires even with the looped ends-fourth photo.

Step 4

Spread the long loops of the wire bundle out to form a "flower" with a "stem" and five skinny petals.

Step 5

Place the flower on top of the dowel and press the petals down around the dowel. Secure the flower petals in place with a rubber band. The rubber band will not keep the petals tightly in place but it is a tremendous help. Tape could be used but would not keep the petals tightly in place either and would be more difficult to remove than the rubber band.

Step 6

It may be necessary to pull a longer flower petal up to make the flower petal lengths even. Use chain nose pliers to bend the wires above the dowel, pulling the petal up to make it shorter. Don't worry if the "stem" is no longer centered on top of the dowel. After the petal bottoms are even, center each petal on a line.

Step 7

Use the tips of a flat nose pliers to slightly bend up the lower 1/8" of each petal. This will make weaving the first row easier. When this is done, push the rubber band down closer to the lower ends of the flower petals.

Step 8

It is best to start with single knit when first learning the Viking Knit technique. After mastering it, double and even triple knit chains will seem relatively easy to make. Steps 15-16 shows how to do a Double Knit and Triple Knit. Also, when you first learning it is best to use shorter pieces of wire because they will kink less and are easier to use. The more comfortable you become with the technique, the longer the wires can be. You will be the judge of deciding how long the wire you work with will be.

For the purposes of this tutorial, use three 3.5 to 4 foot sections of 24 gauge wire to make a single knit Viking Knit chain. When pulled through a drawplate in Step 21, the chain will become long enough to make a bracelet.

The beginning row of a Viking Knit chain is always difficult to make for a beginner. Just remember that after making a few Viking Knit items, the first row will become much easier to do.

The Viking Knit "stitch" is almost like a combination of knitting and sewing. Thread the wire through a flower petal loop from the outside to the inside, from the right to the left. Pull the wire through until there is about 1" of wire tail left. Pull the wire down on both sides of the flower petal loop.

Step 9

Holding the short wire tail down to the dowel with your left hand, pull the long wire down, left over the top of the tail wire, and then to the right. This creates the first "stitch".

Step 10

Hold the crossed over loop first stitch created in Step 9 down on the dowel with your thumb. Just as in Step 8, thread the wire end through the flower petal to the right of the first stitch, going from the outside to the inside, from right to the left. Pull the wire out to the left and then down. This creates the second "stitch".

Step 11

Wire Hints: While working around the dowel, the wires, especially longer ones, may start to tangle. Be aware and watch for this before it causes a problem. If the wires twist over each other, just twist them back (photo 1 and 2).

If the crossed wires were not caught in time, you may end up with a tight kink in the wire (photo 3). It is imperative that you "back the kink out" or unbend the wire (photo 4). Do not try to pull it straight or the kink will just get tighter.

Sometimes it is difficult to pass a wire under a previous stitch. Use a skinny awl or a T-pin to make the passage larger (fifth photo).

After making several inches of Viking Knit, pushing the knit chain up the dowel a bit will make it easier to work.

Step 12

Keep making the first row of stitches. Hold the new stitch down with your thumb. Pull the wire to the right. Repeating the process done in Steps 8, 9, and 10, continue around the dowel until the first stitch is reached. This first row will not be very neat, but do not worry.

Step 13

For the next row, the long wire is passed behind the "X" formed by the wires crossing over each other at the lower end of each looped stitch in the previous row. If the wire will not slide under the crossed wires, use a T-pin or a very thin awl to lift them up-first photo. Each stitch is done in the same manner as the first row- while holding the previous stitch down, stitch from right to left under the crossed wires, pull the wire down and then to the right. Do not worry about the beginning wire tail. It can be moved out of the way between the lines. Just keep on going around the dowel and work over it. The fourth, fifth, and 6th photos show how and where the second, third and fourth round of stitches start.

Step 14

Continue to stitch around the dowel. When first learning this technique, your stitches will not be even. Do not worry. The drawplate takes care of all inconsistencies. You will find that by the time you are done with the second length of wire, there will be a rhythm to your stitches. If one of the knit ribs is moving away from the line, use the T-pin to nudge it back into place and continue stitching around the dowel.

Step 15

When there is 1½" to 2" of wire left, it is time to attach a new wire. There are several ways to do this. Each wire artisan has their favorite method. Two are shown here. Step 17 shows a second method.

Using a new section of wire, move on to the next crossed loop and make a stitch, pulling the wire through until the wire tail is the same length as the wire tail left on the previous stitch. You will notice that the new stitch is very loose. Moving around the dowel, make another stitch or two to stabilize the wire. At this point, go back and twist the wire tails tightly together until the wire "swag" between the stitches is similar in size curve to the other "swags" between stitches. Trim the twisted wire tail to 3/8" in length.

Step 16

Continue around the dowel. When the twisted wires are reached, pull the weaving wire over them and continue around the dowel. Stitch over the twisted wires each time you come to them.

Step 17

For the second method, pull the short wire tail down onto the line below the stitch. Using a new section of wire, move on to the next crossed loop and make a stitch, pulling the wire through until the wire tail is a little longer than the wire tail left on the previous stitch. You will notice that the new stitch is very loose. Moving around the dowel, make another stitch or two to stabilize the wire.

Pull the short wire tail back to the other short wire tail. Twist the wire tails together directly under the stitch-third photo. Trim the twisted wire tail to 3/8" in length or it can be left until three rounds of stitches have been made over it. I should then be cut off-seventh photo. It may be necessary to make the passage between a stitch and the twisted wire larger using an awl or a t-pin-sixth photo.

Step 18

Double Knit: If a denser Viking Knit chain is desired, make a double instead of a single knit. To do this, instead of going up to the previous row to make a stitch, go up two rows and stitch under the crossed over wires. Constructing the stitch is the same as single knit, just two rows up.

Step 19

After completing one round, still go up two rows to make the next stitch. Continue in this manner until you have reached the desired length. A double knit does not draw down to double length, but approximately 1.5 times the original length, more or less, depending upon the diameter of the finished chain desired.

For an even more dense knit, go up three rows for a triple knit. This knit will be very stiff if made with 24 gauge wire. It is usually made with 28 gauge or thinner wire.

Step 20

Continue to add wire until the weaving measures 3½" to 4" long. Remove the knit from the dowel. If it seems to not want to move, grasp the knit and slightly twist it back and forth on the dowel, "worrying" it up and off the dowel. Remove the rubber band. Use flat nosed pliers to flatten the bent portions of the flower.

Step 21

The single knit will draw down to approximately twice the original length. Double and triple knits draw down to considerably less than double length. Both single and double knit chains are shown here. The length the chain is drawn down to is personal preference. The larger the diameter desired of a finished chain, the shorter it will be compared to the same length chain drawn down to a smaller diameter.

Push the flower section through the largest hole in a drawplate that the chain will fit through. Pull the petal section and chain through the hole. Do this twice in each successive hole until the chain is the desired size. If the chain becomes difficult to pull through a hole, use a pair of shop pliers to pull on the flower. Imperfections in the chain seem to disappear as the chain is drawn down thinner and thinner. Keep in mind the interior diameter of the end caps that will be used to finish the chain when drawing the chain down. Nothing is worse than drawing a chain down so thin that it is loose in the end cap.

Once the chain is drawn to the desired size, it will noticeably curve more easily on one direction than the other. This is normal and is something to be mindful of when constructing jewelry with the finished chain.

Step 22

Adding seed beads while constructing a single knit chain with an odd number of petals and lines is easy. Thread a seed bead on the wire, make a stich while keeping the seed bead in the middle of the swag. Make a stitch with no seed bead. Continue adding a seed bead to every other stitch. Because an odd number of petals and lines were used, the beads will appear randomly placed, instead of all in a line.

Step 23

The photos show what the beads look like on the chain when pulled to the sizes indicated on the drawplate. Don't like the beads? Wear protective gear and crush each with the tips of a chain nose pliers to remove them.

Step 24

Each of us has a different weaving tension. Therefore, the amount of wire I might use to make a particular chain or project will not be the same as what you will use. Make note of the Before and After lengths of the chain and how much wire was used to make each chain. It will then be easier to determine approximately how much wire might be needed for a later project. There will, however, always be short sections left when making any project. Turn them into focal pieces used on bracelets or in a necklaces.

Reviews

Judy Larson

My philosophy has always been "I will never live long enough to learn everything I want to learn, go everywhere I want to go and see everything I want to see!" So, what I make and how I create it is always changing and evolving. I was born shortly after WWII to parents who grew up during the Depression. They always had a "we can do it, we can make it" attitude which rubbed off on my two younger brothers and me. My brothers are amazing and can make and do ANYTHING! When I was a little girl, my mother gave me an old carved cigar box, which I cherish, filled with pop beads, wooden beads and yarn for stringing. That was the beginning of my jewelry making journey.

On a visit to the Grand Canyon when I was a young woman, I was fortunate enough to help a Native American silversmith sand cast my first silver bracelet and bezel set a large turquoise nugget on top. I was in love, hook, line and sinker! While working full time and having a family here in northern Minnesota, my artistic endeavors slowed down but never stopped. I am an artist, scrapbooker, seamstress, woodworker and jewelry artisan. Now that I am retired, I am able to indulge in all my hobbies. However, there just never seems to be enough time in the day to do it all, but I try!

I have been teaching community education beginner and intermediate jewelry making classes since my retirement. Many of my students have been bitten so hard by the jewelry making bug that they say I have turned them into monsters-they just can't get enough. Making jewelry, seeing something take shape from small bits and pieces, is so rewarding that I hope it brings out the "monster" in you, too!