At 03:40 PM 2/14/2005 -0000, you wrote:

<<>Can one produce a cross knit
>looping structure (or crossed knitting) with this
>process? I've not been able to find much but passing
>references to nalebinding in any books available to
>me. Is there a good reference on nalebinding
>techniques?

There are many webpages and self-published pamphlets out there on "how to":

http://www.mielkesfarm.com/naalbind.htm
Mielke's sells books & pamphlets and naalbinding needles. (And netting
needles, tatting shuttles, and a host of other fiber goodies.)

http://www.dilettante.info/nalbindingmain.htm
This page has excellent photos of (modern) nalbinded items, as well as a
list of books with references to nalbinding, and a step-by-step how-to page.

Saturday I attended an Society for Creative Anachronism event in Kalamazoo,
Michigan, where I taught hand netmaking for the first time, and got to see
and handle several nalbinded (I always want to type "nalbound") items: two
pairs of mittens with gauntlet-style cuffs, and a hat. (Yes, the SCA does
have LOTR addicts and poufy want-to-be-a-fairy members, but it also has
many of us fiber fanatics!)

Close up, to me they look nothing at all like knitting or crochet. As the
yarn is taken through each loop, it is woven under, over, under, so it
almost combines a looping structure with a woven structure. The structure
is heavy, dense, and windproof. To me, living in Michigan, they looked
like excellent snow-shovelling mittens!

Lynn Carpenter in SW Michigan, USA
alwen at i2k dot com