Scrimshaw Elk Antler Nalbinding Knitting Needle

Scrimshaw Elk Antler Nalbinding Knitting Needle

Dave has handcrafted this nalbinding knitting needle from elk antler and scrimshawed a Nordic design on it. It is slightly curved and 2 3/8 inch long. Many of the ancient nalbinding needles discovered from archeological sites were made from antler. This needle is ideal for authentic tool use in SCA events or Ren-Faire.

What is Nalbinding! According to Wikipedia , Nålebinding (Danish: literally "binding with a needle" or "needle-binding", also naalbinding or naalebinding) is a fabric creation technique predating both knitting and crochet. Also known in English as "knotless netting," "knotless knitting," or "single needle knitting," the technique is distinct from crochet in that it involves passing the full length of the working thread through each loop, unlike crochet where the work is formed only of loops, never involving the free end. Archaeological specimens of fabric made by nålebinding can be difficult to distinguish from knitted fabric.

Dave uses shed antlers which naturally fall off the animal each year after the breeding season. They grow back during spring and summer and are fully developed again by the fall breeding season. After that, they are shed and the process repeated again for the next years growth.

This nalbinding needle is currently up for auction on Ebay. Please visit the auction to view more photos of this nalbinding needle.

Magnetic Acorn Sewing Needle Minder Pin Cushion

Magnetic Acorn Sewing Needle Minder Pin Cushion

Dave has handcrafted this large acorn out of cedar wood and burn etched the oak leaf design. It has a powerful rare earth magnet inside and is mounted on a walnut base which is approximately 2 1/2 inches in diameter.

This one of a kind pin cushion has been initialed and dated on the bottom by Dave. This piece is currently up for auction on Ebay.

Handcrafted Bone Embroidery Laying Tool Stiletto

Handcrafted Bone Embroidery Laying Tool Stiletto

This 4 ¼ inch laying tool was handcrafted out of Buffalo Bone. It is initialed by Dave, the maker. If you would like to view an additional photo of this tool, please visit the Ebay auction.

Birch and Cherry Wood Crochet Hook Size H (5.00mm)

Birch and Cherry Wood Crochet Hook Size H (5.00mm)

Dave handcrafted this 6 1/4 inch size H (5.00 mm) crochet hook out of White Birch with a Cherry wood finial. The accent ring is made of colorful swirl celluloid. This hook is currently up for auction on Ebay.

Handcrafted Oak Leaf with Acorn French Knitting Spool

Handcrafted Oak Leaf with Acorn French Knitting Spool

Dave has handcrafted this spool knitter using cedar and walnut.  He has burn etched a oak leaf/acorn design around it. The spool knitter is approx 4 ¼ inchs overall in length and brass was used for the knitting pins so they will not rust. Dave has hand turned the accompanying knitting needle from teak wood. Both the knitter and needle have a hand rubbed bees wax finish. The knitter has been initialed and dated by Dave.

More photos can be found at Ebay, where this set is currently up for auction.

Handcrafted Cherry Wood Celtic Palm Size Lucet

Handcrafted Cherry Wood Celtic Palm Size Lucet

Dave hand crafted this lucet out of Cherry wood. It is 4 inches long by 2 inches wide. The copper embellishment is inset (not glued on surface) and he has burn etched the celtic design by hand.

This smaller lucet is just right for small hands and finer cord braiding. A Lucet fork is an ancient tool dating back to the Viking era. It is used for braiding cord. Lucet cord can be used for draw-string such as for bags or purses, decorative edging, and any other use where strong cord is needed. You can find more on the internet about lucets and how to use one, including photos.

This piece has been initialed and dated by Dave and is currently up for auction on Ebay.

Vegan Ivory Hedgehog Sewing Needle Pin Cushion

Vegan Ivory Hedgehog Sewing Needle Pin Cushion

QUIET PLEASE, “Little Tag” the hedgehog, is sleeping. Dave carved him out of a Tagua Nut (South American Palm) which is commonly called “vegetable ivory” or vegan ivory because it can be carved and scrimshawed like regular ivory. Dave has also inset small but powerful rare earth magnets inside him. "Little Tag" would just love to hold your pins and needles for you and be your favorite pet. He is about 1 3/4 inches long by 1 1/2 inches wide. "Little Tag" has been initialed and dated on the bottom by Dave, the artist.

Additional photos of "Little Tag" can be found at Ebay.com.

Introducing....The Swallowtail Tatting Shuttle

The Swallowtail Tatting Shuttle

Here in central Oregon winter is still in full force, but that doesn't prevent us from dreaming of spring. Dave's newest line of tatting shuttles, the Swallowtails, makes us think of spring!

Sometime back we fitted new wooden blinds in our house and we ended up with slats left over. Since we often like to “re-purpose” things we find, Dave made some lightweight tatting shuttles out of the extra blinds.

These shuttles are 3 1/4 inches long by 1 1/8 inch wide and 1/8 inch thick. Each has been adorned with a graceful swallotail using pyrography (burn etching) and has been initialed and dated by Dave, the maker. Beeswax was used to finish each shuttle.

You can find four of our new Swallowtail Tatting Shuttles in our Etsy shop.

Three Muses Tatting Shuttle and Needle Minder Set

Another commission finished! Dave just finished this beautiful cameo shuttle and needle minder set made out of rare Pink Ivory wood. It's on the way to a very special customer!

Two New Medieval Norse Nalbinding Needles

Made with love on Grizzly Mountain!

We have just added two new fossil walrus ivory nalbinding needles to our "Fiber Art Tool" section of our Etsy shop. If you'd like to view additional photos of these two needles, please click here.

"Leaping Frogs" Tatting Shuttle

"Leaping Frogs" Tatting Shuttle

Dave is still working on commissions and just finished this huge 5 inch TATSY size shuttle for a customer. He dubbed it "Leaping Frogs" but also calls it a "bull frog" shuttle due to its size. Its used for tatting with large size embellishments. The center post is approx 1 1/8 inches high. He handcrafted it from figured maple wood and it has a bees wax finish.

Pyro-Art Walnut Crochet Hook Size J 6.00mm

Pyro-Art Walnut Crochet Hook Size J 6.00mm

Dave handcrafted this 6 ½ inch size J (6.00 mm) crochet hook out of walnut and holly wood. The pyro-art design on the white holly insert was burn etched by hand. This beautiful hook has been initialed by Dave, the maker and is currently up for auction on Ebay.

Handcrafted Bone Embroidery Laying Tool Stiletto

Handcrafted Bone Embroidery Laying Tool Stiletto

Dave handcrafted this 5 ¼ inch laying tool out of buffalo bone and golden swirl celluloid. It has been initialed by Dave and is currently up for auction on Ebay.

Girl with Pearls Cameo Needle Minder

Girl with Pearls Cameo Needle Minder

Made with love on Grizzly Mountain!

We made this "Girl with Pearls" cameo needle minder from a gorgeous vintage inspired resin cameo. We inlayed a rare earth magnet with clear resin on the back. We set the cameo in a gold toned setting to give this needle minder a finished look. Dave encased another rare earth magnet into a piece of faux ivory (resin) that he turned on the lathe. Together, these beauties will "mind" your needle conveniently on your project! Separated, the cameo needle minder and faux ivory back would also make two handy refrigerator magnets!

This cameo needle minder can be found in our Grizzly Mountain Arts Etsy shop :)

Hand Carved Bone Fish Sewing Thread Winder

Hand Carved Bone Fish Sewing Thread Winder

Dave has hand carved this little 2 5/8 inch fish thread winder from buffalo bone. This piece has been initialed by Dave, and is currently up for auction on Ebay.

The Druid's Egg Ceramic Pendant

The Druid's Egg Ceramic Pendant

This "Druid's Egg" earthenware pendant is another collaborative effort between Grizzly Mountain Arts and Good Dirt Jewelry, aka Jo. Dave carved the original Druid's Egg, then made a wonderful mold from that piece. This earthenware pendant, which has been glazed with an earthy "Blue Grotto" glaze can be found in both the Good Dirt Jewelry Etsy shop and 1000markets.com collection (there are two pendants, one in each shop).

*What Are Druid's Eggs?*

The Druid's Egg (also “glain,” “serpent's egg,” or “snake stone”) was a talismanic object sacred to the Druids. Tales about it resemble those of the Philosopher's Stone sought by the alchemists. Its myths may also be related to those of the Omphalos, a meteoritic stone which was kept at Delphi and was thought to be the egg of the serpent-monster Python. In legends, the Druid’s Egg is credited with endowing its possessor with the ability to obtain almost all he might desire. The Druid's Egg was also believed to create a favorable outcome in courts of law, so much that the Romans outlawed carrying one into any courtroom.

In truth, the Druid’s Egg was an egg-shaped talisman made of stone. This consecrated object served as a tool for meditation and magickal focus, and symbolized the promise of renewal and rebirth. They could be made from any stone, and were generally small enough to fit in the palm of one's hand (about the size of a chicken's egg).

In lore, the Druid's Egg was a magickal egg produced by serpents. It could be obtained only on St. Johns Eve, when snakes were supposed to gather in a ball and form an egg from their spittle. As the snakes twisted and writhed, the egg emerged from the mass of vipers and would then float upward into the air.

Many species of snake do form such a ball in the cold months, but the few species of snake native to Britain are not egg-layers. A snake which does lay eggs is the python, not found in Britain, but which was kept in the goddess temples of the Aegean; this may be taken as further evidence of an association between the Druids (or their predecessors) and the Delphic cult which kept the sacred Omphalos stone.

In legends, the Druid who caught the Druid’s Egg after its creation was advised to take instant measures to prevent being robbed of it: as soon as the egg had been obtained he was to throw himself upon a horse that was kept waiting for him, as he would be pursued by the snakes; he was further instructed not to halt until he had gotten to the other side of the first running water to which his flight brought him, across which the serpents would be unable to follow.

The Druid’s Egg appears to have been an object of interest to the ancients, some of whom describe having actually seen and handled it. Among those who have specially described it is the Roman historian Pliny, who claimed he was shown one of these by a Druid from Gaul and called it an "anguinum."

"There is also another kind of egg, of much renown in the Gallic provinces, but ignored by the Greeks. In the summer, numberless snakes entwine themselves into a ball, held together by a secretion from their bodies and by their spittle. this is called anguinum. The Druids say that hissing serpents throw this up into the air, and that it must be caught in a cloak, and not allowed to touch the ground; and that one must instantly take flight on horse-back, as the serpents will pursue until some stream cuts them out. It may be tested, they say, by seeing if it floats against the current of a river, even though it be set in gold. But as it is the way of magicians to cast a cunning veil about their frauds, they pretend that these eggs can only be taken on a certain day of the moon, as though it rested with mankind to make the moon and the serpents accord as to the moment of the operation. I myself, however, have seen one of these eggs; it was round, and about as large as a smallish apple; the shell was cartalaginous, and pocked like the arms of a polypus."

Of all the historic sources who have testified to seeing this legendary egg, none claim to have witnessed its creation.

While the Druid's Egg is not a widespread tool in modern Druidism, it is used by some as a ritual implement for grounding and to protect its owner from manipulative magick or other harmful intents by acting as a magickal “shell,” absorbing and transforming any destructive energy.

In Wales, there is still some belief in the objects; they call them mân macal ("snare stones") and glain y nidir ("the snake's jewel").