What is Needlebound?

Needlebound is an annual publication that archives and amplifies the online fiber arts community through print. Founded by Hayley Mortin (Dazy Chains) in 2024, it exists as a deliberate counter-space to algorithmic curation as a a place where fiber artists control their own narratives, set their own terms, and appear in full complexity rather than flattened into content.

The title references nålebinding, a fifth-century Scandinavian technique that predates knitting. Like that ancient practice, which brought artisans together to work, talk, and build community, Needlebound functions as both document and gathering place: a material record of contemporary craft culture as it actually exists: politically engaged, technically sophisticated, historically aware, and deeply collaborative.

The publication includes essays, artist interviews, photo series, archival documentation, instructional tutorials, and original knitting patterns. Work is selected for its intellectual rigor, personal urgency, political curiosity, or technical precision, often all at once. Contributors range from emerging makers to established artists, historians, and writers working at the intersection of craft, critical theory, and material culture.

Needlebound didn’t arrive fully formed, it unraveled, rewound, and reassembled itself over time. If you’re curious about the origin story, the people involved in the production process, design direction, and all the messy in-betweens, you can read about it on Substack: Needlebound: A Loosely Woven Retrospective.