Nålbinding - Start from the middle

Here the start of a spiral, worked from the middle, is shown.
 
A short loop chain is tied with a simple stitch, formed into a small ring

on which the work is continued in a spiral form

by continuous stitch increases.

We have a round start.

Is the start from the middle done with a chain of loops,

which is not formed into a ring,

but worked around the chain of loops,

we end up with an oval start.

Picture 1

At the beginning a short loop chain

made from 6 loops is worked, ....

Picture 2

… which is closed into a ring too.

Picture 3

Three loops are worked into the first loop of the previous row. After this the spiral is started by stitching onto the ring of loops. We work four times three loops each into every loop of the previous row. The opposite picture shows how the second loop is worked into the starter loop.

The increase in the following rows depends on how pointed or less pointed the work in Nålbinding is supposed to be.
Constant adjusting to a pattern is useful here..

Example for a start from the middle,

where enough loops were increased,

so that a flat disc formed.

2. Oval start

Picture 4

If we wanted to work a longish oval beginning, we sew on top of the front and back of the loop chain.

We increase 6 loops each on both ends. (3 loops each for every corner of an imagined rectangle)

Picture 5

Detailed view of an oval beginning.

Material: hand spun and plied wool of a Moorland sheep.

Stitch: (U)U(U)OO/UUOO
 
(The U's in brackets are the stitches from the previous row)
With the "Thumb-catching method" here it has to be stitched into two backward thumb loops from the front towards the back.

Picture 6

Detailed view of the Stitch (U)U(U)OO/UUOO