Lopapeysa!
Posted by maguidhir on February 26, 2009
I finally started my first sweater project! It also happens to be my first Steeking project, which terrifies me so, so much. My project is called Elka (Ravelry link), and it’s from the book The Best of Lopi. It’s a button-up cardigan Lopapeysa.
A Lopapeysa is a traditional Icelandic sweater – they’re known for their beautiful yokes around the neckline and for being knit with Lopi, a wool from Icelandic sheep, or Íslenska sauðkindin if you will. I’ve already started, and I’m well into it, with the body knit up until the yoke, one sleeve knit up until the yoke, and the second on it’s way. See here?
The Lopi wool has been SO fun to work with. It’s like I’m knitting directly from the sauðkindin itself – having to pick out pieces of hay as I go. Yes, HAY. It’s awesome. The only, okay – a few reservations I’m having about it are:
- It may not be sized exactly right for me (I don’t think I’ve ever got sizing just right)
- The steeking (cutting it to make it a cardigan instead of a sweater), and…
- The fact that I will probably not be able to wear this in Texas. Boo.
This will not be the last Lopapeysa that I knit. This one is next in the queue:
Seriously, how lovely is this sweater? Very lovely indeed. This one is from Lopi Nr. 28 and knit with Létt-Lopi, a thinner version of regular Lopi wool. Erik helped me pick this one out, since it will be his once it’s done. Can’t wait to start it!
And isn’t “Lopapeysa” fun to say? I kinda think so.
manmadeart said
I am in Texas too, sometimes I feel the crochet and knitting work are not highly appreciated because of the hot climax.
Liza said
Oooh that second sweater is gorgeous! My husband would never ever wear it. I probably would though. I think you have to choose pretty lightweight wools if you plan on being able to get a bit of mileage out of your sweater/cardi in Austin. I just bought Avocado green fingering wool for a cardigan – yeah, fingering. It’s going to take Forever. But I will love it.
Car said
Hahaha I’m LingOL about “the hot climax”.
conkerama said
Hi, I’m in the UK and on the verge of knitting a lopapeysa for my Icelandic husband. The thing is, he’s a strict vegan – so it has to be cotton rather than wool. I am considering doing the pattern you’ve shown from Lopi 28 – such a gorgeous yoke design, quite the loveliest I’ve seen. And as it’s Lett Lopi, it should knit up nicely in an aran-weight cotton yarn. I’ve already done some swatches in Debbie Bliss Eco and it’s all good so far. Expensive,though, so he’d better wear it. Wish me luck!
I’m also planning to knit a ’steeked’ hoodie for my son – in Lopi wool – for my son – from the Lopi 29 book:
http://nammi.is/index.php?main_page=popup_image&pID=1643
How did the steeking go on your cardigan? Love the colours you chose for that one, BTW. I read the pattern through quickly and couldn’t work out what ’steeking’ was – I thought it was a misprint or some quirky Icelandic made-up word. So thanks for solving that mystery for me.
Hey, if the cotton-lopi project works out, you might be able to make something that would be wearable on cooler days in Texas. Do you have cooler days in Texas?