History of Lopi

ICELAND In about 874 AD, the first settler reached Iceland. He was a Norwegian Viking Chieftain in search of a new land, and he made his home where the capital now lies, naming the site Reykjavik or Smokey Bay after the steam he saw rising there from geothermal springs. These springs provide natural heat to homes, offices, factories, and greenhouses. Icelanders enjoy blooming flowers and tropical fruits all year round as well as comfortable geothermically heated outdoor pools. This coupled with hydroelectric power produced by the abundant and non-polluting energy of waterfalls makes the burning of fossil fuels unnecessary. Iceland is pollution free! Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe (pop. 250,000), and it is the youngest country in Europe, thought to have been formed only 1620 million years ago. There is a volcanic belt traversing the country, with volcanoes erupting somewhere on average every three years. Geological forces are still hard at work forming the appearance of Iceland. The Icelandic identity is embodied in the living language that has remained largely unchanged since the nation began. They have the worlds oldest surviving parliament dating back to 930 AD Fishing accounts for about three-quarters of their economy, since only about two percent of the land can be farmed. Farming provides a way of life for about 30,000 Icelanders who do not live in towns and villages. Distinctive as the sheep, the five gaited Icelandic horse is exported around the world. It too, was brought by early settlers.

The Lopi Sweater Iceland is a country of hardy longhaired sheep whose wool combines the qualities of softness, sturdiness, and water resistance. Not surprisingly, knitted and woven garments have always been a necessity in such a northern climate. But the lopi sweater itself, so closely identified with Iceland, is a relatively recent phenomenon. Although Icelanders have been knitting since the sixteenth century, the lopi sweater has a history of only decades. Traditional knitwear was thick and sturdy, made of firmly spun yarn. But in the early 1900s several women began to experiment with knitting directly with lopi, the unspun woolen fibers, rather than first

spinning the lopi into yarn. The first published account of these experiments appeared in a popular handicraft periodical in 1923. After that, Icelandic knitters never looked back. Lopi garments proved a resounding success: the knitted fabric was light and bulky, and provided good insulation. Before long, the typical handknitted circular yoked sweater with patterned borders made its appearance, and knitters all over the country have been creating endless variations on the theme ever since. Nobody knows who inspired the original idea.

The lopi sweater designs bear some resemblance to knitted sweaters from southern Sweden (which are made, however, with much finer yarn), and also to the colourful bead collars of the Greenland national costume. Whatever its inspiration, the distinctive round-yoked lopi sweater is uniquely Icelandic, and has acquired the status of a classic the world over in the past forty years or so. Lopi sweaters are knit in the round on large circular needles, eliminating all seams and the need to purl (all stitches are knit). Initially, lopi sweaters were almost exclusively made in the natural colours of the Icelandic sheep: i.e. white, grey, light and dark brown and brown-black; which have sometimes been regarded as the authentic shades for a lopi sweater. Alafoss Lopi is manufactured in both natural tones and a variety of fashion shades, to allow for all tastes. You will find that garments knitted from Icelandic sheep are lighter than most wools and have the ability to absorb perspiration. Additionally, you will find Icelandic wool repels dirt and is easy to wash. Any fluffing or pilling that may occur may be simply removed by clipping or combing, leaving your garment looking new for many years.

THE SPINNER Alafoss started spinning Lopi yarn at their mill in southwest Iceland in 1896. The company used geothermal water sources to wash the wool and the energy of the waterfall at Alafoss was harnessed to drive the machinery. In the century since the first factory was founded, a whole town grew up around it, and the wool industry gradually became not only important for the community, but for the country as well.

In 1991 Istex was formed to take over the scouring plant and the yarn division of Alafoss. In 1996 the company celebrated their 100th year of operation.

As part of this celebration they ran a design contest for which almost four hundred garments were submitted by the Icelandic people. The garments were judged by an *international panel (of which S. R. Kertzer was proud to be a part of), and the result was the publication of pattern Book 16.

Istex selects its wool directly from farmers for washing and spinning into top quality Lopi yarn so only the best quality wool reaches the Istex mill. At sorting stations around the country, wool is gathered to be expertly graded according to colour and quality before being taken for washing at the companys scouring plant. While processing the wool, the use of detergents is kept to an absolute minimum, ensuring the preservation of natural wool fats. As the plant is located in a water conservation area, coloured Lopi contains only dyes approved by the strictest standards set by the the government of Iceland. Istex considers it a privilege to continue preserving a craft stretching back over 500 years, and they work hard as the guardians of this old tradition. *Knitters Magazine - Winter 1996, No. 45

WHY IS LOPI SO UNIQUE? The answer is in the sheep! They outnumber the population by almost 3 to 1. Grazed on virgin land untouched by pollution, the Icelandic sheep is a distinctive breed brought by the Vikings over eleven hundred years ago to the land of ice and fire. It was the sheep who provided these early settlers with both protection and food. It is characterized by its lack of tail and its double coat of wool, and is the longest-haired sheep in the world. Iceland's very strict policies do not allow importation of foreign sheep, keeping disease and cross-breeding out of the country. Icelandic sheep therefore maintain their unique properties which make Lopi such an outstanding yarn. Icelandic Lopi cannot be duplicated!

Icelandic wool has earned an international reputation for its warmth and lightness. Icelandic sheep fleece is double layered, and in the same way that the sheep are kept warm and dry, the wearers of Lopi can expect the same results. The wool of Icelandic sheep consists of two types of fibres, inner and outer. The inner layer of light fine fibers called pel are shorter, soft and crinkly, insulating well against the cold, while the strong outer fibers called tog are

four inches long, coarse and glossy - and as a result, water repellent.

Moisture cannot penetrate, because it runs down the outer fibers. These fibers are irregular, and they create air spaces when they are loosely bound together. The two combined create a light but sturdy water-resistant yarn. Istex purchases the entire wool clip in Iceland, and therefore it is impossible for any other company to lay claim to the fact that they use Icelandic wool to spin their yarn. It is a fact that Icelandic wool is a pure, natural product, environmentally friendly and of the finest quality.

Lopi is available in three ideal weights

Ltt-Lopi: 18 sts and 24 rows = 10 x 10 cm measured over St st using 4 mm needles. lafoss Lopi: 13 sts and 18 rows = 10 x 10 cm over St st using 6 mm needles. Bulky Lopi: 9 sts and 13 rows = 10 x 10 cm over St st using 9 mm needles.

Pltulopi: Not available in Canada, however, here are the recommended gauges for substituting. 1-ply pltulopi: 20 sts and 27 rows = 10 x 10 cm measured over St st using 4 mm needles. 1-ply pltulopi is also sometimes knitted very loose (6 mm needles) and then lightly felted after knitting. 1-ply pltulopi: 17 sts and 32 rows = 10 x 10 cm measured over garter st using 5 mm needles.

2-ply pltulopi: 14 sts and 19 rows = 10 x 10 cm measured over St st using 5 mm needles.

3-ply pltulopi: 12 or 11,5 sts and 17 or 16 rows = 10 x 10 cm measured over St st using 6

mm needle

GAUGE, always check tension and adjust needle size. Lopi yarns are supported with timeless, classic pattern books offering designs for all tastes.

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