Harila minimalist, Unicorn sweater and Føyka mid-season (coming soon!)
I primarily knit garments for outdoor activities and for use in all kinds of weather, so I most often choose untreated Norwegian and Icelandic wool. Nordic wool is very robust and durable!
When I say untreated wool, I mean wool that has not been superwash-treated. I am one of those who do not use superwash yarn – a treatment of wool where a plastic coating is applied to the wool fibers so that it can be machine washed. When yarn is superwash-treated, it also loses the self-cleaning and breathable properties of wool. It is the wool fat lanolin that makes the wool self-cleaning, and this disappears when a yarn is superwash-treated.
🧶 Norwegian wool
Pinto horse sweater, Tusseladd and Føyka (Photo: Marte Stensland Jørgensen)
Norwegian wool is fantastic! We have several different sheep breeds in Norway, and they can be divided into two "main types": sheep breeds with two types of wool (guard hairs and undercoat) and sheep breeds with only undercoat. If you are unsure what guard hairs and undercoat are, you can look at a husky. The long, stiff, robust hairs you see on the dog are guard hairs. These ensure that rain and dirt do not penetrate the dog's fur. The undercoat, on the other hand, keeps the dog warm and is very soft.
Norwegian yarn from sheep with only undercoat (crossbred):
Sheep with only undercoat are called crossbred. Their wool consists of long, very durable fibers that can withstand a lot! I prefer Rauma 3-ply, a woolen spun yarn, which means the fibers lie "higgledy-piggledy". There is more air in the yarn, which makes the garments lighter (than, for example, with Peer Gynt, which is a worsted spun yarn where the wool lies parallel and can feel denser and clammy to wear). The disadvantage of using wool without guard hairs is that the garments will not be as water-repellent as yarn like, for example, Álafosslopi.
It is important to mention that all untreated wool contains remnants of the sheep's wool fat, which makes the garment water-repellent to some extent. Lanolin can also be added to the garment with lanolin wash if desired.
🧶 Icelandic wool
Tufsingdalgenser, Takotna and Matoaka (Photo: Marte Stensland Jørgensen)
I use a lot of Icelandic wool (Álafosslopi, Lettlopi and Platulopi)! These yarns contain both guard hairs and undercoat. The undercoat is soft and the guard hairs are stiff. The guard hairs and lanolin in the wool make the garment robust and water-repellent. The Icelandic sheep is related to the old Norwegian sheep breeds and has many similarities to them. There are many reasons why I use a lot of Icelandic wool:
🧶 The wool is warm, durable, water-repellent and very beautiful to look at.
🧶 The guard hairs stand up like a halo around the sweater when it rains.
🧶 In addition to the wool's good quality, it is produced in an incredible number of beautiful colors!
The yarns can be a bit itchy, but Icelandic wool is strictly speaking not intended to be worn directly against the skin. I use my lopi sweaters as jackets and almost always wear a thin wool top underneath.
For those with sensitive skin: I know there are some out there who find wool very itchy. Wool always gets softer after washing and use, so don't judge the wool before you have knitted and rinsed the garment. Tip: wool soap and conditioner from Lopi can be found here.
Yarn alternatives for needle size 6 mm (13 stitches per 10 cm):
The Wilderness Sweater in Vams, Okapi child, hand-dyed Vams
Remember that needle size to achieve the stated gauge is individual. Always check your gauge before you start.
Álafosslopi
Suitable for those who will use the garment a lot outdoors in all kinds of weather. This yarn contains guard hairs and undercoat from the sheep, which makes it water-repellent. Garments knitted in Álafosslopi can withstand a lot of heavy use, but it will felt a little with use, so it is better to knit the sweater too large than too small. The yarn can be itchy, so I recommend wearing wool base layers underneath.
Plötulopi
This yarn is unspun, so it can be a bit difficult to knit with as it breaks easily. But you get an incredibly light, cozy, and soft sweater, with the same properties as Álafosslopi. To match Álafosslopi in thickness, you need to knit with double strands.
Blåne
A yarn from Norwegian pelt sheep. All the wool is dyed on the sheep's natural color, which is grey, so the wool gets a special sheen. High quality yarn. Well suited for outdoor activities.
Troll from Hillesvåg
A soft and comfortable wool yarn made from undercoat. This is a very good alternative to Álafosslopi if it is too coarse for you. Well suited for outdoor activities.
Rauma Vams
A 2-ply knitting yarn of 100% Norwegian wool. The yarn is full and airy and provides light and warm garments. It is very easy to knit with and is well suited for felting.
Hopi knitted in Lettlopi and Hopi knitted in Vidde lamb wool yarn and Varde pelt wool yarn. (Photo: Marte Stensland Jørgensen)
Remember that needle size to achieve the stated gauge is individual. Always check your gauge before you start.
Lettlopi
Suitable for those who will use the garment a lot outdoors in all kinds of weather. This yarn contains guard hairs and undercoat from the sheep, which makes it water-repellent. Garments knitted in Lettlopi can withstand a lot of heavy use, but it may felt a little with use, so it is better to knit the sweater too large than too small. The yarn can be itchy, so I recommend wearing wool base layers underneath.
Vidde
Vidde is a soft Norwegian quality yarn made from lamb wool, perfect if you plan to wear the sweater both indoors and outdoors. The yarn contains only undercoat, which means it is not as water-repellent as Lettlopi, but in return, you get much softer garments. Wool contains lanolin, which is the sheep's natural wool fat. This means that all untreated wool yarns (not superwash) are water-repellent to some extent. Lanolin also makes the garment self-cleaning. Suitable for both outdoor activities and everyday garments.
Varde
A yarn from Norwegian pelt sheep. All the wool is dyed on the sheep's natural color, which is grey, so the wool gets a special sheen. High quality yarn. Suitable for both outdoor activities and everyday garments.
Plötulopi
This yarn is unspun, so it can be a bit difficult to knit with as it breaks easily. But you get an incredibly light, cozy, and soft sweater, with the same properties as Álafosslopi and Lettlopi.
Hip wool
A super soft alternative for those who find wool itchy. Great for everyday garments.
Tusseladd and Alasuq child
Tinde
A lustrous, soft and airy pelt wool yarn from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk spun from the wool of Norwegian pelt sheep. Norwegian pelt sheep is a Norwegian sheep breed different from the Norwegian white sheep. The wool contains both light and dark fibers, and the dark fibers give the yarn and colors an exciting depth and marbling.
Sol
A soft, airy, and springy yarn from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk. Sol lamb wool yarn can be combined with Tinde pelt wool yarn, and is used with Ask from Hillesvåg in the book "Wilderness Sweaters for Children".
Ask
2-ply woolen spun yarn from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk that produces durable, light, airy, and warm garments. It is very versatile and due to the airiness of the yarn, it can be used with various gauges. The yarn is not superwash treated, and can therefore be felted.
Rauma 3-ply knitting yarn
A 3-ply woolen spun yarn. With its 3 plies, this yarn is particularly durable and hard-wearing. 3-ply knitting yarn produces airy, warm, and durable garments. The yarn quality is mainly used for traditional sweaters and cardigans, but it is also well suited for solid-colored garments and textured knitting. This yarn is perfect as a substitute for Sol and Ask from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk.