Knitting: Lopi Designs and Unspun Lopi

I just purchased this book from Schoolhouse Press and it is full of Lopi patterns--yes 65 (not all sweaters)!  I have fallen back in love with Lopi sweaters!  

This angle is to show you that the book is THICK and just full of wonderful information and patterns. I am really enjoying the patterns and have several picked out for future projects.

Unspun Icelandic yarn  this yarn is to be added to the 2 colors I have for a Lopi sweater for myself.  I have yet to decided on the pattern I will use, but I have it narrowed down.

From SchoolHouse Press:

"Plötulopi/Unspun Icelandic

Extraordinary long-fibered fleece unique to Icelandic sheep produces the warmest wool we know of. In a single-strand, this unspun wool knit directly from the wheel is wonderful for lace or sweaters. Work with 2-ply for typical Icelandic pullovers, jackets, scarves, hats, and mittens. Or 3- and 4-ply for coats and blankets. Material: 100% Un-Spun Wool Weight: 3 1/2-oz. wheel. Yardage: 300 yds. Approx. Gauge: Single strand: 6 to 7 to 8 sts to 1 inch or  Double strand/2- ply, 3-1/2 to 4 sts to 1 inch."

Here is a review of this yarn and I feel like it is an excellently written piece answering many of my questions.  I am sure if you are interested int his yarn you will find this piece interesting as well.  From A Knitters Review

Another great source on this unspun wool is of course Ravelry 

"This yarn is also sometimes called “unspun Icelandic” and is the yarn sold by Schoolhouse Press.
From Istex: Plötulopi can be worked one, two or more ply at a time, depending on how bulky a yarn you want. Gently wind the required number of strands together into a ball by taking the end from the centre and the end from the outside of the plate, or plates. Plötulopi is very fragile to knit. We recommend the continental knitting technique as it permits control with very loose tension.
Since Plötulopi is an unspun yarn, it is fragile to knit; however, due to the length of its fibres, it knits into a sweater that is both sturdy and soft.
Gauge for 1 ply: 19 sts to 10 cm (4”) over St st using size 4½ mm (old UK 7) (US 7).
Gauge for 2 ply: 14 sts to 10 cm (4”) over St st using size 5½ mm (old UK 5) (US 9).
100% new wool. Unspun yarn, sold by weight as a one-ply, flat round roll, called a "plate".

All I have left to do is to finish knitting up a Lopi sweater for my niece in Rangely yarn which I just love.  I need to pick the Lopi design for my self and cast on!  I will keep you posted as I work with the icelandic unspun wool.

Unspun Wool from Iceland

  Icelandic Yarn from: Schoolhouse Press

I have no idea what I am going to knit with this wool. I do know once I get this post written I am going to cast-on and mess around with my unspun wool.  I am not a huge fan of that green so that will be the yarn I will play with as I think about what I might knit.  The two blues I just love.   For years, I have been wanting to knit with this unpsun wool. This was my birthday gift to myself this year.   

Schoolhouse Press has this to say about unspun Icelandic wool: 

"Un-Spun Icelandic— Extraordinary long-fibered fleece unique to Icelandic sheep produce the warmest wool we know."   The other wonderful item I ordered for myself was this pattern which is called Pools in the River.  I am really taken by the textured work in this design.   This pattern I am totally smitten with!  Elizabeth Zimmermann once again stuns me with her designs.  It is wonderful that her family keeps  sharing her work with us knitters.  This photo was taken with my iphone from Schoolhouse Press Pattern #45. One other thing I love about Schoolhouse Press is that they wrap their yarn in paper.  I feel like, I stepped back in time when ever I open a package from them . . . a time when everything moved slower.