First Person
Ask Patty: The Fiberly Faroe Islands and Iconic Iceland
(For the first nine shops of Patty’s trip: click here.)
The Faroe Islands: Land of Sheep!
I loved the Faroe Islands. Not only is the country stunning, but the sheep outnumber the people. Yup, you gotta love a place with 50,000 people and nearly 80,000 sheep.
For those of us who are socially awkward introverts wearing an extrovert mask when needed, this place seems like heaven.
My first stop had to be the knitwear shop Gudrun and Gudrun. In addition to yarn, I was on the hunt for my dream sweater. I didn’t buy anything here, because I was distracted by (you guessed it), a yarn shop across the street, Snaeldan (yarn shop #10).
There were walls of color, but as a New Yorker, I couldn’t resist the beauty of this wall.
I was on the hunt for real Faroese yarn. I loved the yarn at Snaeldan, but it came from the Falkland Islands, so I kept hunting. This led me to my favorite knitter experience of the trip.
I saw there was a knitwear designer who used real Faroese wool. I headed to Ullvoruhusid. There I was gobsmacked by racks of stunning sweaters. Greatest of all, the designer Karen Sissal Kj Kristiansen of Shisa Brand was there.
I tried on many sweaters until I found that special one that had to go home with me. I have no idea how long I stayed there listening to Sissal talk about heritage breeds and her passion for Faroese wool.
I could have stayed there all day, but at some point hubby reminded me that we had to get back to the ship before it sailed without us. She asked if I had a chance to get to Navia to see real 100% Faroese wool. I told her, sadly, we would not have time.
She ducked into the back room, came out and pushed a full bag of yarn into my hands. She said, “Here, take it. It was for a sample knitter, but you can have it.” I was speechless, and then started repeating “what, what, what, what” and then she said, “Run, before I change my mind.”
Here I am in the sweater I love holding my prize. I’m gonna call that yarn shop #11. I know, it’s not technically a yarn shop, but I walked out with yarn!
As we were heading to the dock, we were walking past a shop with beautiful pottery and my eagle-eyed husband pointed in the window and said, “Isn’t that yarn?” Why, yes it was!
I can’t find the website for this little shop, but I quickly nabbed two skeins of Kyrra handspun Faroese wool. (yarn shop #12)
Despite the fact that we did not see the yarnbombed rock, I did see my first puffin, got my dream sweater, and walked away with another excellent yarn haul.
Iceland: A Dream of Waterfalls and Wool
Iceland is indescribably beautiful. Land of fire and ice. It is a magical place graced with volcanoes and icebergs, and of course home of the Lopapeysa, the Icelandic sweater. I was a woman on a mission. I wanted my perfect Icelandic sweater.
I had read to look for this magical symbol in windows for handmade goods.
We had been touring around for days, when I spotted a tiny shop in Husavik with the magical sign in the wind.
Kaðlín Handverkshús is a small shop with shelves and shelves and shelves of sweaters. I stood frozen for a moment, but our bus was going to leave in five mins, so I got to work. Luckily, I fell in love quickly.
The sister of the sweater’s knitter rang me up and she seemed pretty proud of her sister’s work. I cut off the tags and wore it out of the shop!
This is the warmest sweater I’ll ever own. I nabbed myself a hat too, and I was happily coat free with my hat and sweater. Wool for the win!
One Last Yarn Shop.
Our dream trip came to an end in Reykjavik. This is a great town. There are murals everywhere and weird and wonderful art in store windows. This was in the window of a clothing store, roving going into a meat grinder. You know, like you do.
I saved the best for last. The mothership: The Handknitting Association of Iceland (yarn shop #13.)
The is an amazing source of all thing Icelandic in the fiber world. It was very hard to not walk away with tons of yarn, but I was strong.
I did treat myself (or possibly you, if some of these lovelies end up as giveaway items) to several different skeins.
It was hard to say goodbye to such magical places. This part of the world simultaneously makes you feel like you can’t knit anything and that you can knit EVERYTHING.
On the one hand, the talent here is sooo amazing, it’s easy to feel intimidated. But on the other hand, because sheep, yarn, and knitting are so much a part of the culture, so much a part of everyday life it makes you feel like you can knit all the things. I mean for heaven’s sake, there’s yarn in grocery stores.
So, I’m going to embrace that feeling and knit all the things. I suggest you do as well.
Come Shop With Us
So much fun, Patty. Thanks for including us on your yarn adventures. If anyone knows of a basic pattern similar to the short drop shoulder sleeved pullover, please let us know. I don’t need the stranded stitch pattern, but am curious about the “rib”. I have some guesses, but can’t zoom in enough with my device. Thank you for your suggestions.
Looks like broken rib to me.
What a great trip! Love your Shisa Brand sweater. Sissal is the Faroe Islands greatest spokesperson – she made a fantastic film about the history of Faroese wool trade and knitwear design that was the centerpiece of a presentation at Scandinavia House in NYC last spring. https://youtu.be/-1ndWUNmCpc?si=xSyOOdb8wKwqAtjz
After the film several of the brands had set up shop and I tried on that very same sweater!
I was also in Iceland a few weeks ago and bought several plates of Plotulopi at the Handknitting Association. I am so inpired by Shisa Brand’s bold take on traditional Faroese design. I think I may use my Icelandic yarn to create a hybrid lopapeysa using the Faroese geometric design!
Thanks so much. We’ve been looking at a cruise around Iceland – could you share which one you took and if you’d recommend?
It was the Viking Cruise. Loved it!
Yarn in grocery stores…heaven! Looks like a wonderful trip. Thanks for sharing, Patty!
What a wonderful adventure! It’s definitely on my bucket list. The beauty and passion for knitting in this area of the world is so inspiring. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing your adventures! I love the blue/green with brown edge scarf/wrap you’re wearing in several of the photos. Would you mind sharing the name of that pattern?
It was a gift from a student. I’m not sure there was a pattern. It was handspun, hand dyed and hand knit – my favorite thing in the world!
Please! I love it too.
There was the first ever TV drama filmed in the Faroes, “Trom”. And there is a pattern created by Navia yarn to knit the vest that the main character wears. It is called “Trom Vest/slipover for ladies”. It is available on Ravelry. Maybe there us an MDK yarn combo that would be perfect. https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/trom-vest
I traveled to Iceland with a group of knitters. The Hand Knitters Association was one of my favorite stops, I bought my Dream sweater there and buttons. Yarn is everywhere. Priorities….
Jealous.
Closest I ever got was buying Lettlopi in duty free at the airport (along with the good Cadbury fruit and nut bars).
Bucket List!
Thank you for taking us along on your trip! I am always happy to see that you have posted something on MDK when I open the page in the morning. Just love your tips on knitting and your enthusiasm for knitting. (Fellow introvert )
I so love Iceland. I’ve been there twice, and came home with wonderful yarn as well. (An excellent souvenir.) thanks for the refresher of that lovely country!
The roving in the meat grinder is the winner!
Wow!!!
What A dream vacation !
I found a couple of yarn stores on a cruise that included Iceland. I found some great stuff (my bad, I don’t remember the name of the town) & grabbed a few skeins of blue to make a sweater for my grandson. While checking out, the store proprietor looked at me and said “Only one color?”
Yes, Patty, I too love the blue green wrap with brown edge. Please share the pattern AND the yarn!
Patti, I always love your columns, but this one is remarkable. I loved all the yarn shops and the interesting facts about the sheep and yarn. You made me feel as if I was with you on the trip. I have always wanted to go to Iceland, but it has now moved to the top of my bucket list. Thank you so much!
Sorry…”Patty”
What a wonderful adventure! Thanks for taking us along. I love your new sweater. I enjoyed the pics. I have (& have used) that kind of meat grinder that was passed down through my mom’s family.
Ummmm… Did some one say “giveaway”?
Did some one fail to mention when where how regarding a giveaway or…
Is the when where how of giveaway the “stay tuned, same Bat time, Same Bat station” coming soon sort of data for which we need to remain eagle-eyed & attentive?
ARGHHHHH… SO many questions!
SO few answers!
<3
I do tons of giveaways on my Instagram acct – https://www.instagram.com/pattyjlyons/
Oh, my! That sounds like a dream trip. The puffin, the landscapes, the blue sweater you snagged, all the yarn! I hope to visit Shetland and Iceland soon, but now I see that I need to go to the Faroe Islands as well. Thank you for the tour.
That wall of gray! Thank you for sharing your trip
Your dream Faroese sweater is indeed a dream. Love it! Now, when I make my return trip to Iceland, I’ll have to swing by the Faroes on the way.
Loved this, Patty. Starting with “Introvert wearing an extrovert mask”. Best description p yet of many of us.:) Loved your narration and photos. All those great smiles on everyone’s faces. Had fun trying to pick out my favorite colors in that Icelandic shop. And loved both your modelled sweaters. Thanks so much.
Oh my goodness, this was great. I felt as though I was right there with you. I would have missed all the boats to distracted by wool and sweaters. Love it!
Introvert in an extrovert suit? Yep. C’est moi. I envy your long slender frame that can carry off that first sweater you bought so beautifully!
I saw “Husavik” and this is all I could think of in the moment (sorry, or maybe not sorry).
https://youtu.be/PlBUH8zMZng?si=Mpx6SZ0TdRZQNwUB
😀
I want to take this cruise!! Thank you, Patty and MDK.
Thank you Patty for my yarn fix and even more incentive to travel in your footsteps! I am excited, envious and jealous all at the same time!! Thank you once more!
Many years ago (45), I had an Icelandic cardigan. It was wonderful, and warm as toast. It was purchased in a store in Princeton, NJ, that carried them for some reason, along with other clothing. Somewhere, deep in my stash, I have some Faroese yarn. It is sooo sheepy! Thanks for bringing us along on your adventure.
Knit all the things!! Yes!!!
Oh, please tell me you’re going to work your designer magic on a Faroese shawl pattern….
You chose two GORGEOUS sweaters!
This was so much fun and visually beautiful. Thank you for sharing your trip with us, Patty. I cannot imagine yarn in grocery stores!
Thanks to Caarin Fleischmann for the Shissa film link. It really is fantastic. I’m saving the second half to knit with. (One of the sweaters shown looks like Patty’s black and whte one!)
I Love both of the sweaters that you chose – they look great on you! Thanks for taking us along on your fabulous trip!
The Salida Fiber Festival (in little Salida, CO) was incredibly privileged to have Sissal as a vendor this year and she sold her original handmade sweaters and the same packet of yarn that Patty is holding, along with the pattern for her Tokyo sweater. She also showed her movie The Wool Islands and gave a presentation afterwards. She is so fun, personable and generous! I went to the Faroe Islands in spring of 2022 but Sissal was not in her store at the time, so I was so excited to finally meet her in person. Everyone in the Faroe Islands wears handmade sweaters and I saw sheep everywhere we drove. It was incredible. A serene, beautiful country.
I nearly ended up staying overnight at Alafoss, a bit outside of Reykjavik … 10 out of 10, would recommend
I love that one of the US’s best known knitters happily bought sweaters. They’re beauties, too.
Oh my gosh!! I was in Iceland last week and in Reykjavík too! I did visit the Handknitting Association of Iceland – we purchased a sweater there for our Guide for the week. We also stopped at a shop literally on the side of the road where I found my dreamy Iceland sweater. (Another knitter on the trip questioned the wisdom of buying what I could make – I disabused that notion). What an amazing country.
I was in Newfoundland. A lady was knitting in a small museum outside of Bonavista. I asked her where she got her yarn. In a marine supply store. There I was introduced to Briggs and Little, the oldest mill in Canada. I love their yarn.
I love the picture of you and your husband. Wishing you many more years with a man who eagle eyes yarn.
I absolutely loved the pictures and comentary. I made notes , thank you!