Gilipeysa KIT

The lopapeysa, literrally sweater made of lopi (lopi is unspun and means roving band in Icelandic) is a really great sweater, very warm and light, hardwearing, water repellant and thus dirt-repellant (you barely have to wash it!) but the lopi wool being a bit scratchy, it’s not so suitable for babies. My Gilitrutt yarn, made of the softest Icelandic lambswool which I hand select specially for its softness, has all the qualities of the lopi yarn but without the scratchiness. For the purists, Gilipeysa may not be a real lopapeysa since it’s not knitted with lopi but it will make babies happy!

The designer

Hélène Magnússon is a leading knit designer in Iceland, the author of many books about traditional Icelandic knitting and the editor of The Icelandic Knitter. She likes to put a new spin on Icelandic traditions. She began her professional life as a lawyer in Paris before she made a complete life change and moved to Iceland, where she studied textile and fashion at Iceland Academy of the Arts and worked as a hired girl in a sheep farm and a mountain guide. The varied skills she learned in those early years richly inform the amazing hiking and knitting tours she passionately guides in collaboration with tour operator Icelandic Mountain Guides / Iceland Rovers.

Sizes: 3-6(6-9, 9-12, 12-18) months, 2,3,4 years old
Grey cardigan shown is a 3-6 months, pink cardigan is a size 2 years old and white/orange cardigan a size 4 years old.

Finished measurements:
Body circumference: 45.5(48.5,51.5,54) 57,60,63 cm / 18.25(19.25,20.5,21.75)22.75,24,25.25”
Body length up to armhole: 14(16,17,19)21,22,24 cm / 5.5(6.5,6.75,7.5) 8.5,8.75,9.5”
Yoke depth:8.5(9.5,10.5,10.5)11,11.5,11.5 cm / 3.5(3.75, 4.25,4.25)4.5,4.75,4.75”
Neckline: 30.5(31.5,33,34) 35.5,36.5,38 cm / 12.25(12.75,13.25,13.75)14.25,14.75,15.25”
Sleeve length: 16(19,20,21)22,23,24 cm / 6.5(7.5,8,8.5) 8.75,9.25,9.5”
Upper arm: 19(19,21,21)21,22.5,22.5 cm / 7.75(7.75,8.25,8.25)8.25,9,9”

Gauge: 10 cm/4” = 24 sts and 30 rows on needle 3.5 mm/ US 4 in Stocking st

Garn: Gilitrutt Tvíband by Hélène Magnússon, 100% new wool, 100% Icelandic lambswool, plied lace, 2-ply, 25g/ skein = approx. 112 m/ 123 yds
MC: Natural Grey, 2(2,3,3)3,4,4 skeins
CC1: Natural Brown, 1 skein
CC2: White, 1 skein

Other color combination shown:
Silene pink, Moss green, Natural white

Needles and notions:
3 mm/US 2½ and 3.5 mm/US 4 circular needles. Magic loop is used for smaller diameters but you can also use double-pointed needles. Adjust needles size to obtain correct gauge.

3 mm/ US C-2 or D-3 crochet hook

Darning needle, markers, 4 stitch holders or scrap yarn

3 or 4 buttons medium size

Techniques: The sweater is worked in the round. Body and sleeves are worked in the round then combined at the underarms and the yoke is knitted in the round in stranded knitting. The cardigan is steeked (cut open) but you can also work the body back and forth.

Knitting in the round, stranded knitting (2 colors), increases, decreases, kitchener st, steek, crochet border.

Kit: the kit contains the wool but not the needles or the other material. The kit doesn’t include the pattern that must be purchased separately. Shipping costs are not included

Shipping and returns: see Terms & conditions here