Hálfmani KIT

Design: Hélène Magnússon

Hálfmáni starts like a typical skakki, a traditional triangular garter stitch shawl that was common to start at the nape of the neck in the Westfjords of Iceland. Those skakkar were traditionally worn crossed over the chest and bound at the back and, paired with long wrist warmers, were the women sweaters of those times. They very often had some sort of a simple decoration, stripes, open work or fringes.

Hálfmáni shawl follows the same recipe than a skakki in soothing garter stitch, starting with just a few stitches and gradually increasing to create 2 perfectly symmetrical triangles separated by a central line of eyelet. Until all of a sudden, this line splits in two and dramatically changes the shape of the shawl as it continues to grow. The bottom of the shawl is a bit fancier that the common skakki, with its undulating lacy motif and arches at the edge, typical of the more refine Icelandic lace shawls.

The new shape created, more modern, is a large hálfmáni or half-moon, in which you will want to wrap yourself and cuddle. And because it´s knitted with 1 strand of unspun lopi, it will be just as light as it is soft and warm!

The KIT, just like the shawl shown is knitted from Feldfé lamb, a very special and rare breed of Icelandic sheep. It was one of the kit of my 4th Icelandic yarn Club.

The Feldfé (pelt sheep) is a grey Icelandic sheep that was bred 40 years ago by a few farmers in the South of Iceland who wanted to improve the quality of the wool. Feldfé has a uniform, grey, high quality fleece, equally outstanding across its whole body. A traditional Icelandic fleece is dual coated and has different wool qualities (the tog is the long and often coarse outer coat and the þel is the soft and fine undercoat) whereas the Feldfé have little þel and the evenly distributed tog makes it a legendary “golden fleece”: it is soft, shiny and wavy, curly even like a corkscrew – and equally soft, luscious and lovely with rich and lively colors of greys.

Size: one size.
Wingspan at top: 195 cm / 77”
Center depth: 70 cm / 27.5”

Gauge: 10 cm / 4” = 20 sts and 26 rows in garter st on 4.5 mm / US6 needle
Check your gauge and if necessary, change needle size to obtain the correct gauge.
Gauge is not essential but will affect the yardage required; you may run out of yarn if your gauge is too loose.

Wool: Feldfé lopi from Spunasystur, pure new wool, 100% Icelandic lambswool from the special Feldfé breed, unspun, plate approx. 110 g = 300 m/328 yds: 2 plates

Yardage used (1 strand): 553 m / 605 yds

Needles: 4.5 mm / US 7 circular needle (suitable for lace with pointy tips) or size to obtain the gauge.
3 mm / US D3 crochet hook for BO (can also be knitted).

Notions: darning needle, optional stitch markers, blocking wires and pins. Towel, pinning board (you can also use a mattress, the back of a sofa, etc…).

Techniques: knitting from the top down, garter stitch eyelet, special BO

Pattern: Once you’ve made your paiement, you will receive an email with a link to download the pattern PDF. We don’t send patterns by snailmail.

Errata: No mistake has been found in this pattern