Icelandic shawl from the Cathare people KIT

What happens when the Cathare Shepherds (Bergers cathares) meet an Icelandic knitter? A beautiful Icelandic shawl is born, knitted with the natural wool from the Pyrénées’ sheep.

« With only two colors, natural white and natural grey, I tried to give a sense for the numerous colors in the Icelandic sheep which reflects in the great variety of colors in Icelandic lace. The result is a subtle grading with traditional but simple lace motifs. The shawl is knitted from the top down. Although it’s pure lace, the rusticity of the yarn makes the shawl suitable both for men and women.»

The designer

Hélène Magnússon likes to put a new spin on old Icelandic knitting traditions. She enjoys designs with strong ties to Iceland and that tell a story. She is best known for her research into the traditional Icelandic intarsia that was mostly seen in knitted insoles in the past centuries. Her book, Icelandic knitting: using Rose Patterns is available in three languages. She is a French native but a true Icelandic knitter and has an Icelandic family. Hélène abandoned a law career in Paris for the love of Icelandic nature. She worked as a mountain guide for many years in Iceland and studied textile and fashion design at the Iceland Academy of the Arts. She is the head and designer behind The Icelandic Knitter.

Size: one size, triangle 140 cm long, 64 cm height

Needle: circular needle 4 mm

Wool: Yarn Alpage from Bergers cathares, 100 % pure wool, skein 25g = 100 m, natural white (MC) and natural grey (CC): 3 skeins of each

or Gilitrutt Tvíband by Hélène Magnússon: 100% new wool, pure Icelandic lambswool, plied lace, 2-ply, 25 g/skein = approx. 112 m/ 123 yds: MC Natural white or Viking rust, CC Natural grey: 2 skeins of each color

Gauge: 10×10 cm / 4×4” = 16 sts x 22 rows in Stocking st

Techniques: lace, provisional cast on, garter tab cast on.

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