Icelandic Handknits: 25 Heirloom Techniques and Projects

147 Pages·2013·35.34 MB·English

by  Helene Magnusson

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IcelandIc HandknIts
25 hEIrlooM TEchnIquES and projEcTS
Hélène Magnússon
Foreword by Elín S. Sigurðardóttir, manager,
the Textile Museum in Blönduós, Iceland
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This book is dedicated to Margrét Jakobsdóttir Lindal.
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contents

Foreword by Elín S. Sigurðardóttir
a Brief history of the Textile Museum in Blönduós . . . 6
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
chapter 1: Inspired by Mittens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
checkered Mittens & Beanie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
leaf Mittens, Slouchy cap & Scarf . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Skagafjörður Mittens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Skagafjörður Tote Bag. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
nordic leaf Mittens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
perlusmokkar: Beaded Wrist Warmers. . . . . . . . . 50
perluband: Beaded armband & hairband. . . . . . . 54
chapter 2: Inspired by traditional costumes . . . . . . . 58
Skautbúningur Sweater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Mötull capelet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
a perfect little Icelandic Sweater . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
The Missing lopi Sweater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
chapter 3: Inspired by Footwear . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Icelandic Shoe Inserts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Icelandic Soft Shoes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Step rose cushion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Broken rose Blanket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Togara Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Sock Band Socks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
chapter 4: Inspired by lace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
halldóra long Shawl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Margrét Triangular Shawl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
lace hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Klukka Skirt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
lacy Skotthúfa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
special techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Yarn sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
knitting References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
about the author and Photographer . . . . . . . . . . 143
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
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FoRewoRd
By Elín S. SIgurðardóTTIr, manager,
Textile Museum in Blönduós, Iceland
The book that you now hold in your hands, Icelandic handknits, provides thoughtful insight into the knitting
traditions practiced in Iceland during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. during this time, very fine
yarns were spun with the soft undercoat or the rougher outer coat of Icelandic sheep and made into artistic
artifacts, knitted and woven, in a vast array of natural sheep colors or plant-dyed hues.
It is so inspiring to see how the old knitted artifacts from the Textile Museum’s collection have been given
new life in hélène’s hands. Some of the artifacts have been simply re-created, while others have served as a
springboard for an entirely new design. The Textile Museum is honored to be a part of this book.
On the first day of the Icelandic summer, April 19, 2012
Elín S. Sigurðardóttir, Textile Museum Manager
A Brief History of tHe
textile MuseuM in Blönduós
The Textile Museum was originally opened in 1976 on the
centennial commerce anniversary of the town of Blönduós, located
approximately 155 miles (250 km) north of Reykjavík in Northwest
Iceland. The foundation for the museum was laid by members of the
Women’s Union of Austur-Húnavatnssýsla (In Icelandic: Samband
austur-húnvetnskra kvenna), which had formed a folk museum
committee in the early 1960s composed of representatives from ten
women’s organizations from three counties: Eastern Húnavatnssýsla,
Western Húnavatnssýsla, and Strandasýsla.
There was some disagreement about where the museum
should be located, but the committee finally decided to
establish the Húnavatns- and Strandasýslu Folk Museum
at Reykir in Hrútafjörður. Many folk museum committee
members were unhappy with this decision, but when it became
clear that there was no basis for creating another folk museum
in Blönduós, the committee changed their name to the Textile
Museum Committee and focused on collecting items that told
the story of Iceland’s rich textile history.
The Textile Museum was created in the old cowshed and
Opposite: View from the Textile Museum in Blönduós of the barn of the Women’s School. In this old building, there was
mouth of the River Blandá, one of the best rivers for salmon very little space and many of the artifacts were kept in boxes
fishing in Iceland. The Textile Museum in Blönduós in the basement.
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A new Building
The original site for the present Textile Museum was an At this time, the board of the museum’s holding company
old building that once served as the cow shed and barn for began to give serious thought to expanding the premises, seeking
the Women’s School in Blönduós. A great deal of work was the professional advice of textile experts and museum curators.
required to get the building into acceptable shape. Each of After careful consideration, the museum decided to erect a new
the women’s organizations contributed what they could to building that would connect to the old museum building.
finance the project, and many volunteers donated their time to Construction on the new building began in October
renovate the building. 2001, and it was inaugurated with a formal ceremony in May
Eventually, the Textile Museum of Blönduós emerged. 2003. The start-up cost was fully paid off in just over two years.
At first it was only open on weekends, but gradually the hours The building, which features three exhibition halls, a coffee
were extended. It soon became evident that many small room, an office, and a service area, is connected to the old
organizations could not run the museum properly. Yet it building on both floors.
wasn’t until 1993 that a holding company for the museum was
founded, which included the local municipalities.
In 2003, the museum was greatly expanded with the construction of a new building connected to the old one.
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