Know Your Léttlopi Icelandic Yarn

You may have thought about learning a craft during the pandemic. You’re not alone; people worldwide use thread and wool for crafts like knitting, crochet, and cross-stitch.

Finding comfort is the primary reason for most to take on knitting as a hobby. Léttlopi is synonymous with the term ‘comfort’ in the knitting community. We’re here to tell you more about this famous Icelandic wool’s origins and properties.

What is Léttlopi

The unique protective properties of Icelandic wool, also known as Léttlopi, are developed by generations of Icelandic farmers from a robust breed of sheep in a rugged landscape under harsh climate conditions. This holds the secret to its exceptional breathability & thermal insulation.

Léttlopi Icelandic Wool is a worsted-weight yarn perfect for making warm indoor sweaters, accessories, and household goods. It’s obtained from Icelandic sheep with two distinct types of hair on its coat that act as a natural defense against cold and rainy conditions.

The Natural Two Different Coats of Léttlopi Yarn

This wool is magical. Two different fibers grow on the same sheep. The two coats are visible with a fast glance; they are shiny at the bottom and fuzzy at the top. The shiny part is the tog and is on the exterior. Then, the fuzzy part is within and stacked on top of one another.

Properties

The inner strands are soft and act as insulation, while the outer fibers are tough, long-lasting, and weatherproof. When combined in knitted apparel, these two layers offer the same level of protection for the wearer, whether it’s raining or snowing.

Knitting Technique

Another intriguing quality of Léttlopi is that it is a gauge shifter. This means that it can be knit to a firm, dense fabric at the label’s stated gauge for cold-weather accessories and outerwear or to a looser gauge for sweaters and scarves that are comfortable indoors and have warmth without weight.

When Léttlopi is knit at a tighter gauge, the yarn is squeezed, and the prickly hairs stand up straighter and stronger; conversely, when knitting at a looser gauge, the fibers relax.

Cowgirl Yarn’s Léttlopi wool is sourced from the highest quality Icelandic sheep. The fabric is durable and lint resistant. It’s undoubtedly a rustic yarn and can be worn by anyone who doesn’t have a natural wool allergy.