Hello Berroco Fan!
About a year ago, Berroco became partners with Ístex Lopi yarns out of Iceland. We've had a wonderful year of delivering these quality yarns to local yarn stores in North America, and seeing types of projects that crafters make with these yarns.
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 Not Just for Sweaters
Ístex Lopi yarns are known for being great in sweaters and cardigans—so much so that our next knit-along is all about these sweaters! But the qualities of the yarns that make them excellent garment choices also make them ideal for accessories! Álafosslopi, Léttlopi, and Plötulopi are all spun from Icelandic sheep, which have dual coats to help them keep warm on the frigid North Atlantic island nation. The yarns combine the fibers from both coats, resulting in a yarn that is exceptional at repelling water and keeping the wearer warm. Perfect recipe for success, especially if you live in colder climates!
We partnered with a few of our favorite independent designers who live in the Great White North of Canada to create our Canada Collection, a capsule collection of five designs celebrating the iconography of Canada and the warm heritage of Ístex yarns.
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Saxifrage Tam by Véronik Avery
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The Saxifrage Tam by Montreal-based designer Véronik Avery pays homage to the brightly colored yokes of Icelandic sweaters as well as the low-lying plant found all over Canada. With eight different colors of Ístex Léttlopi called for in the pattern, there's plenty of options for customization.
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The Point shawl by Amy Christoffers
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Amy Christoffers grew up along the Vermont-Quebec border and fell in love with Hudson Bay blankets. This lofty shawl, called The Point, is inspired by those cozy throws, but features an updated color scheme and simple two-color ribbing. Quickly knit this shawl with four colors of Ístex Álafossopi.
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Moose Mittens by Kate Atherley
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Perhaps few things are as seemingly Canadian as a moose, so Toronto-based designer Kate Atherley paired two colors of Ístex Léttlopi with a moose chart for the cozy Moose Mittens! You only need one ball of each color to make a pair, regardless of which mitten size (and there are six sizes to choose from).
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Oh Canada Mittens by Kate Atherley
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Kate was so inspired by both her adopted home and Ístex Léttlopi that she designed two pairs of mittens for this collection! The Oh Canada Mittens are also available in six sizes, from child's small to adult large, and also only require two balls of Léttlopi to make.
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Salt Spring Toque by Sachiko Burgin
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Finally, Toronto native Sachiko Burgin used three colors of Ístex Léttlopi to create the Salt Spring Toque knitting pattern. Named after an British Columbian island in the Straight of Georgia, this graphic beanie hat pattern comes in two sizes.
And if you're looking for more great designs using Lopi yarns, including Léttlopi and Álafosslopi, head to Lopidesign.is, where you can purchase individual patterns using any Lopi yarn (many patterns are also available on Ravelry). PLUS, you can follow along with all the great news from Lopi on their brand-new English language Facebook page. And don't forget to use our Store Locator to find the North American LYS nearest you that carries Léttlopi, Álafosslopi, Plötulopi, or Bulky Lopi.
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Have you knit with Lopi yarns recently, or are you joining our Lopi Sweater knit-along? Be sure to share a photo on Lopi Knitting's Facebook page to show off your fabulous knitting!
Happy knitting,
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Don't forget about our Lopi sweater knit-along that starts February 1! Click the photo above for more information.
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