The family
Lopi is the Icelandic wool yarn spun by Ístex from the fleece of Icelandic sheep — a breed with a long, water-shedding outer coat (tog) over a fine, insulating inner one (þel), spun together into a yarn that is light for its thickness and very warm. For years it reached American shops through Reynolds, which is why older patterns say "Reynolds Lopi"; it is the same yarn.
| Ball | Weight | Gauge | Needles | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Einband | 50 g, ~273 yd | Lace | 26–28 sts/4" | US 2–3 |
| Léttlopi | 50 g, ~109 yd | Worsted / aran | 18 sts/4" | US 7–8 |
| Álafoss Lopi | 100 g, ~109 yd | Chunky | 13–14 sts/4" | US 10–10½ |
| Bulkylopi | 100 g, ~66 yd | Super bulky | 10 sts/4" | US 11–13 |
| Plötulopi | ~100 g plate, ~330 yd | Unspun — lace held single, worsted held double | varies | varies |
We stock Álafoss Lopi. Léttlopi ("light Lopi") is the one most lopapeysa patterns published since the 1990s call for, at worsted weight; Álafoss is the original, heavier Lopi, and the older patterns and the warmest sweaters are written for it.
Álafoss Lopi
A 100 g ball holds about 109 yards of chunky-weight single-ply, knit at 13 or 14 stitches to 4" on a US 10 or 10½. It is not a soft yarn in the hand — Icelandic wool is not merino — but it softens with washing and it is worn over a shirt, not against the skin. What it gives in return is warmth out of proportion to its weight, water that beads off rather than soaks in, and a fabric that blocks into a smooth, even surface that hides uneven tension.
It felts readily, which makes it a first choice for felted slippers and bags as well as for outerwear, and it is the reason the felting guide lists it.
Knitting with it
Lopi is spun with very little twist, so it pulls apart if yanked and the strand looks fragile on the needle. It is not: once knit, the long fibers lock into each other and the fabric is tough. Knit with a relaxed hand, do not tug a stitch tight, and splice joins by overlapping and felting the two ends between wet palms rather than tying knots. The fabric blooms and fills in after its first wash, so a swatch that looks loose on the needle is usually right.
Wash by hand in cool water with a wool wash, press out the water in a towel, and dry flat. Never machine wash unless felting is the plan.
How much for a lopapeysa
A traditional Icelandic yoke sweater in Álafoss Lopi takes about 600–750 yards for a size small, 750–900 for a medium to large, and 900–1,100 for the largest sizes — six to ten balls, plus the contrast colors for the yoke, which are usually one ball each. A hat is one ball; a pair of mittens one or two. The sweater yardage guide has the table by chest size, and the calculator on the Álafoss page turns a pattern's yardage into balls.
If a pattern calls for Léttlopi
Álafoss is roughly a weight class heavier, so a Léttlopi pattern will not knit to gauge in it. The honest substitute at Léttlopi's weight on our shelves is a worsted wool with some body — Brown Sheep Nature Spun Worsted or Plymouth Homestead — knit at 18 stitches to 4"; the substitution guide walks through the check.