The Lopapeysa Sweater

"Through the story of their travels and the people they met along
the way, Joan and Kyle have lovingly captured both the technical
and artistic aspects of Icelandic knitting tradition, and the
culture that created it."

Lopapeysa is a seamless knitting together of the author's travels in contemporary Iceland with one of that splendidly idiosyncratic island's most highly prized and traditional crafts, the art of knitting itself.

"This is a joy of a book."

"This is a joy of a book. I know nothing of sweaters and little of Iceland, and this book used pictures and words to open Iceland and its people for me, using Icelandic sweaters and knitting to do it."

"The Lopapeysa Sweater: A Journey North in Search of Iceland's Iconic Knitwear offers a blend of travelogue and cultural inspection in [a] knitting guide. It pairs some 12 patterns for Lopi-inspired sweater designs with Toni Carr's journeys throughout Iceland following the history and importance of the Lopapeysa sweater.

Color photos abound, highlighting first-person experiences of geothermal beaches, profiles of Icelandic knitters, and surveys of outstanding Icelandic knitting designs for all seasons.

Libraries strong in knitting history and guides will find added value in The Lopapeysa Sweater, whether readers choose it for its Iceland journey or its knitting instructions."

"The book, The Lopapeysa Sweater, combines a casual travel guide to Iceland with knitting patterns for accessories and sweaters to give knitters more of an immersion into a style of knitting. This book is as much about the authors' trip as it is about the title. Travel sections are written by Kyle Cassidy and knitting instructions and patterns by Toni Carr. It is a personal book that chronicles the journey of the authors in Iceland as they researched and wrote this book. It has a casual, familiar writing style that reads like a day-by-day travel diary of their camping trip over 800 miles of Iceland's Ring Road.

The travel sections, complete with information on currency, pronunciations of the language, transportation, hiking, camping sites, nightlife, and natural treasures of the island, serve as a catalyst into the heart of Iceland. The authors take you along on their excursions to farms, caves, natural volcanic hot springs, and glaciers.

This is not a traditional travel guide, however. You will not find hotel or restaurant options or reviews, or travel data, such as operating hours or admission costs. The information is not presented in a reference-type format like a travel guide; instead, it unfolds as their journey continues. I don't think it's meant to be comprehensive but rather a collection of their experiences during their trip. Throughout the couple's adventure you'll get to know people they've met through Knitter Profiles, like the interview with Icelandic photographer and designer, Rebedda Gudleifsdottir.

The title of the book, The Lopapeysa Sweater, will attract knitters who wish to know more about this style of knitting. Lopapeysa, more commonly known as Lopi, could arguably be called Iceland's Sweater. The book defines this style of pullover as being traditionally made from unspun Icelandic wool in natural colors, knitted in the round, with a band of patterning on the yoke, and a section of the pattern repeated around the lower part of the body and the cuffs. The style emerged mid-twentieth century and has a distinctive, recognizable look.

The final half of the book is where the authors dive into their collection of knitting patterns, but despite the book's title, they are not all patterns for Lopi Sweaters. There are twelve patterns: half are for Lopi-inspired sweaters, and the other half are accessories that include headbands, hats, gloves, and capelets, with a range of skill levels.

The pattern section includes instructions on techniques, yarn, needles, and how to read charts. The colored charts are large and easy to follow. The loose, relaxed writing style makes its way into the patterns as well. Sometimes abbreviations are used, sometimes not; some patterns say to block the sweater in the finishing section, some do not. Schematics are given for sweaters, but they list only three measurements: chest circumference, length, and sleeve length. If you've bonded with the authors so far, you will find the patterns a natural extension of themselves. The beginning of the collection of patterns discusses Knitting Recipes versus Knitting Patterns, with the author preferring the former since it conveys a basic idea of how to knit something with room to make changes. The more-or-less approach to creating button bands is a great example of how the pattern relies on the knitter to put some thought behind the design, rather than following detailed instructions.

Despite the definition of the Lopi sweater in the beginning of the book as being knit in natural colors, patterns are shown for a variety of colors, including some modern bright-colored yarns. The patterns include a bit of inspiration, tying the design into the destination, so you're not just knitting a pattern, you're gaining an understanding of the region with every stitch."

"The book, The Lopapeysa Sweater, combines a casual travel guide to Iceland with knitting patterns for accessories and sweaters to give knitters more of an immersion into a style of knitting. This book is as much about the authors' trip as it is about the title. Travel sections are written by Kyle Cassidy and knitting instructions and patterns by Toni Carr. It is a personal book that chronicles the journey of the authors in Iceland as they researched and wrote this book. It has a casual, familiar writing style that reads like a day-by-day travel diary of their camping trip over 800 miles of Iceland's Ring Road."