Einband Icelandic wool lace yarn and free knitting lopi pattern

Einband lace weight wool yarn is 100% wool and is one of 7 different type of Icelandic wool yarn: Alafosslopi, Plotulopi, Léttlopi yarn, Bulky Lopi yarn, Kambarn, and Hosuband.

Do you want to make a knitter happy then make sure you give him at least one of the available free wool knitting patterns made from Einband wool yarn?

What is Icelandic Einband Lace Weight wool yarn?

Einband Lopi Wool Yarn is a single-ply lace weight yarn, with a slight thick and thin texture made from Icelandic wool. Einband means “one ply” in Icelandic and also called loðband or eingirni. Lopi Einband is the finest of all yarn weights that works up at a fingering to lace weight. Einband lopi is spun only from the undercoat of the sheep and does soften significantly after washing.
Lace weight yarns like Lopi Ístex Einband, can be used for lace projects, ethereal garments, and accessories. Lace weight produces an extremely fine gauge, airy, and light fabric. The wool yarn is perfect for light garments, like gossamer shawls, wraps, scarves and light sweaters and despite of its fineness, there are plenty of lace knitting patterns and lace crochet patterns that will keep you warm. Einband can be knitted using more than one strand of yarn and it is also used to add strength to one-ply Plötulopi wool yarn. The wool yarn is mill processed in Iceland.

Einband color card. Sample of 46 colors of Einband. You can buy it here

Fiber Content: 100% Icelandic wool.
Length and weight: Approx. 250 m (245 yd) | 50-gr skein or (1.7 oz).
Gauge: Gauge and needle size will vary based on the project being planned.
Suggested needle sizes: All sizes from 2-6 mm.
Gauge 10×10 cm: Depends on needle size.
Weight: Fingering - Lace.
Care: Hand wash and lay flat to dry.

What does lace weight yarn mean?

The thinnest lace weight of yarn available. Because of how thin and delicate the yarn is the resulting fabric is light and airy and produces an extremely fine gauge fabric. Lace weight yarns are usually knitted or crocheted on larger needles and hooks to create lacy, openwork patterns. Knitters and crocheters love to create airy, openwork shawls, wraps, doilies, most beautiful sweaters and dresses. You may also hear it referred to as “baby” yarn or “light” yarn.

What weight and size is Einband wool yarn?

The Standard Yarn Weight System lists lace weight yarn as #0 Lace. Lace yarn is often used for shawls and scarves. Einband is a one ply-wool yarn.

Is Einband soft or is the wool yarn itchy?

In Iceland there are more than 500.000 sheep and they have remained very isolated all the way back to these original sheep that came in the 9th century AD. The Icelandic wool is unique because of the purity of the strain that has been protected by centuries of isolation and total absence of contact with others. In Iceland the sheep is therefore one of the purest breeds in the world. The sheep’s wool has developed over time to be extremely durable, warm, and water-resistant, which allows them to thrive in such an extreme sub-arctic landscape.
The Icelandic Lopi wool yarn may seem rough to touch compared to wool yarn from other fibers and the einband wool yarn is said to have the least soft touch. Einband is spun only from the undercoat of the sheep but after washing, the wool becomes soft and manageable.
It is actually different by person if they feel the wool garment is itchy or not and it is different by the type of wool and it has also to do with how the wool is processed and how the garment is taken care of. The cool thing is that wool is a natural product and needs time to adjust to your body temperature. By wearing the wool garment and "warm it up" makes is itch less. Other ways to minimize the itchy feeling is to wash the garment with wool soap and soften it with wool conditioner.

How do you knit with Lopi Einband yarn?

It can be challenging to knit with laceweight Einband yarn but when you know the tricks it is considered easy. Lace weight yarn is not for those just starting out in knitting or crochet as it’s often used for more difficult patterns and it’s harder to work with. If you have never knitted with Einband it would be best to start with something small and simple to get the feeling for the yarn.
Garments made with Einband stretch in a way similar to very fine lace weight yarns and when it comes off the needles it will look small and shriveled. Knitted garments made from Einband will stretch and are therefore difficult to measure the size until they have been washed. Start with knitting an example, wash it and then measure the size after washing to figure out the right measurement and size. Be sure to check your gauge before and after blocking.
Lace weight yarns are usually knitted or crocheted on larger needles and hooks to create lacy, openwork patterns.
Einband is a single ply yarn and does not pull apart as easily as other yarns due to the length of its fibres but please not that it can occasionally be pull apart. So, to prevent this for happening you may need to twist the yarn to ensure that the strand holds together.
When you have finished knitting a garment with einband wool yarn it is important to wash it carefully by hand in lukewarm water with special wool soap and soften with conditioner. After washing the garment becomes soft and manageable. Place the garment to dry on a surface and stretch carefully.

Gauge and needle size
Gauge: 30 sts to 10 cm (4") over St st using size 2½ mm (Old UK 13) (US 1).
Gauge: 17 sts to 10 cm (4") over St st using size 4 mm (Old UK 8) (US 6).
Gauge: 15 sts to 10 cm (4") over St st using size 6 mm (Old UK 4) (US 10).

Can you mix Einband with other wool yarn?

Pairing of Einband Wool Yarn with other yarns is done to increased strength and stability of the garment. Einband pairs with other weights of Icelandic Lopi wool yarns. Plötulopi wool yarn can be strengthened by twisting it lightly or by knitting it with one strand of Einband wool yarn. You can blend Einband with Léttlopi wool yarns. Einband or Léttlopi are frequently paired with Plötulopi. Double Einband has a similar knitting pattern to Lettlopi if it is knitted with the same needle size.

• What is Icelandic Plötulopi Woll Yarn?

What can I make with lace yarn?

In general, the thicker the yarn, the warmer the garment. Lace and light fingering weight yarns produce very lightweight garments. This yarn weight is very fine, so it lends itself really well to lightweight projects. You can knit or crochet a lace shawl and cowl, wrap, shrug, lightweight sweaters and amazing dresses with this lace weight yarn.

Knitting patterns with Einband wool yarn

For centuries, the Icelanders have been knitting with wool yarn and it has deep roots in Icelandic history. The possibilities are endless when we look into what can be created using the Einband wool yarn. Here are some suggestions for you to get your creative juices flowing with knitting patterns made in Einband Lopi wool yarn.

Knitting pattern for women sweaters
Red sweater - Jökla
Beautiful sweater - Rósir 
Bylgja purple sweater
Anker sweater
Blue anker sweater

Dresses knitted with Icelandic einband wool yarn
Amazing red dress 
Merla wool dress
Beautiful green dress
Blue dress - Áfram
Earth Symphony


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