Lopapeysa

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Icelandic girls wearing traditionally patterned lopapeysa sweaters, albeit with zippers
Icelandic girls wearing traditionally patterned lopapeysa sweaters, albeit with zippers

Lopapeysa or Icelandic sweater is a traditional Icelandic style of sweater, characterized by a yoke design—that is, a wide decorative circle surrounding the neck opening. The sweater is knitted in a non-varying circle, meaning that there is no difference between the front and the back, unless a zipper is added. The yarn used, lopi, is made from the wool of Icelandic sheep and contains both wind hairs and fleece. Lopi is remarkable in that it is not spun, so it contains more air than spun yarn and as a consequence it has better insulation properties. This also makes lopi more difficult to handle than spun yarn, in particular for those new to the material. The colours can be artificial, but undyed wool of various colours is very popular.

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