Icelandic Plötulopi yarn

Characteristics of Plötulopi

The meaning of the word Plötulopi is unspun plates, just because this yarn looks like plates. If you are wondering what sheep is it made of, we have the answer: Icelandic sheep. No surprises here, we love Icelandic sheep and everybody knows it. If you want to know more about Icelandic sheep we have talked about them before: https://alafoss.is/blogs/news/icelandic-sheep

Plötulopi contains two different types of hair, and it can be used as both, yarn and spinning fiber. It is a worsted-weight yarn, airier than Léttlopi but a little bit heavier than Álafosslopi. We can say that is somewhere in between Léttlopi and Álafosslopi.

Why is it so special?

Plötulopi two different types of hair are a natural barrier from wet and cold weather, making in it an extremely warm yarn. As we said, it also repels water, so in contact with the skin it feels cozy and warm. This material is breathable and because of the quality of the wool, it is incredibly durable. Believe us when we say that you can keep a Plötulopi product for ages. 

Plötulopi yarn is so airy, but when knitted up it becomes really strong. 

What is it for?

This yarn is perfect for garments, because when knitted really warm and fluffy, and that's why it has been used over centuries to make the famous Icelandic wool sweaters (Lopapeysa). 

Plötulopi can be worked one, two, or more plies at a time, depending on how bulky a yarn you want. Gently wind the required number of strands together into a ball by taking the end from the center and the end from the outside of the plate.
And is super practical, just with 3 plates of Plötulopi, you can make one whole sweater. 

Knitting with Plötulopi can be tricky

It is a delicate yarn, we can't deny that, it's common that Plötulopi breaks if it's pulled too tight when knitting with it. That is because Plötulopi is entirely unspun, meanwhile, most of the other wools are slightly spun. So we recommend extra care when working with this yarn, pay attention to how you tension the unspun. There are some tricks to learn how to knit Plotulopi, and after you learn them, it won't be as difficult as it sounds. And we must say, it is totally worth it.