Tour de Fleece Day 8: Icelandic
Everyone's favorite dual coat primitive sheep. This is the breed that gives us the terms þel (thel) and tog for the soft, short inner fleece versus the strong, long outer coat. The breed needs this coat to survive the harsh Icelandic weather. And since importation of new sheep is banned, this is one breed that hasn't been improved by adding in new genetics.
My sample is commercial top. I ran it through the drum carder to get a more woolen prep. Commercial top is usually a blend of both coats, but I saw only a little of the undercoat, which I suspect is partially removed during the combing. The classic lopi yarn includes both coats, however medieval woven fabric separated the coats for warp and weft.
One of the other nice aspects of this breed is the variety of natural colors. World of Wool carries five different colors, and the stores in the US usually carry at least the white and light grey (like my sample).
While I didn't recreate a lopi yarn, I did try to make a lightly twisted woolen single. It's still a little thin (16 wpi before finishing) and twisted, but it was fun because the batt drafted so easily.
References:
Ekarius, C., & Robson, D. (2013). The Field Guide to Fleece: 100 Sheep Breeds & How to Use Their Fibers. North Adams: Storey Publishing, LLC.
Robson, D., & Ekarius, C. (2011). The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook: More Than 200 Fibers, from Animal to Spun Yarn. North Adams: Storey Publishing, LLC.
Smith, B. (2014). The Spinner's Book of Fleece: A Breed-by-Breed Guide to Choosing and Spinning the Perfect Fiber for Every Purpose. North Adams: Storey Publishing, LLC.
All photos by me.
























