Spring Knitting Tour in Icelandic nature, May 4-10, 2027
Spring Knitting Tour in North West of Iceland during the Lambing season, Textile Museum, optional walks, traditional Icelandic lace shawls
Departure: 2026, May 4-10
This enchanting tour will take us to the beautiful West of Iceland where the landscape, the first flowers of spring, the green moss, the last snow, the utterly cute lambs and kids and the busy bird life, will inspire us to play with colors and shades. Hélène will tell us about the Icelandic knitting traditions with a focus on the traditional Icelandic lace shawls that we will have the chance to admire at the Textile Museum in Blönduós. We will meet with many local crafters, spinners, dyers, tanners for an unforgettable insight into the Icelandic culture and knitting heritage. This trip includes optional hikes and participants will have the opportunity to explore and take small walks where we will be staying. Accommodation in comfortable guesthouses, one of them with an outdoor hot tub. See pictures from our previous tours here.
Upon booking, you will receive a link to fill up the registration form.
Please read the detailed information below >
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Upon booking, and in order to make your trip enjoyable, please make sure you are familiar with the physical condition required, the day-to-day itinerary, the hikes, as well as the list of equipment. For any questions, please check our FAQ first (answers to frequently asked questions).
Departure: 2027, May 4 -10, 6 nights
Group size: 12
Price: 440000 isk
Single room supplement (only available in Reykjavik): 15.000 ISK
Not included in price: flights to and from Keflavík International airport.
Included in price:
- 1 guide/knitting instructor
- 2 nights at a guesthouse in Reykjavík, double rooms, dressed beds, shared bathrooms, shared kitchen. Possibility of single room.
- 2 nights in a country hotel, double rooms, dressed beds, private bathroom
- 2 nights in a country guesthouse, double and triple rooms, dressed beds, shared bathrooms
- Full board from day 2 till lunch day 6, breakfast on day 7.
- All transfers as per itinerary, knitting as per itinerary. Yarn for knitting little samples during the workshops.
Because participants come from all over the world, the tours are operated in English. Hélène is however bilingual in French and a lexical of knitting terms in German/English/French/Icelandic is available during the tour.
Physical condition and hiking level: easy.
The hikes being optional, the tour is accessible to all people in good health. In order to enjoy the sight-seeing, you should be able to go up and down a flight of stairs and to walk 1 km on relatively flat but slightly unveven terrain.
ITINERARY
Day 1 (May 4, 2027): Knitters arrive to Iceland from many different countries at various time during the day. Night at a conveniently located guesthouse in Reykjavík, close to the Icelandic Handknitting Association of Iceland, full of lopi sweaters and wool.
Day 2 (May 5, 2027): In the morning, Hélène will pick us up at the guesthouse and then we’ll head out for a knitting adventure. We will start by visiting the Ístex mill where the famous unspun lopi is made, then drive to our charming guesthouse, with an extensive you on the amazing landscape and an outdoor hot tub. We will stay there for the next two nights. En route we will stop at various places in the Borgarfjörður region that are of interest to all knitters, spinners, dyers and wool lovers: plant-dyed and handspun yarns, friendly rare cashmere goats, amazing wool, you won’t be disappointed! Picnic lunch enroute and delicious dinner on the premises.
Day 3 (May 6, 2027): The day will be spent doing a knitting workshop with Hélène. The early afternoon is open for hikes around the area, spotting ptarmigans changing colors, relaxing in the hot tub or just knit in peace! Gourmet lunch and dinner.
Optional hike: 2,5 hours Ascent/descent: little, but very uneven terrain, no trail. The hike can be shortened to everyone needs.
Day 4 (May 7, 2027): This will be a busy day as we continue our journey further North. We will visit the Glaumbær Turf Farm Museum and crafters from the area in the beautiful fjord of Skagafjörður, until reaching the village of Blönduós where we will stay for the next 2 nights. We will spend some quality at a working sheep farm and the rest of the day is opened for walks by the beach or in the little village. Lunch enroute and truly delightful dinner at our guesthouse with a breathtaking view on the sea.
Day 5 (May 8, 2027): Today is all about knitting and we will get to visit the Textile Museum in Blönduós and admire the fabulous collection of knitting, representative of the many Icelandic knitting traditions. We will even be allowed to touch the artefacts! Exquisite meals on premises from our local chef.
Day 6 (May 9, 2027): Now is time to return to Reykjavík with a few more woolly stops, of course! We will end our journey at Hélène’s inspiring knitting studio in the old Reykjavík. It will then be time to say good-bye and enjoy a last free evening in the city.
Optional hike: 1-2 hours Ascent/descent: 170 m. Stairs up and down, trail on uneven terrain.
Day 7 (May 10, 2027): Departure.
KNITTING WORKSHOP
TRADITIONAL ICELANDIC SHAWLS
The workshops will focus on the traditional Icelandic shawls. Simple shawls in garter stitch, long shawls, triangular lace shawls, the finest were so fine they could be drawn through a golden ring.
A bit of history: Hélène will tell us about the rich Icelandic tradition from the moment it came to Iceland in the 16th century to our modern times. She will tell us especially about the lace tradition that developed at the end of teh 19th century.
Icelandic wool workshop: Hélène will tell us about the Icelandic wool, from the very fine handspun lace yarns made of thel to the highly breakable unspun lopi. She will tell us especially about the extra soft lace yarns, Love Story and Gilitrutt, she has developed to recreate the lightness and finesse of the Old lace designs. We will experience the feeling of knitting with such different yarns.
Traditional Icelandic shawl workshop: we will look at the different types of everyday shawls in Iceland, usually in garter stitch with decorative elements, and will knit a doll sample, exploring different constructions and easy ways that were used to embellish those simple shawls.
Icelandic lace shawl workshop: we will look at the characteristics of the traditional Icelandic lace, seen in the Old long shawls and triangular shawls. We’ll see how designs and patterning evolved and how the unique characteristics of the Icelandic wool played an important role. We will knit a doll size triangular lace shawl and learn the most used stitch patterns and all the techniques necessary to make a full sized one, from casting on to blocking.
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