Jess here, an American who has just started a year of travel around the world learning about the different wool traditions in different places.

I grew up on a small sheep farm in rural NH, and like any daughter of a knitter, my barbies had on hand knit sweaters. They weren’t traditional Lopi sweaters though! The one on the picture belongs to a little Icelandic girl who’s mother just happens to be a knitter.

When I got here, I was amazed that everyone seems to wear the traditional sweaters- locals, tourists, young people, older people, everyone. It is like eye-candy walking down the street and seeing all the knits! Having never knit with unspun yarn before, I have much to learn and new projects to discover. Before I get there, I have to get working on my current project, an Elizabeth Zimmerman Pi Shawl using fiber from all of the different places I am traveling to. I have to get cracking though- haven’t started my Icelandic bands yet! More soon, Jess.