If you have a passion for knitting, the wonderful Faroe Islands are the perfect choice for your next craft holiday, where techniques and traditions have been passed down through generations. Our expert Katrina í Geil, a textile and knitting designer of international standing whose work focuses on reinventing the traditional Faroese craft and culture, tells us about the Faroe Islands and what you can expect on our 2024 holiday.
“Since the time of the Vikings, the people of the Faroe Islands have crafted clothes in harmony with man and nature. Over centuries we have refined the craft and designed beautiful and durable clothes that are a joy to wear. They are handmade and carefully crafted to fit the one who will wear them.
Here, the skilled knitter’s keen eye for colour, pattern, yarn and shape is combined with the wearer’s understanding of personal aesthetics. With empathy and respect for each other, they co-create and personalise the garment, so it fits the wearer on many levels.
In my workshops, you will get a thorough introduction to Faroese knitting culture and shawls, slippers, and how you can put your own spin on the beautiful colour patterns.
In the shawl workshop, you will learn about the pattern and shaping of a classic Faroese shawl. The shawl is knitted in garter stitch with lace, but the challenge is the unique shaping of the garment. Knitting a small shawl is the perfect way to learn the main principles and the different techniques, which can then be applied to larger garments.
You will learn to knit the Faroese speciality, Skóleistar, which is like a shoe knitted in wool. It is worn at home or in boots. The designs are traditional ones from the island of Nólsoy and from Tórshavn, patterned in two or three colours. We will be knitting the colour pattern back and forth, learning how to adjust the shape and the pattern, so it fits your foot nicely.
The rich heritage of Faroese colour pattern is the starting point for how to learn to draw your own patterns. Step by step you will develop six patterns, making them your own, recognising your individual style in them, and learning how to knit them with a twist.
We invite you to join us here on the Faroe Islands, the islands of sheep, where we still hold this ancient clothing culture high, and have developed a unique approach to knitting. It is the people’s traditional way of knitting, which is still very much alive today."
Feeling inspired to join Katrina? Secure your place for 2024 today!
