Faroese lace shawls
Encyclopedia
A Faroese shawl is a traditional piece of clothing from the Faroe Islands
. The most distinguishing characteristic of Faroese shawl
s is the center back gusset
shaping. Each shawl consists of two triangular side panels, a trapezoid-shaped back gusset, an edge treatment, and usually shoulder shaping. The shoulder shaping allows these shawls to drape over the shoulders and remain in place as the wearer moves, even if the shawl is not pinned in place.
Instead of a more familiar triangular, rectangular or circular shape, Faroese shawls are shaped like butterfly wings. Some have very long ends so they can be tied around the wearer's waist for extra warmth.
The shawls often feature elaborate lace work. Lace knitting
is a traditional handcraft of peoples of the Faroe Islands.
These shawls are traditionally knit from domestic wool
of native sheep
grown primarily for meat. Natural colors of brown, black, grey and creamy white are most often used. Some shawls may have color features in place of lace, or combinations of color panels or stripes and lace panels.
The notation used for recording patterns for these shawls is unique. Patterns are drawn out showing the back gusset and one side panel with numerical shaping instructions noted on the diagram. Lace patterns are drawn showing where the eyelets go, but without specifying where the accompanying decreases should go.
Most shawls are begun at the neck, but Faroese shawls are begun from the bottom by casting on hundreds of stitches. As the work progresses, structural decreases between the side panels and back gusset reduce the number of stitches until very few remain at the neck. Since garter stitch is used, the shawls are reversible, except where color panels are used.
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
. The most distinguishing characteristic of Faroese shawl
Shawl
A shawl is a simple item of clothing, loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, and sometimes also over the head. It is usually a rectangular or square piece of cloth, that is often folded to make a triangle but can also be triangular in shape...
s is the center back gusset
Gusset
In sewing, a gusset is a triangular or rhomboid piece of fabric inserted into a seam to add breadth or reduce stress from tight-fitting clothing...
shaping. Each shawl consists of two triangular side panels, a trapezoid-shaped back gusset, an edge treatment, and usually shoulder shaping. The shoulder shaping allows these shawls to drape over the shoulders and remain in place as the wearer moves, even if the shawl is not pinned in place.
Instead of a more familiar triangular, rectangular or circular shape, Faroese shawls are shaped like butterfly wings. Some have very long ends so they can be tied around the wearer's waist for extra warmth.
The shawls often feature elaborate lace work. Lace knitting
Lace knitting
Lace knitting is a style of knitting characterized by stable "holes" in the fabric arranged with consideration of aesthetic value. Lace is sometimes considered the pinnacle of knitting, because of its complexity and because woven fabrics cannot easily be made to have holes...
is a traditional handcraft of peoples of the Faroe Islands.
These shawls are traditionally knit from domestic wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
of native sheep
Faroes (sheep)
The Faroes is a breed of domestic sheep native to the Faroe Islands. One of the Northern European short-tailed sheep, it is a small, very hardy breed. Faroes ewes weigh around at maturity, and rams are . Rams are horned and ewes are usually polled, and the breed occurs naturally in many different...
grown primarily for meat. Natural colors of brown, black, grey and creamy white are most often used. Some shawls may have color features in place of lace, or combinations of color panels or stripes and lace panels.
The notation used for recording patterns for these shawls is unique. Patterns are drawn out showing the back gusset and one side panel with numerical shaping instructions noted on the diagram. Lace patterns are drawn showing where the eyelets go, but without specifying where the accompanying decreases should go.
Most shawls are begun at the neck, but Faroese shawls are begun from the bottom by casting on hundreds of stitches. As the work progresses, structural decreases between the side panels and back gusset reduce the number of stitches until very few remain at the neck. Since garter stitch is used, the shawls are reversible, except where color panels are used.