An Icelander is the early workingman’s sweater in Iceland. This bulky garment was worked in round in two -rarely three- colors and was often felted to increase its resistance.

The shape was very simple. The armholes were closed with a steek and the sleeves traditionally picked up at the armholes to be worked to the wrists ; the wrists were bound off and allowed to roll. The neck opening - a straight boatneck- was bound off and rolled.

The pattern was simple too, with an allover small geometric design. However two features add to the charm of this sweater :

• the lower edge began with a twisted-purl cast-on in two colors giving a braided effect ;
• a side-seam panel was worked at the underarms and continued from armhole to wrist.

Note that the design on the example project and the cats paw motif were created by the knitter and do not appear in either book.