Meet Cynthia Yanok
Having earned the reputation in the yarn industry as a designer, author, and yarn shop owner over the past 25 years, Cynthia Yanok has gone on to attain certification as an Icelandic Specialist. Her company, Travelin’ Along, combines her love of knitting, travel, and food, to provide specialty tours around the world.
Cynthia’s patterns have been published in Vogue Knitting Magazine, Sixth and Spring books, Knit Simple, Knitter’s Magazine, Knit ‘N Style, Noro Magazine, Creative Knitting, and also by major yarn companies. She is the author of Knit It Your Way, published by Martingale and Co., and her designs appear in countless books. She has studied fashion in Italy, Germany, and France and brings these experiences to her designs and teaching. Cynthia has personally experienced Iceland and its wonderful places, people, and New Nordic Cuisine. She has partnered with her knowledgeable tour guide, Tyffi, in designing a unique experience specifically with knitters and foodies in mind. Cynthia knows first-hand how exciting and fulfilling it is to be Travelin’ Along the Golden Circle of Iceland and she is excited to share this unique experience - days of laughs, leisure, learning and a lifetime of memories. 
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Icelandic Knit Fest ItineraryThe Icelandic Knit Fest is an event initiated by the Icelandic Textile Center. The festival is held in Blönduós, Iceland, and is inspired by the annual Knitting Festival in Fano, Denmark.
Our journey begins in Reykjavik on June 8. After a few days of planned activities (information to come), we will attend the Knit Fest from June 11 - 13 with our departure on June 14. Save the dates! Festival activities include many different workshops on a wide range of knitting topics, trips to local knitting and textile sites of interest, knitting competitions, a marketplace, and tours of the wonderful sites in Iceland on the days before and after the festival with our local guide. This is the program thus far from the Textile Center. More information and updates coming soon! FRIDAY, JUNE 11TH
9:00 - 12:00 Drop Spindle Spinning - Deborah Grey Workshop taught in English. 9:00 - 12:00 How to Knit - Anna Margrét Valgeirsdóttir Workshop taught in both Icelandic and English. 8:30 - 10:00 Swim Knit - Helga Jóna Þórunnardóttir Workshop taught in the Blönduós pool. Please note that the workshop is taught in Icelandic. Pool admission fee is included. SATURDAY JUNE 12TH
9:00 - 12:00 Mastering Moebius - Deborah Grey Workshop taught in English. 9:00 - 12:00 Knitting a Traditional Icelandic Sweater, Part 1 - Anna Margrét Valgeirsdóttir Workshop is taught in Icelandic and in English. Blönduós local Anna Margrét Valgeirsdóttir will teach you how to knit a traditional Icelandic sweater. The workshop is taught in two parts. Session one is held on Saturday morning, and session two is on Sunday morning. 9:00 - 12:00 Practicalities and Possibilities of the Sweater - Og skilvirkni peysuformsins - Ýr Jóhannsdóttir Workshop taught in Icelandic on Saturday. The same workshop is taught in English on Sunday. 9:00 - 12:00 Knit for Not-So-Experienced Knitters - Helga Isager Workshop taught in English. 9:00 - 12:00 Edges and Buttonholes - Og hnappagöt - Helga Jóna Þórunnardóttir Workshop taught in English. 9:00 - 12:00 How to Knit Your Own Shawl - þitt eigið sjal - Hildur Ýr Ísberg Workshop taught in Icelandic. Please note that the same workshop, will be taught in English on Sunday. 10:00 - 18:00 Fiber, Craft and Farmers Market Location to be announced! The marketplace hosts a variety of vendors with all sorts of goodies for every type of crafter, along with produce from local farmers, beautiful handcrafts, food, cakes and more. The marketplace is open to the public and has free entry! 1:45 - 4:45 Knitting Socks Two at the Same Time and Toe Up - Deborah Grey Workshop taught in English. 1:45 - 4:45 Funny Frocks - Og flækjur: Tilraunasmiðja! - Ýr Jóhannsdóttir Experimental workshop taught in Icelandic. 1:45 - 4:45 Knitting and Embroidery - Helga Isager Workshop taught in English. 1:45 - 4:45 Tvílitt klukkuprjón - Helga Jóna Þórunnardóttir Workshop taught in Icelandic. 1:45 - 4:45 Gloves in the Wrong Direction - í öfuga átt - Hildur Ýr Ísberg Workshop taught in Icelandic. 1:45 - 4:45 Cast On, Cast Off and Edges - Kantar Og Affellingar - Auður Björt Skúladóttir Workshop taught in Icelandic. |
SUNDAY JUNE 13TH
9:00 - 12:00 Knitted Secrets, Illusions and Code with Deborah Grey
Workshop taught in English.
9:00 - 12:00 Practicality and Possibilities of the Sweater Form - Ýr Jóhannsdóttir
Workshop taught in English.
9:00 - 12:00 Knitting a Traditional Icelandic Sweater, Part 2 - Anna Margrét Valgeirsdóttir
Workshop taught in English. Session two of the How to Knit an Icelandic Sweater Workshop.
9:00 - 12:00 Finish and Fine Details - Helga Isager
Workshop taught in English.
9:00 - 12:00 Knitting for Nerds - Helga Jóna Þórunnardóttir
Workshop taught in Icelandic.
9:00 - 12:00 Knit Your Own Shawl - Hildur Ýr Ísberg
Workshop taught in English. The same workshop is also taught in Icelandic on Saturday.
11:00 - 17:00 Fiber, Craft and Farmers Market
The marketplace hosts a variety of vendors with all sorts of goodies on offer for every type of crafter along with products and produce from local farmers. Open to the public and free entry!
1:45 - 4:45 Solar Dyeing with Local Plants with Deborah Grey
Workshop taught in English.
1:45 - 4:45 Cable Square Blanket - Auður Björt Skúladóttir
Workshop taught in Icelandic.
9:00 - 12:00 Knitted Secrets, Illusions and Code with Deborah Grey
Workshop taught in English.
9:00 - 12:00 Practicality and Possibilities of the Sweater Form - Ýr Jóhannsdóttir
Workshop taught in English.
9:00 - 12:00 Knitting a Traditional Icelandic Sweater, Part 2 - Anna Margrét Valgeirsdóttir
Workshop taught in English. Session two of the How to Knit an Icelandic Sweater Workshop.
9:00 - 12:00 Finish and Fine Details - Helga Isager
Workshop taught in English.
9:00 - 12:00 Knitting for Nerds - Helga Jóna Þórunnardóttir
Workshop taught in Icelandic.
9:00 - 12:00 Knit Your Own Shawl - Hildur Ýr Ísberg
Workshop taught in English. The same workshop is also taught in Icelandic on Saturday.
11:00 - 17:00 Fiber, Craft and Farmers Market
The marketplace hosts a variety of vendors with all sorts of goodies on offer for every type of crafter along with products and produce from local farmers. Open to the public and free entry!
1:45 - 4:45 Solar Dyeing with Local Plants with Deborah Grey
Workshop taught in English.
1:45 - 4:45 Cable Square Blanket - Auður Björt Skúladóttir
Workshop taught in Icelandic.
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Marketplace
During the Iceland Knit Fest, there will be a fiber, craft, and farmers market. It hosts a variety of vendors with all sorts of goodies to offer for every type of crafter, along with produce from local farmers, beautiful handcrafts, delicious food, coffee, cakes and more. The market is open to the public, has free entry and will be held on Saturday, June 12th 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM and Sunday, June 13th 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM. More information on location and vendors coming soon! |
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Knit Café
Want to meet with your fellow festival-goers and chat, maybe mingle with locals? Need to work on a project? Looking for some down time in the midst of a busy festival schedule? The knitting cafe is the perfect place to hang out. The knitting cafe is open will be open every day of the festival with refreshments and good company to keep the festival spirit going. |
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Textile Trail in the Northwest Northwest Iceland has a rich tradition of crafts and textiles. On the Textile Trail, there are individuals and companies who work with wool and textiles and present the local craft history. There will be a digital map that you use on your journey. There will also be posts of interviews and links on Facebook so to get to know the people on the Textile Trail. Vatnsnes Yarn Kristín Guðmundsdóttir is from Vatnsnes Yarn in Laugarbakki. You can visit her website, vatnsnesyarn.is, and see her gorgeous yarns. Kristín paints various kinds of yarn, both organic and non-organic. The dyeing produces a small print and is of an artistic nature. The finished product is therefore unique in its form. Kristín states, "My goal in designing colors and combining them into yarns is to bring knitters and crocheters unique, quality materials for their projects." She hand-paints her yarns and sells them under the Vatnsnes Yarn label. |
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Húnvetning and Strandamanna Regional Museum On the journey along the Textile Trail is the Húnvetning and Strandamanna Regional Museum, located at Reykjaskóli in Hrútafjörður. This delightful regional museum has great and well-curated exhibitions of many exciting objects that tell the story of the people of the area, their way of life and their culture. In the museum there is a turf farm, shark fishing vessels and wonderfully designed textiles. The exhibition in the museum tells of Rannveigu H. Líndal (1883-1955). Rannveig was a teacher in the Women's School at Stadarfell and the Women's School in Blönduós where the Icelandic Textile Center is located. It is definitely worth looking at the museum to see the life and history of those who lived here on the trails. |
Anna Margrét Valgeirsdóttir
Anna Margrét Valgeirsdóttir is a textile and English teacher and has taught textiles in Icelandic schools for 20 years. She has been a passionate knitter since the age of five and particularly enjoys knitting a good, warm, traditional Icelandic sweater! |
Auður Björt Skúladóttir
Auður Skúladóttir is a textile teacher in the elementary schools. She is currently studying for a Master's degree in textiles. She published her first book, "Lopapeysuprjón", in 2016. Auður says, "For as long as I can remember, I've been knitting, crocheting or doing other handcrafts. I've designed and published my own patterns since 2013. I work at the knit shop Handprjón in Hafnafjörður, advising customers and helping them with their knitting." |
Deborah Gray
Deborah Gray is from Scotland and has many years of teaching experience. She teaches knitting, spinning, and sun-dyeing. She is fascinated with the process of transforming raw materials, mostly sheep's wool, into beautiful and useful fabrics. Deborah has been a guest tutor during the annual Shetland Wool Week, teaching both spinning and knitting classes, and taught at the Edinburgh Yarn Festival. Deborah more than anything enjoys sharing her passion and skills with others. |
Helga Jóna Þórunnardóttir
Helga Jóna Þórunnardóttir is a trained craftsman teacher from the Textile Seminar in Skals, Denmark (2005). She is a teacher at the Handicraft School, Skals High School for Design and Handwork, and teaches knitting, embroidery, and crochet. Along with the teaching, she designs knitting patterns that can be seen here: www.strikketoj.com |
Helga Isager
Since 2005, designer Helga Isager and her brand Amimono have pioneered innovation in knitting as a craft and as a fashion phenomenon. Whether it's the play of colors, the relationship between the lightness and weight of the yarns or the use of traditional techniques in new ways, every knitted project is part of the designer’s curious investigation into the endless possibilities hidden in a ball of yarn and a set or needles. Her books have been translated into several languages, and she is today co-owner of the Danish yarn brand Isager, which for more than 40 years has offered high quality yarn, which is sold all over the world. |
Hildur is Ísberg
Hildur Ýr Ísberg is a knitwear designer and an expert in Icelandic and comparative literature. Her grandmother taught her to knit when she was six years old. Hildur published her first pattern in 2014 - she's never liked staying inside the box for too long! Hildur has designed all kinds of knitted and crocheted clothing items since then. Her shawls have proven to be very popular, especially the Quality Street shawl, which has been knitted by hundreds of people from Iceland to Australia. When Hildur is not knitting, she is either reading or teaching enthusiastic young people about Icelandic language and culture. |
Sigrún Helga Indriðadóttir
Sigrún Helga Indriðadóttir is a craftswoman, horticulturist, farmer and housewife. She has taught elementary school children in textiles, visual arts, and garment construction. Sigrún has attended numerous courses in all kinds of crafts, spinning, embroidery, and so much more. At Stórhól, Sigrún runs the Runnalist Galleri, a store with a wide range of products direct from Býli, arts, crafts and food crafts. See www.runalist.is |
Ýr Jóhannsdóttir
Ýr Jóhannsdóttir graduated with a BA in textile design from the Glasgow School of Art in 2017 and is now working on her Master's degree in art education at the Iceland University of the Arts. Ýr has participated in various textile projects, group exhibitions, and stage performances both in Iceland and abroad. Since 2012, Ýr has knitted sweaters under the name Ýrúrarí and taught upcycling workshops, where new life is given to old sweaters with handmade textile touches, most recently at the Textile Art Center in New York, Nordic Museum in Seattle and the Reykjavík School of Visual Arts. Find more on yrurari.com |