Jaime's Navia Treysta
Before we left for Faroe, I decided I wanted to make a new sweater to wear while hiking on the islands - welcome my Navia Faroe Hiking Sweater!
Pattern: Treysta by Jennifer Steingass from Laine Issue 3
Yarn: Navia Tradition. Main color - Grass Green, CC1 - Light Grey, CC2 - Green Yellow, CC3 - Mid Grey
Size Made: 3 (38.25")
Modifications: none
I choose this yoked Icelandic pullover to knit in Navia for my hiking sweater. I wanted some colorwork and while this isn't the traditional Faroese all-over colorwork style, I love this pattern. I have previously made 2 other yoked colorwork hiking sweaters out of Lettlopi and they are getting very worn (I felted one on a 24-mile hike in the rain in Yorkshire).
What is a hiking sweater?? I love wearing hardy wool sweaters when I hike and backpack for warmth as opposed to a synthetic or down outer layer. I need these sweaters to be warm, weatherproof and hardy. Wearing a pack while walking and sweating for miles can destroy a fine (read, soft) wool very quickly. So far, Léttlopi Icelandic wool has been my go-to yarn for hiking sweaters, it is lightweight and lofty while packing considerable warmth and sturdiness. I knew the Faroese wool would be a good option so I was so excited to try out Navia.
Whenever hiking, layers are the way to go. Changing weather and elevation means I'm always adjusting for comfort. With this in mind, a coarser wool sweater is a fine option as I normally will have a long-sleeve baselayer as well as a mid-layer in between my skin and my outer sweater. For me a hiking sweater is all about function - and a great way to show off your knitting prowess on the trails!
Navia has a much tighter twist than Léttlopi, making it a denser yarn, which I anticipated would make it even warmer. Like Icelandic wool, the Faroese wool consists of two layers - a coarser, weatherproof, longer outer layer and a softer, downy inner layer. The two types of wool are combined and carded together for Navia Traiditon yarn.
Navia can change and bloom quite a bit with blocking so it is very important to block your swatch when testing for gauge. I knit this on a size 6 needle to get gauge - this is a smaller-than recommended needle for Navia. The results of this are a fairly dense pullover, great for warmth in wind and snow. Knit at its recommended, looser gauge, Navia can produce a lighter, softer fabric that is lovely as well.
Sadly, I did not finish this sweater in time to wear it on my hikes on Faroe (I have to go back!) but I did finish it on the long plane rides back home. I just took it out on a blustery snowshoe at Rocky Mountain National Park to test it out and it was great! It kept me warm on a very windy, snow-blowin' day at 10,000 ft. I love the look of the green shades in nature.
Stay tuned for a knitalong coming up at the end of summer for a traditionally-styled Faroese sweater using Navia. You too, can one day knit the hiking sweater of your dreams!
Comments on this post (2)
Thanks Clara! For weather, I mostly am concerned with my hiking sweaters being warm and weatherproof (good in snow or rain). Lettlopi and Navia are the best for this as the Icelandic and Faroese sheep’s outer-coat is more waterproof than any other wools. In really severe weather, a light wind/rain layer over one of these wool sweaters is all I need. As for felting – the longer wool of these breeds does not felt easily. I hadn’t had any problems for years until I wore a sweater on a very rainy hike with a gortex rain coat over it. This raincoat locked in my own heat and sweat and I almost completely felted the entire sweater on a 24 mile, 8 hour hike…so its not impossible, but they hold up pretty well. We’ll see how the Navia fares as I wear it on more hikes.
— Jaime
I am absolutely excited about the idea of knitting a hiking sweater! how do you pick the yarn you use for different weather conditions? and it doesn’t felt under the straps of a backpack? I so want to know nore about all this!
— Clara