These mittens were hand knitted to a fairisle pattern in a finely spun two-ply wool by Matthildur Herborg Benediksdottir in Iceland in about 1976. The pattern is a variation of the 'eight petalled rose' design which appears in many Icelandic textiles both woven and knitted. The western part of Iceland is well known for patterned knitting.

Matthildur was born in 1896 on a farm named Reykjafirth situated on a fjord in northwest Iceland very close to the Arctic Circle. She and her husband Finnboga Jakob Kristjansson lived on the farm from 1915 to 1958 and had 14 children. In 1930 their household consisted of 12 people and the farm had two cows, five horses and 100 sheep. The hardest task was providing enough fodder because all these animals were hand fed with hay during the long winters. Matthildur's responsibilities as a housewife were to provide food and clothing for the household using wool in the natural colours of the Icelandic sheep. At the time she knitted the mittens Matthildur was about 80 years old. They were given to the donor, Judith Gunnarsson, through Mattildur's grandson, biochemist Jakob Kristjansson.

Wool was brought to Iceland by the Vikings, who first settled the island and brought sheep and other animals with them. The fleece of Icelandic sheep consists of a long outer layer called tog and a short, fine underhair called pel. Tog was combed and spun into strong cord for sewing and weaving; the finest tog is similar to mohair and was used for fine lacy shawls and embroidery. Pel was used to make garments, the softest pel of all being produced by brown and grey sheep.

The craft of knitting came to Iceland near the beginning of the 1500s, probably from northern Europe, and quickly became the country's principal export. Knitting requires no investment in equipment beyond a set of knitting needles and the raw materials, so was available as a source of income to the poorest inhabitants. Most Icelandic knitting was strictly utilitarian, though it was also an avenue for creative expression. Icelandic woollens were traded all over the Atlantic region, arriving in America during the early years of settlement.

The mittens were hand knitted to a fairisle pattern by Matthildur Herborg Benediksdottir in Iceland in about 1976. Wool was brought to Iceland by the Vikings who first settled the island and brought sheep and other animals with them. The fleece of Icelandic sheep consists of a long outer layer called tog and a short, fine underhair called pel. Tog was combed and spun into strong cord for sewing and weaving; the finest tog is similar to mohair and was used for fine lacy shawls and embroidery. Pel was used to make garments, the softest pel of all being produced by brown and grey sheep.

Knitting appeared in Iceland near the beginning of the 1500s, probably brought to the island from northern Europe, and quickly became the country's principal export. The craft requires no investment in equipment beyond a set of needles, and the materials, so was available as a source of income to the poorest inhabitants. Most Icelandic knitting was strictly utilitarian, though also an avenue for creative expression, and Icelandic woollens were traded all over the Atlantic region, arriving in America during the early years of settlement.

A note from the donor states:
"The practice of knitting has been known in Iceland for several centuries. The western part of the Iceland is well known for knitting patterns. The wool used in this type of mitten is a very finely spun two-ply. These mittens are knitted in a variation of the pattern called 'eight petalled rose' which appears in many Icelandic textiles both woven and knitted. These mittens were of course meant to be used.

The making of a beautiful article for practical use, the painstaking application of a learned skill and the ability to adapt to the materials available are part of the Icelandic culture."

A note from the donor Judith Gunnarsson tells us about the maker:

"The mittens were knitted by Matthildur Herborg Benediksdottir, who at the time she knitted them was about 80 years old. Matthildur was born in 1896 on a farm named Reykjafirth situated on a fjord in the north west of Iceland very close to the Arctic Circle. Weather conditions vary greatly between winter, with its long dark stormy nights, and the endless light of the short summer months.

Matthildur married Finnboga Jakob Kristjansson in 1915 and they had 14 children, of whom 13 grew to adulthood. Matthildur and Jakob lived on the farm until 1958. Jakob died in 1972 and Matthildur in 1989.

In 1930 the household consisted of 12 people. The farm had two cows, five horses and 100 sheep. The hard task was to provide enough fodder in the form of hay because all these animals were hand fed during the long winters. Matthildur's responsibilities as a housewife would have been the provision of food and clothing for the members of the household using wool in the natural colours of the Icelandic sheep."

The mittens were given to the donor Judith Gunnarsson by Helga Alfonsdottir, whose son in law is Mattildur's grandson, biochemist Jakob Kristjansson

Fairisle mittens, pair, knitted wool, made by Matthildur Hesborg Benediksdottir, Iceland, c. 1976

A pair of woollen mittens, handknitted in natural grey, white, brown and black wool. The pattern is a relatively simple fairisle with a large eight pointed star on the back of the hand in black wool on a grey ground. The deep wrist pattern features a black and white leaf meander between small geometrically patterned bands in brown, white and grey, and edged with a row of triangles. At the fingertips there is a band of geometric patterns in black, white and brown. The ribbed cuffs in grey wool are edged with brown.

Maker: unknown; Iceland; 1971 - 1981

No marks.

2006/14/1

1971 - 1981

100 mm