I am just working on the Icelandic chapters of the Encyclopedia of World Embroidery, vol. 4: Scandinavia and Western Europe (Bloomsbury, London) and I thought people might enjoy trying out some Icelandic counted thread patterns. These are based on some patterns given in two manuscript pattern books (sjónabók) from the latter half of the eighteenth century, from southeastern Iceland.
Both of these books are now in the National Museum of Iceland, nos. 1105 (two patterns) and Þ. Th. og Þ. 116 (one pattern). The coloured pattern was drawn by a farmer called Jón Einarsson of Skaftafell (Guðjónsson 1982, fig. 4). The original book includes 49 patterns, most of which are in colour.
More details about the subject can be found in the classic work by Elsa E. Guðjónsson (1982), called Traditional Icelandic Embroidery (Reykjavik: Iceland Review).
Please click on the illustrations below for a PdF file that you can easily enlarge and print-off.
Two eighteenth century counted thread patterns from Iceland. Courtesy National Museum of Iceland, no. 1105.
Eighteenth century counted thread pattern from Iceland. Courtesy National Museum of Iceland, Þ. Th. og Þ. 116.
Gillian Vogelsang, Director TRC, 8 May 2021
