Sponsor
The Danish company Isager Yarn, founded in 1977 by Marianne Isager, has a long tradition of supplying meticulously designed patterns and quality yarns made from natural fibers, which are known and appreciated around the world. Marianne and her daughter Helga, co-owner of the company, are also behind a line of renowned knitting books.
Isager’s history began with Åse Lund Jensen, a designer who established her studio in 1960. Her work was based on the Danish handicraft tradition, although it was mostly inspired by Icelandic and Faroese cultures. In collaboration with Henrichsen’s Yarn Mill, she produced a range of high-quality wool yarns. Her favorites, Spinni and Jensen Yarn, are still part of the Isager range today.
Marianne took over when Åse passed away in 1977 and renamed the company Isager. Since then, a multitude of books and patterns have been produced by both Marianne and Helga Isager. Today, the company offers 22 different qualities of various fibers, from wool, alpaca, yak and mohair to cotton, linen and lyocell. Its main yarns are Danish-produced Spinni, Tvinni and Jensen Yarn. All Isager colors are matched to the chromatic range of vegetable dyes, which makes it easy to mix and match qualities in numerous ways, something both Marianne and Helga love to do in their designs.
The Isager company now resides in the former elementary school in Tversted, a village in northern Jutland close to the North Sea and surrounded by beautiful scenery. The company’s retail, wholesale and workshop facilities are located there.
Sponsored workshops
Waistcoat Anni
This waistcoat is one of 9 designs from Helga Isager’s 1919 Collection, inspired by the work of the weavers of the Bauhaus School of Art. It is double knitted and intarsia with combinations of Isager Jensen Yarn, Alpaca 3, Highland and Silk Mohair. The two layers of fabric make the waistcoat windproof and perfect as outerwear on cooler days.
Isager Merilin
A 3-ply yarn made from a blend of 80% wool and 20% linen. It works very well in textured patterns. It is a very soft yarn and can be used by many people who are allergic to wool. The linen fibre lies softly on the wool, which gives a nice melange effect as the linen does not absorb the dye from the wool. It is perfect for children’s garments.
Helga Isager has designed several models with Isager Merilin such as Swirl. This model has pronounced raglans and a very comfortable oversize cut.
The design is knitted from the bottom up. The sleeves and body are knitted separately and then joined together for the yoke, which is knitted in the round with raglan decreases at the front and back. The sleeves are worked straight and then double decreases are made at the shoulders to gather the top of the sleeves. The jersey is finished with a wide ribbed collar, as on the body and sleeves.
Isager Palet
A summer yarn with a matt finish.
This ribbon-like yarn gives a beautiful effect on knitted fabrics. It is available in 14 colours to match other Isager yarns. It is made from 100% cotton and can be knitted alone or in combination with other yarns such as Trio 1, Trio 2, Silk Mohair and Alpaca 1.
Helga Isager has used Isager Palet (single yarn) in her Forest Tee design. This summer T-shirt is light and comfortable. It is worked from the bottom up in reverse stockinette stitch with a diamond pattern on the body and sleeves. The design has set-in sleeves and a V-neck.
A Knitting Life III (Indigo model)
The final volume in Marianne Isager’s trilogy about her knitting life.
As Marianne explains in the book’s foreword, receiving two beautiful woodblock prints as a gift sparked her interest in Japanese art. Later, in 2001, when she met her husband in Tokyo, she began 15 years of travels with many enriching experiences. Her long stays in Japan have shaped this book.
The Indigo model is a comfortable summer garment knitted with Trio 2 (Navy and Ink) and Alpaca 1 (Midnight). The model is inspired by a Bryan Whitehead indigo dyeing course in Japan in which Marianne and her husband, Nels, participated.