Description
The sweater is inspired by this story from Tailor Debes about the Tokustova sisters, who lived in the Faroese capital city of Tórshavn and had a special license giving them the right to travel around the islands begging for wool from farmers in outlying areas:
“They were called the Tokustova sisters and they were well known. People in Tokustova were particularly clever. There were four sisters and one brother. He was named Sigvald. Two of the sisters used to travel north to Gjógv every summer. They would stay at my great-grandfather’s house. That’s why [when Grandmother visited Tórshavn] they wanted to be hospitable to my grandmother, and invited her in. Grandmother said that they were very welcome when they came north to Gjógv. They used to come around the time when the spring wool was washed and dried. And when they came, these city women, they were so fancy and would greet everyone in Danish instead of Faroese, and they showed their passports. They had permission from the bailiff to travel. That was because there were so many people roaming the islands and begging. They would show their papers and give gifts.
As Grandmother used to say, the town ladies were often useful when they came. There weren’t any fine needles in the house, and the nearest shop was in Klaksvík. They brought various gifts with them. Some of the town ladies gave two sewing needles with gilded eyes in them, which was such a rarity—gilded eyes! Another gift was a darning needle, and some would offer a triangular needle, and they might also bring little bobbins of white or black sewing thread. And people would give them gifts, too, large bundles of wool. Grandmother said it was special with these sisters from Tokustova, they were so witty and well-dressed, clean and proper. In fact, her mother held them in such high regard that they were allowed to sleep in the bed that was usually reserved for the dean when he visited.”
Excerpt from the story “My Grandmother Was in Tórshavn One St. Olaf’s Day” in Tales of the Old Days by Hans M. Debes, 1977
