Einrúm: Weaving connections

By Ndéla Faye | Photos: einrúm

For Icelandic architect and yarn designer Kristín Brynja Gunnarsdóttir, knitting has always been a way to slow down and enter a space where patience, creativity and the pleasure of making something by hand intertwine.

“The Icelandic word einrúm signifies a kind of solitude: a way of tuning out the outside world and immersing yourself in your own space,” Kristín Brynja says. “At the same time, knitting is deeply rooted in community and connection. Solitude doesn’t necessarily mean being alone, but rather sharing a collective state of flow – a kind of cocooning together.”

That philosophy runs through einrúm, the Denmark-based yarn and knitwear studio Kristín Brynja founded alongside the architecture practice she runs with her husband, Steffan. Although she still contributes creatively to selected architectural projects, today, her primary focus is yarn design and knitwear.

Kristín Brynja’s connection to knitting began in Iceland, where she would sit and knit in her grandmother Katrín’s kitchen – the place where she found her first creative refuge, her einrúm. There, she also fell in love with Icelandic wool, which has evolved over more than a thousand years in relative isolation, as Icelandic sheep developed a double-coated fleece perfectly suited to the harsh climate.

Kristin Brynja Gunnarsdóttir calls knitting “the ultimate slow fashion,” with each knitted garment requiring a lot of time, love, care and attention.

Wanting to preserve Icelandic wool’s unique qualities while introducing something unexpected, Kristín Brynja travelled to Thailand to observe rural mulberry silk production firsthand. The soft sheen and delicate – yet strong – texture of the silk offered a striking contrast to rugged Icelandic wool, revealing an unexpected harmony between the two materials.

After a lot of experimentation, Kristín Brynja developed a yarn that twines Icelandic wool and mulberry silk into a singular material, creating garments that naturally regulate body temperature while remaining breathable and durable.

In addition to a variety of yarns, einrúm features knitting patterns designed by Kristín Brynja, reflecting her architectural approach and highlighting the quality of the yarn. “Knitting is the ultimate slow fashion: a lot of love, care and thought is put in each garment,” Kristín Brynja says.

Einrúm: Weaving connections

einrúm recently opened a new studio in Copenhagen’s Vanløse district, designed as both an architectural office and a communal creative space for yarn lovers. The studio space hosts regular knitting cafés and workshops, where people gather with ongoing projects, exchange techniques, and knit together over coffee and tea. “Whether you’re an experienced knitter or just starting out, everyone is warmly welcome,” Kristín Brynja says.

The studio reflects the spirit of einrúm itself: an intentionally informal and restorative space centred on slowness, conversation and creative immersion.

Einrúm: Weaving connections