This is the time of year when I want to hunker down with a steaming cup of chai tea and my knitting. I’m so embarrassed to admit that I’m still knitting the sweater for my husband that I started a year – or was it two years ago! He was supposed to get it for Christmas last year and since I’m only about 10 inches into it now, it’s highly doubtful that he’ll get it this year either, however, the process of knitting is so therapeutic and comforting, that I’ll let go of the result and enjoy the journey (that’s my excuse anyway!).
I also have to admit that some incredibly stunning yarns are proving somewhat of a distraction, and are calling me to abandon the sweater
in favor of knitting a Knit Collage creation – let me explain: I came across these unique yarns a couple of weeks ago and was absolutely blown away. Knit Collage yarns are the most unusually beautiful yarns I’ve ever seen – handspun creations with embellishments in the form of ribbons, sequins, flowers spun together with brightly colored wool, mohair and Angelina fibers. No two skeins are alike as each is handmade (and takes two hours to create).
Whether you are a perennial knitter or not, I know you’ll fall in love with these yarns and you’re just in time to snap up a few skeins for the Holidays. Knit Collage offers simple patterns, which a beginner could totally cope with for hats, scarves, and ear muffs. If you’re an experienced knitter, you can knock these up in a couple of hours.
I was really interested to meet the creator of knit collage, Amy Small, and find out how she was inspired to create these yarns. I was particularly interested in the fact that she works with women in India, helping them to make a living. Amy was kind enough to answer a few burning questions:
What is your background?
I grew up in the Philadelphia area and went to college for fashion design at Cornell. I landed my first job working for an amazing sweater designer at Free People, which is part of Urban Outfitters and
based in Philadelphia. It was a lot of fun and I learned so much there. My boss and travelled all over Asia designing sweaters and accessories together. After about 3 and a half years there, they moved me to Hong Kong where I worked with our Chinese factories and spent the majority of my time in China. After a few years of this, I got sick of traveling to these factory towns but wanted to stay in Asia, so I quit and started freelance sweater designing. I started Knit Collage while I was freelancing and had the flexibilty to make my own schedule.
What inspired you to create these unique yarns?
I started spinning a few years after I became a designer at FP and fell in love with it. I realized that there were no yarns like the ones I was making and thought that there might be a small business
there. I love spinning yarn and designing yarn because I can affect every inch of the yarn and make it completely unique and like nothing that can be made on a machine.
Where do your source your wool or other materials you use?
We use a wide range of materials! The wool fibers come from Australian sheep and the mohair we use is from South Africa which has a rich history of producing gorgeous mohair fibers. We also use sparkly Angelina fibers which are actually produced in the US and come in a wide range of many beautiful colors. Their quality is really the best in terms of color and handfeel. Many of the trims in the yarns are actually made by the women we work with like the crochet flowers, various ribbons and sequin trims. We try to make as many of the trims as we can in house, that cuts down on our dependancy from outside vendors and gives me the ability to design a wider range of trims. All of the women are amazing at crafting from knitting to embroidery, the list goes on!
What gave you the idea to go to India and start a women’s coop?
I knew I wanted to go to India because when I worked for FP, I travelled there a bunch and knew there was a rich history of handmade crafts that already existed. It just seemed like a perfect fit with the yarn that I was designing. I also find India to be an amazingly inspiring beautiful place. The poverty I’d witnessed on my trips there made me want to help create jobs for women as well.
How are the yarns made?
The process is highly labor intensive! Each yarn can take 1-2 hours to spin for the spinners. There are also many other processes involved in making the yarns, like carding fiber, preparing all of the trims, washing and setting the yarn and last but not least checking every skein for quality.
Is this a dream come true for you?
I feel very blessed to be doing what I love every day. I still have a long way to go to make a lasting company with a viable future but that’s what I’m aiming for! I finally moved into an office and have 1 part time employee now, these feel like huge steps forward.
Any plans for the future?
I’d love to design more knitting kits in collaboration with different retailers and designers. I’d also love to start designing and selling some sweaters and accessories that we could sell directly to our customers.
So buying Amy’s yarns, will not only enrich your life, but the lives of women far away in India. On a final note: Amy we hope that you do design and sell sweaters – I’ll be first in line.
