From crocheting to embroidery, handicrafts are having a moment... here, Norwegian knitwear brand Skappel gives their best tips and tricks on how to master knitting
“It all started in the winter of 2012 when my mom knitted a very simple sweater that both my sister Maria and I instantly loved,” says Marthe Skappel, CEO of Norwegian knitwear brand Skappel. “Since the sweater was so easy to knit, my mom told us that we could even manage to knit this particular design ourselves, and we did.”
Founded by the three Skappel sisters, Marthe, Dorthe, and Maria, Skappel’s business is simple, really. You get the pattern and calculated amount of yarn for the design you have chosen, which is then shipped with easy to follow instructions. “Our patterns stand out from other knitting patterns because they do not contain too many abbreviations. The goal is to make it as simple and understandable as possible,” says Dorthe Skappel, who creates all of the brand’s patterns.
In the beginning, the sisters tell me, everything took place in the living room at their parent’s house. ‘We packed all the yarn and sewed all the knitting tote bags ourselves,” says Marthe. “We drove packages to the post office.” When the website launched, it crashed from the traffic, and Skappel sold out after only a few minutes.
“Our goal is for as many people as possible to knit themselves, but at the same time, we do not want to exclude those who do not share that interest,” says Marthe. For those who want a Skappel sweater but are less inclined to get knitting, the label collaborates with knitting service Woolit. Woolit has gathered a group of enthusiastic knitters who are more than happy to knit for others.
“If you have the interest, you can learn,” says Marthe. Marthe points out how the youngest person to ever knit a Skappel sweater all by herself was a 10-year-old girl who bought a knitting kit. “If you have a grandmother, friend or someone else around you who can knit, it’s great, or you can watch instruction videos online,” she continues. “Knitting is so individual. Everyone knits a little differently, and everyone experiences different phases of frustration,” says Dorthe. “It constantly amazes me how different the challenges one can encounter are.” She explains that the most important thing is that you do not focus on perfection. Everything can be fixed. “Besides, in my world, «perfect» is not necessarily perfect. For instance, the original Skappel sweater is always the finest when it is knitted by a beginner,” she adds.
“When I learned to knit, I would organise knitting nights with my friends where we shared our frustrations and knowledge on knitting,” Marthe says. “When I got stuck, there was always someone who could help. In addition, it is a really nice way to hang out. When our everyday life is characterised by a lot of technology and fast-paced events, it is wonderful to relax with something you can create with your hands.”
“Our experience is that as a beginner, you often want to learn to knit because you want to be able to create a particular design,” says Dorthe. “But eventually, for most people, the knitting process gives you so much more than the need to finish a project. It is more about the experience itself,” Dorthe says. “Knitting, in a way, can be described as a form of mindfulness.”
Below are Vogue Scandinavia’s five best tips on how to make knitting easier:
Circular needles are more secure than straight ones. When we envision knitting, we usually see the classic straight needles. But, round needles – connected with a cord – are much more manageable. They reduce the risk of dropping stitches and makes handling long cables easier.
A crochet hook is a knitting gear essential. Even a knit-wit purist can recognise how useful a crochet hook can be – it is the perfect tool to helps us fix accidentally dropped stitches.
Learn to do a chain slip stitch. It is the easiest way to finish off fuzzy borders. The braid like finish is easiest achieved like this: at the end of every row, slip the last stitch with the yarn in front. At the beginning of the next row, knit the slipped stitch.
Hold and tension the yarn consistently. If your knitting looks “messy” or bumpy, it is because you have uneven stitches across a row (some stitches are bigger than others). To knit a nice, smooth fabric, you need to keep your yarn at the same tension as you create each stitch.
Keep notes of your progress. A knitting project is very rarely finished in one session, so keeping detailed notes on your rows, stitches and progress is essential to not loose your place.