Featured in amirisu Issue 26, published in 2023.
This is the last of our interviews with the designers who participated in Issue 26. Our final interview is with Fiona Alice. She is originally from Canada but now lives in Finland, and her Sivu sweater is a cool piece that is full of Finnish inspiration.
amirisu: What was your inspiration for this design?
Fiona: For this design, I drew inspiration from Finland’s natural beauty but also from fashion companies such as Marimekko. I wanted to blend the rugged texture of the forest with a contrasting geometric pattern. Marimekko’s precise mathematical prints often represent equality, a strong symbol of Finnish values. One print I particularly love is Maija Isola’s Tiiliskivi, which translates to “brick”. The Rosette Stitch, across the shoulders, reminds me of frost forming on a cold winter's day. When naming this piece I picked sivu which translates to "page", since moving to Finland has often felt like a blank page or starting a new chapter.
amirisu: What, if any, challenges did you encounter during the design process?
Fiona: Thankfully there were not too many challenges with Sivu. One area that took a bit of extra thought was the placement of the vertical and horizontal stripes. My goal was to evenly space these lines across the whole size range.
amirisu: If you were to knit this design in another color, what would it be?
Fiona: I would like to try a blue and neutral version in another one of De Rerum Natura's colour combinations. Maybe Baleine Bleue for the Rosette stitch and stripes and Poivre et Sel for the rest.
amirisu: Tell us a little about one or two of your favorite spots to recommend to someone thinking to visit Finland.
Fiona: One of my favourite places to look for fabric is the Marimekko Outlet in Herttoniemi, not too far from Helsinki’s city center. I like to browse their selection of dead stock fabric from time-to-time. Another place I like to source materials is Punainenlanka, which translates to "red yarn", in the Hakaniemi Market Hall. This stall is over 40 years old and holds many haberdashery treasures, unlike the name, not much knitting yarn can be found here. Instead you can expect to find buttons, ribbons, threads and trim of all sorts. The Hakaniemi Market Hall also holds my favourite vendors for cheese, olives, fish and pastries. It’s worth trying some Finnish delicacies here or staying for lunch.
amirisu: How do you like to spend time in the summer? What do you like to knit or make in warmer months?
Fiona: The summer is usually when I have time to visit my family back in Halifax, Nova Scotia. However, I'll be spending the whole summer here in Helsinki. The summer is beautiful but short so I am looking forward to experiencing it. There will be trips to nearby islands in the archipelago, evenings on restaurant patios and time with family at the summer cottage in Eastern Finland.
I don't usually knit summery items during the warming months. I often spend this time knitting cozy sweaters for the next fall season. It takes me so long to finish anything for myself these days. However, I will do a bit of sewing this summer. I've made one skirt already and have some plans for summer dresses.
Thank you, Fiona!