Featured in amirisu Issue 26, published in 2023.
Today's interview is with Susanne Sommer. She has designed two shawls for this issue, so we will split the interview into two parts.
In the first part, we are going to talk about Floe, a reversible triangular shawl knitted with yarns of two different thickness. It is a wonderful shawl that is impeccable from all angles, front, back, and edges!
In the first part, we are going to talk about Floe, a reversible triangular shawl knitted with yarns of two different thickness. It is a wonderful shawl that is impeccable from all angles, front, back, and edges!
amirisu: What was your inspiration for this design?
Susanne: When playing around with stitch patterns, I fell in love with one called „Flight of the Bumblebee“. It reminded me much more of ice floes, however, so I tried to capture the devastating beauty of the melting poles into knitting. The ice floes in heavier yarn floating on a sea of lighter Cartridge Belt ribbing.
amirisu: What, if any, challenges did you encounter during the design process?
Susanne: The challenge when designing Floe was the combination of the different yarn weights and stitch patterns, and finding the right combination to make the patterns flow beautifully into one another. I’m very happy with how it turned out, especially with the neat edges of the double-knit border.
amirisu: If you were to knit this design in another color, what would it be?
Susanne: I’m very happy with my chosen colours, but I think it would also look very dramatic in a classic black and white combination.
amirisu: How do you like to spend time in the summer? What do you like to knit or make in warmer months?
Susanne: I love being outdoors, pottering around in my vegetable garden, and going on walks or hikes.
I love knitting with linen or linen blends especially during the warmer months, but I don’t mind knitting with a rustic heavy wool either, as long as I get to knit outdoors.
Thank you, Susanne!