Interview: Kelene Kinnersly
Today’s interview is with Kelene Kinnersly of Kelene Kinnersly Designs, a fellow Canadian designer.
Who taught you to knit/How did you learn to knit?
I taught myself to knit with the help of good old YouTube.
How did you get started designing?
I dove in, head first with the help of a good editor and lots of support from my knitting friends and family. It just seemed a natural fit for me.
What inspires your designs?
Often I am inspired by the yarn itself. The colour, and what it reminds me of. Other times its elements I find in architecture and nature.
Which comes first – the yarn or the inspiration?
Yarn
What characteristics do you try to incorporate in your designs?
I often like to put in a little design element that you wouldn’t normally see in a particular design, Like a round of eyelets or row of purls after ribbing. I like to think of it as, I’m leaving my little signature.
What is your favourite type of item to design?
Lately I’m in love with designing my own colourwork motifs. I’ m sure you’re going to see a lot more of stranded work from me in the future. I also always have a shawl on the go.
Tell me about “Promiscuous Stripes Shawl”, what is the story behind this design?
I wanted to make a sideways striped shawl. I had the purple Cascades Heritage for a long time (months upon months), I kept putting it beside other yarns trying to pair it up, you know I was looking for the prefect contrast in a variegated yarn. I was on the search when I came across the quote in “Knitting in plain English” (I think) that said…if you’re pairing a variegated with a solid, pick the least prominent colour in the variegated that is the closest color to the solid. It was a light bulb moment, and it made pairing it a lot easier. I love the colour combination.
Do you have an aspirational knit – a complicated/challenging design that you want to knit “some day” when you feel ready?
I have a couple!! They involve complicated lace.
What is coming next? What’s in your release queue?
I have a little bit of everything on the go. Hats, sweaters and a couple of pretty little lace shawls for summer.
Your desert island yarn? (if you could only knit with one yarn from now on which would it be?)
Mad Tosh Merino (Editor’s Note: madelinetosh tosh merino)
Which is your most under-appreciated design?
My Diamond Cut Collection of fingerless mitts. All based on diamond cuts, and the personalities associated with each cut.
What’s the one piece of advice you’d like to share with other knitters?
There are no mistakes, only learning experiences!!
Any knitting/designing New Year’s resolutions?
I would like to pull together a full fall collection, maybe even find another designer that I could collaborate with, for this purpose.
If you could have dinner with one knitting designer (living or dead) who would it be and why?
Joji Locatelli hands down, she seems like a very down to earth person and she seems to love to knit just as much as me. I would just love to sit knit and chat with her.
—
View all of Kelene’s patterns here. All images copyright Kelene Kinnersly. All images used by permission.
You can find Kelene on the following social media sites:
- Kelene Kinnersly Designs Facebook Page
- Kelene Kinnersly Designs Ravelry Group
What is the Gift-A-Long? The GAL is a big knitting and crochet designer promotion with prizes and more than 5,000 people participating in a giant KAL/CAL. Come join the GAL group on Ravelry!
