Knitting is for everybody - This is me behind the blog

 

Knitting is for everybody!

This is the message I want to put out there. This is one reason why I knit, teach and make my knitting patterns. This is why I participate in Knit ALongs and do test knits. This is why I participate in making a knitting magazine neule.net  - free for everybody. This is why I make free knitting patterns for beginners - you can find them here in my blog and in my Ravelry store RiittaMarjo Designs in addition to ones I sell.

I learned to knit with my grandmother. I learned to knit before I learned to read. Knitting and going to the library were the two things I did with my grandma - just a regular everyday life.

Learning to knit with mom or grandma was very common back then. Here in Finland we teach every kid to knit at school, even today. Not all kids like it, but all will learn the basics. They learn crocheting and technical work as well.  When I was in comprehensive school we all knit socks and mittens. Today, it is not necessary socks and mittens, but knitting anyway. My sons have done felting, crocheting, knitting as well as a stool, a knife (Finnish puukko) and ladles for sauna. These are very common things to do here. So, crafts and technical and textile work is available for everybody in Finland and therefore, I think, we are a very big knitting nation.

I grew up in Rovaniemi Finland and my family is from Lapland and Karelia. Knitting isn't the only craft that and it was it just me and my grandma who did craft. My mother weaved and crocheted a lot when I was a kid. My son is a very skillful knife maker and has made several - even one for me for mushrooms. 

I live in Oulu now, but my parents still live in Lapland. Life in a bigger town is a bit different, but not much. I have also lived a while in Helsinki and abroad in Luxemburg and North Carolina, USA. 

We do enjoy travelling near and far with our family together and separate.

This is my other son (12years) and our dog Biegga. He is a Finnish Lapphund and he came to live with us last year from Kennel Tuiskutievan from Muonio.  They as we all love snow and winter.

This is me in my newly finished Syyshohto sweater. You can find a process post about this here from my blog. And this is our cat Pentti. He is 8 years old and I think he is the only one who doesn't like the winter that much.

I live my life in a bigger town, but still do things that I have used to do and nature keeps me still wondering and relaxing. It takes literally two minutes to get to a forest from our front door, and I'd like to keep it that way. I still pick berries, bilberries (blueberries) and lingonberries. We actually ate 50 litres of bilberries and 10 litres of lingonberries  with my teenager last year - and we run out in May. So, we need more for next winter. I have learned to pick mushrooms as an adult - my new hobby - and I regularly go photographing to the forest. 

I love hiking and go every chance I get. Lapland and Norway have been my favourites in recent years. We did a lot of Kayaking as a family before I sold my kayaks. 

Kayaking, hiking and walks in the forest - even walking the dog in the winter - requires practical and actually wearable and long-lasting knitwear. I have been knitting for my larger family and friends for years. As new people get excited about knitting. I always encourage and advice as much as I can. This is my view point when I design new knitwear and as I genuinely believe that anybody can learn to knit the basics. 

But this hobby can be lonely too. That is why I started this blog and my instagram account - to communicate with other knitters, get inspired and hopefully inspire you. To find a community of knitters across the borders and learn about different cultures through knitting and crafts. Find collaborations to participate in and being brave and launching KALs myself and taking part in challenges and test knits. And, somehow it doesn't feel as such a lonely hobby anymore.

I don't teach how to cast on or cast off - anybody can learn that with watching a tutorial from youtube or taking a class. My idea is to create knitting patterns from then on. Wearable, timeless and long-lasting Nordic design inspired by our traditions and nature.

For me, making the patterns is my artistic outlet. Writing the patterns is me learning new things all the time. Writing in Finnish and in English, gives my language skills a practice. But seeing my designs made by you in different colour combinations and sizes, and seeing them been worn -That is just the best feeling ever! When even just one person has learned something new - I guess it is the teacher in me - I am so happy! I myself find knitting relaxing and inspiring at the same time. It is the best mindfulness there is - for me.

My knitting patterns are made for actual use and are wearable. When you know the basics and have made your first pair of single colour socks or mittens, you can turn to me and my patterns. They are not overly complicated and offer one or two new things to basic socks or other knitwear. All my pattern have clear charts and pictures of the finished work. You can also find process pictures of many of my pattern here from the blog. Here you can also find other yarn suggestions for your pattern. 

I genuinely believe that you don't need overly complicated patterns to make a beautiful and gorgeous looking knitwear. You can play with the colour to make your your knitwear pop. And most importantly, it does not take ages to get them finished. But everybody needs a challenge to keep the interest. 

Welcome to try my free knitting patterns and browse through my whole nature inspired Nordic style knitting collection. I keep designing more.

If anything puzzles you about my patterns, please, don't hesitate to contact me by email (thelittlefinnishknittingblog@gmail.com) or via ig. I will answer you and I will take all the feedback you have with thanks.

You can find everything from my Ravelry RiittaMarjo Designs

These pictures were taken by me in Finland, they are not to be copied. I wrote this text and no third parties were involved (except the relaxed assistant in the picture above).