Have you heard? Chunky yarn seems to be the new kid on the block, and KOEL Kid Jessica Lee is ready to join the bandwagon! What makes Jessica’s work stand out from the rest are her cotton jersey chunky yarn, which are manufactured from fashion textile off-cuts. Knitted with love (and by that we also mean hand-knitted, 2 to 8 hours worth of manual love), Jessica is ready to reap the fruits of her labour and take the world by storm. And you bet we’ll be behind her all the way! Read on to find out more about Jessica’s creative process, inspirations and more!

1. Tell us more about your background and what led you to choosing knitting as a craft?
I didn’t learn knitting at an early age as most people did, but once I picked up a pair of knitting needles, I loved it and didn’t want to put them down again! I studied Textiles at University where I came across knitting, and chose to specialise in Knit for my final year. I was drawn to hand knitting as I loved the control you have over creating a piece of work by hand.

2. What makes you a KOEL Kid?
My work is unique due to the materials I use. I use fashion textile off-cuts, which are then manufactured into a cotton jersey chunky yarn. All my pieces are real labour of love as each piece is carefully hand knitted, which is a lengthy process taking anywhere between 2 to 8 hours per knitted piece. But it is something I love!

3. Share with us the creative process behind each of your projects.
I always start with thinking about what function I want the design to have and the room I envision it in. Considering the owner’s home always helps as well. I keep a bank of samples with different stitches that I have developed and built up over the years, and this is something I always refer back to when creating a new design.

4. Pick one of your favourite designs and answer these quick questions.

The inspiration behind this design is… Keeping it simple and practical, using a basic stitch and shape design.

The dream store in which I would like to stock this design is… West Elm would definitely be a dream!

Which celebrity house can you picture your design at… Shay Mitchell’s home, she has great taste – lots of velvet and a minimalist home style!

If this design made it big, I would… Definitely buy a house!

If this design could talk, it would say… Cosy, contemporary and comfortable!

5. Great things take time, so how much has changed since you first started knitting and where do you see it in the next five years?
Since I first started knitting, I have definitely gotten a lot better at it compared to 5 years ago! I didn’t expect I would be reach a point where I could rely on my work to provide me a source of income, so that is a major achievement for me. I would love to think in 5 years, I would have expanded my range of designs and hopefully be selling in physical shops.

Photo Credits: Jessica Lee