A RETURN TO SIMPLICITY
nit one, purl one is a tune we may all be familiar with, but while for a long time it’s been associated simply with Gran’s toasty, yet sometimes itchy, jumpers and scarves, the wonder of wool is making a vibrant and stylish comeback. In Aotearoa, we are surrounded by the raw material, and can spot it shuffling about in large fields throughout the country. Combine that with the classic Kiwi entrepreneurial spirit, and you’ll find three homegrown female-owned businesses making a cosy splash in the world of knitwear. Through exploring and developing different yarns, wool, styles, and colourways, the Knitter, Dorothy, and Frisson Knits are all assisting in the evolution of this traditional craft, believed to have originated in the fifth century. Crossing cultures, generations, and continents, the simple act of knitting is one that can be shared, understood, and worn by all. “Humans are innately makers, and creators, and doers,” says Nicole Leybourne of the Knitter. “Knitting is an extension of these human tendencies.
