Interview: Knitting Konrad

Konrad Siebenhütter is a male who knits. Although men used to knit many, many years ago, today it s something of a curiosity. Konrad makes pretty sweaters and was even invited to German TV to talk about knitting. How did he learn the craft and what does he like about it? Read our interview.

Obviously you have been asked many times before but still - what was your journey to knitting? Who and what made you want to knit?

No one taught me to knit. As a little boy I always sat near my beloved grandmother, who was always knitting socks during the wintertime. I sat beside her, looking at her hands and the work she was doing. She never explained what she was doing and I did not ask her, because she was telling me fairytales. That’s what I remember. Fairytales and my grandma knitting socks in the kitchen during wintertime.

What were your first projects, and when did you make them?

I started to knit at the age of about 12 years and I do remember some of my earliest projects. I loved to knit socks, like my grandmother did. And I remember a striped hat and a pom pom which looked like a jelly bag cap of an dwarf. But I also started early to knit cardigans and sweaters for myself. Later I discovered lace and I loved it and still do.

How did you develop your unique style - did you use a lot of paterns, or were you one of those knitters who mostly makes their own design from the start?

 
Well I’m really surprised of this question, because I do not think I have an unique style. I knit a lot of my garments using patterns, but in the beginning my garments where designed by myself. Therefore I guess it is easy for me to follow a pattern or to change it, because I „know" how a garment is build. I put this „know“ in quotation marks, because this knowing has nothing to do with education - I have not studied knitwear design or design at all“. It was and is simply easy for me to realize how to do it. I think it is experience not knowing, which I earned in the last 35 years knitting.

What type of yarn is your favourite?

Hahaha, the yarn I actually have on my needles! But seriously, this question is not easy to answer. First I prefer animal fibers, especially wool. Second I prefer lighter weighted yarn, especially lace and cobweb. Third I prefer tweed or plain yarns and not of heavy variegated or self striping yarns. 

Do you think male designers are different than female designers?

Yes, I do. Not as designers or course, but I think, a man has a different approach to fashion design than a woman, but maybe it is a pure prejudice.

Which designers-fibre artists do you follow?

There are a lot and I think I will not manage to name them all, but here are a few:

Marie Wallin, because of her incredible talent in colour.

Martin Storey, because of his stunning cables.

Lisa Richardson, because of her bewildering play with the unexpected. In point of fact you may say you should expect the unexpected, when looking on Lisa’s designs.

Sarah Hatton, because of her incredible knowledge of techniques and her simplicity.

Kate Davis, because of her lovely down to earth designs.

And Jennie Atkinson, Susan Crawford, Jane Crowfoot, Kaffe Fassett, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Heike Gittins, Kim Hargreaves, Amy Herzog, Sasha Kagan, Carlo Volpi, Sharon Miller, Zandra Rhodes, Alice Starmore, Margaret Stove, Vibe Ulrik, Carlo Volpi, Barbara Walker, Viviane Westwood…………..

What is so beautiful about knitting? How does it impact your wellbeing?

If you want to produce a garment for yourself or as a gift in knitting you have the chance to control everything from the start to the beginning. You can chose the pattern, the yarn, the colours. It is easy to adjust the design to your taste, you have almost endless possibilities. That’s the most beautiful about knitting. In my daily life as a social worker I do not have these possibilities. T

he result or success of my work as a social worker depends on the person who needs help. I can’t control the result. So knitting is a completely different thing in contrast to my work. But on the other hand, knitting can also be a metaphor to life itself. The people, who I work with, have often lost their control over their own lives. They have different difficulties, socially, health wise or financially. To help them it is sometimes like knitting a garment. The fabric of life is like the fabric of an garment you knit. You need to know your skills, your material, your tools and sometimes you have to unravel a piece to get a good result. So knitting is also just the same as my daily life work.

How did you become a designer and a yarn company collaborator?

First of all I do not see myself as a designer. I’m a knitter, who is producing knitwear for myself and sometimes for my family and friends.

I was lucky to become a Rowan Ambassador, because I answered their announcement in their newsletter and I was and I am still honored to belong to the Rowan family. I was at the right place in the right time, that’s all.

Do you travel to fairs and events, are they important at this day and age?

Yes I do, but not very often. This is not because I think it is not important to attend them, but it is sometimes to overwhelming and sometimes it is just a question of time and money.

I have been following your work for some time and the knits are very even, neat, pretty. What are youtr tricks to make the stitches even?

Three words: practice, practice, practice. You see, I’m knitting for about 35 years and in the last 10 years I knit every day. Usually I knit about 4 hours a day and this year there are 3 days without knitting. And another trick: blocking. Blocking is relaxing your knitting and helps to make the stitches more even. So two advices: Practice and Blocking.

You have a blog also, did you start it to support your knitting efforts, or do you just feel the need to share knitting pics and texts?

I’m running my blog to share my passion for knitting and yarn. And I hope some people like what I do and are inspired to knit too.

Do you have any plans and dreams regarding knitting?

I hope knitting and the people who are knitting and designing knitwear will inspiring me for a long time to come and I hope I inspire some people too.