Interview with Emilie Luis - the designer behind Atelier Emilie
To start, can you introduce yourself and tell us how you began knitting and creating your own designs?
I started knitting during a vacation at my grandmother Colette’s house. I must have been around 9 years old. She put knitting needles in my hands. I learned how to knit basic stitches. I had to make a small navy blue scarf with holes and it was very crooked.
Once I got back home, I didn’t continue because no one could help me. So I stopped, but I’ve always loved needlework. I did a lot of cross-stitch, embroidery, crochet, and sewing. I eventually picked up knitting needles again when my second son was born.
Since my first lesson with my grandmother, I discovered that knitting had evolved a lot with circular needles, independent designers, Ravelry, and more, and I really got into it. I started by following other people's patterns, and very quickly, I understood the mechanics of constructing seamless circular patterns.
I then started knitting my own patterns but without the idea that one day it would become my profession. I showed them on Instagram, and others liked the idea of knitting them too. So, I began grading them in different sizes and offering them. It all happened gradually over time, without pressure. I think that’s why I’ve always enjoyed doing it.
Where do you find inspiration for your designs? Can you tell us more about your creative process?
I mainly find my inspiration in ready-to-wear fashion. It can come from a brand's collection, TV series, or someone on the street. I notice a construction, a pattern play, and I take screenshots or make notes in a notebook.
When I decide to release a new design, I start by sketching it. I decide on its construction, the type of armholes, the different stitch patterns, etc. Then I choose which yarn and color will be used for the design.
In the end, whether it’s the design, the yarn, or the color, I always go for what I would like to wear myself. Design has become my job, but I still take pleasure in imagining my wardrobe.
What do you enjoy most about being a knitting designer? What is your biggest motivation?
What I enjoy about this work is really imagining pieces that are easy to knit and wear. Being able to create the knitted pieces for my own wardrobe. But what motivates me the most is the feedback from knitters and seeing that other people want to knit and wear them.
I really enjoy the interactions I have with knitters on Instagram and in person at knitting related events. It totally boosts me. And seeing the different posts on Instagram where I discover my designs on others is truly amazing and encouraging.
How do you choose the yarn you use for your project? Do you have any specific criteria, and how does our brand fit into that?
The choice of yarn for a design is really important because it’s the yarn that will bring my idea to life. The fiber will affect the finished result. So, I choose based on the stitch or fabric (more or less fluid, for example) that I want.
I like both superwash and non-superwash yarns. What matters to me is knitting with natural materials and, if possible, choosing the most ethical options (no animal cruelty).
MAJO GARN’s yarns fit my criteria perfectly. On top of that, there’s a very, very beautiful range of intense colors, which I love. Natural fibers and intense colors—this is what I like.
When I wear my MARINE cardigan in Poppy color, made with Pearl Mohair and Fine Merino, I get a lot of compliments, even from people who don’t knit.
We’ve noticed that your patterns are available in different languages. How do you explain the fact that your patterns appeal to so many different communities around the world?
I’m not really sure how to explain it, but in any case, it makes me happy to know that my designs are being knitted in other parts of the world. I think my style is quite simple and timeless, as they say, and that makes it easier to resonate with people’s tastes, no matter the language or culture.
And then there’s Ravelry and Instagram—they’re great ways to share my work with the whole world. That probably helps too.
