In Conversation with Kate at Moreca Knit

For our first editorial piece of 2025, I had the privilege of stepping into Kate’s world—a space where she takes time to contemplate and craft her own signature knitting patterns. This interview was conducted online, as the holiday rush delayed its completion, and we chose to postpone the publish date until today.

A little background story: I first came across Kate’s work a couple of years ago and was immediately struck by her design sensibility. Her creations embody a sense of effortless modernity—cool, elegant, and reserved—which deeply resonates with me.

As the Creative Director of our company, I am always searching for beauty and exploring artistic ways to present hand-knitted garments. I reflect not only on how we construct these pieces but also on how the materials (yarn) speak to us and seamlessly integrate into our lives. Kate’s work beautifully encapsulates this ethos, making her approach both timeless and inspiring.

1. WHEN DID YOU START KNITTING, AND WHEN DID YOU BEGIN DESIGNING KNITTING PATTERNS?

I tried knitting for the first time about ten years ago. One day, quite spontaneously, I wanted to knit myself a hat and scarf for the upcoming winter season. To my surprise, it turned out well. After that, I immediately wanted to knit a sweater. Since I had always been into sewing and had experience working with patterns, I was interested in creating my own unique version of a sweater. But it didn’t work out the first time; to my surprise, I found that knitted fabric behaves quite differently (haha!).

I was very persistent, and by the fifth attempt, the sweater finally turned out the way I envisioned! My husband suggested sharing my work on Instagram, and gradually, interest in my knitting grew. My modest attempts quickly evolved into knitting hats and sweaters on commission for my followers. But I quickly get bored knitting the same garment over and over. With each new stitch, I wanted to experiment more and more. Knitting began to captivate me increasingly. I felt the desire to develop, try new techniques, new yarns, experiment with shapes. So quite quickly, I realized that I wanted to try my hand at creating knitting patterns.

2. IS DESIGNING KNITTING PATTERNS YOUR FULL-TIME JOB?

Yes, creating patterns is my main job. It’s a combination of creativity, mathematics, and engineering, and I genuinely love the process. It allows me to express my ideas and share them with other knitters around the world. Designing patterns is a tool through which I can express myself; it also allows me to share emotions and feelings that can’t be conveyed in any other way. It has now become an inseparable part of me, and I don’t think I would trade it for anything.

3. WHAT STEPS DO YOU GO THROUGH TO BRING A DESIGN IDEA TO LIFE? DO YOU OFTEN START WITH SKETCHES, OR IS YOUR PROCESS MORE HANDS-ON AND INTUITIVE?

For me, the process is always different. Sometimes I start with sketches on paper, calculate everything down to the millimeter, and translate that into stitches and rows. Other times, the process begins intuitively: I pick up the needles and just try to knit a swatch, or I modify an existing pattern to give the design a new facet and show it from a different angle. Each time, it’s very situational and depends on inspiration and bursts of imagination. I don’t have a developed scheme or polished rituals that I follow when working on a new design idea; most often, I don’t even know what type of garment will be in the next pattern. In this regard, I’m more of a typical creative and non-systematic person.

4. EVERY DESIGN HAS A STORY, THOUGH MANY GO UNTOLD. COULD YOU SHARE THE MOST INTERESTING INSIGHT OR DISCOVERY YOU’VE HAD THROUGH YOUR KNITTING AND DESIGN PROCESS?

Of course! This story is about how strong the influence of our subconscious can be. I was working on creating a new textured sweater design. For a while, I couldn’t achieve a beautiful pattern. I tried and unraveled my knitting over and over again. Eventually, after several weeks of going in circles, I found a good solution. When the sweater was knitted and had gone through washing and blocking, I laid it on the sofa to take some photos. At that moment, I realized that the sweater’s pattern had come to me thanks to the pattern on a decorative pillow that was lying on the sofa. Only after completing the sweater and writing the pattern instructions did I understand the “influence” of the decorative pillow that was always nearby. This is an example of how inspiration comes from the most unexpected places.

5. WHAT’S MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU WHEN DESIGNING A PATTERN—CHOOSING THE YARN AND ITS TEXTURE OR DEVELOPING THE PATTERN ITSELF?

I think that almost any design can be ruined by using inappropriate yarn. And vice versa. Therefore, both aspects are important to me. There are designs that are suitable only for a specific yarn from a particular manufacturer; their combination cannot be separated. This is always worse for the pattern buyer. I’m always faced with the choice of whether to bring this design to life or not. More often, my creative side outweighs the rational one, and I say “yes.”
But if I can as a designer, I try to choose a versatile yarn. This is especially important for basic models. Ultimately, everything depends on the design concept.

6. YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL SENSE OF STYLE AND AESTHETICS. COULD YOU SHARE HOW YOU DEVELOPED THIS SENSIBILITY?

Thank you!
To be honest, I can’t say that I did anything intentionally. I just look around: at architecture, people, interior items, fashion, decorative pillows—haha! It’s important for me to see what evokes emotion in me. I also try to analyze trends, I fantasize a lot about how I want to see my ideal knitted garment. I think about what needs and usage scenarios it should fulfill. Apparently, all this has shaped my current sense of style.

7. WHAT WAS THE FIRST ITEM YOU KNITTED, AND DO YOU STILL HAVE IT?

My first work was a hat. Unfortunately, it hasn’t survived, but I still remember how much pleasure I got from knitting it.

8. WHICH WOOLFOLK YARN IS YOUR FAVORITE, AND WHY?

Flette and Flette Bulky—they are something incredible! This yarn has a unique spiral structure, softness, and a palette that delights me. It’s playful and a bit unruly, which is why I especially love it.

10. WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON?

Right now, I’m working on garment designs for the first half of 2025. I have plans for a cardigan with a stand-up collar, a vest, and I’m contemplating a sweater with cables. But we’ll see; it’s not at all certain that any of this will reach the finish line 🙂

11. BESIDES KNITTING, HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR SPARE TIME?

I love spending time with loved ones, walking, listening to audiobooks, and traveling. I also enjoy learning something new, like making desserts, designing furniture, or sewing. Unfortunately, like many, I can’t devote enough time to all of this. But I’m inspired by many activities that allow me to bring something to life with my own hands.

Thank you for taking the time to read. We hope you’ve enjoyed this interview with Kate and found inspiration in her unique approach to knitting and design. Visit Kate’s website morecaknit.com and follow @morecaknit on Instagram

Interview conducted by Vanessa, Woolfolk’s Creative Director / All images provided by Kate at Moreca Knit.