Rebekah Berkompas is one of the most versatile designers involved in Knit Picks’ Independent Designer Partnership program, with a wide-ranging collection of knits, from practical kitchen patterns to booties of all sizes and lovely shawls.
Rebekah, modeling her own Catamaran,
from Knit Picks’ Aura: 2016 Spring Collection
Whether it be booties, slippers, accessories, or home goods, Rebekah loves revamping classic knits with modern and creative styling. With a passion for minimal finishing, she also aims to make each stitch count with integrated edgings and seamless construction. You can find Rebekah with her young family in the Pacific Northwest, sketching and swatching during nap time. Check out her growing pattern collection at www.BekahKnits.com.
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English or Continental? – English
Cardigan or Pullover? – Cardigan
Cables or Lace? – Cables
DPNs or Magic Loop? – Magic Loop
Yarn: Solid or Variegated? – Solid
Socks: Toe Up or Top Down? – Toe Up
Needles: Wood or Metal? – Metal
Wool, Cotton, Acrylic, Alpaca, Cashmere, or Silk? – That’s so hard! Maybe wool?
What was your first design, and how do you feel about it now?
My first published design was the Baby Moc-a-Soc. Booties that combine both style and functionality! I’m really quite proud of this design still, and knit these for baby gifts often! If anything, I think I’d just tweak the wording to fit my current pattern writing style. While I’ve had suggestions to write the pattern completely in the round using more advanced techniques, I think the gem of this pattern is in its simplicity. Knitters of almost any level can tackle it and, if advanced enough, improve upon it with their own tweaks (like a Judy’s Magic Cast On).
Aire Shawl, Rebekah’s newest pattern,
in Stroll Gradient Sea You Later and Stroll Sock
What is your favorite design with Knit Picks?
I’m really excited about my new design, the Aire Shawl. I had just finished working up this design when Knit Picks released their beautiful Stroll Gradient, and as soon as I saw some of the colorways I knew it had to be knit up with this yarn right away! This shawl combines simple lace, garter stitch stripes, and sequential color changes that create a beautiful, textured fabric. When the shawl is worked with two solid colorways, it’s lovely, but when one of the yarns is a gradient, the patterning just comes alive and this shawl positively GLOWS!
What is your favorite current Knit Picks yarn?
Hmm, hard question! I just finished up two designs with the new Stroll Gradient, and loved working with that, so that’s high on the list. But, I also really love Knit Pick’s Comfy Worsted. With three kids, this is my go-to kid knits yarn! I’ve knit a number of baby items (like my design, the Baby Belle Cardigan) with this yarn and I love it’s softness and durability!
The Home and Love Throw Pillows, in Biggo, and The Hot Pad, in Wool of the Andes Superwash
show off one of Rebekah’s specialties, cabled lettering
When/how/why did you first learn to knit/crochet?
My mom knit briefly in college and I loved everything crafty as a child, so when I came across her needles at 10, I wasted no time in getting her to teach me the basics. After tackling those, I poured over knitting books at the Library, and by trial and error, taught myself more intermediate techniques. Once I discovered how-to videos on YouTube, I felt like I hit the jackpot!
When/how/why did you first start designing?
At 17 I just loved to knit and thought it’d be fun to make money knitting items to sell on Etsy. I wanted to sell an *original* knit bootie, so decided I’d try my hand at designing. After a few tries, I had the Baby Moc-a-Soc. Shortly after, I had tweaked it to create the Baby Merry-Jane. Eventually I burnt out of knitting pair after pair and after getting lots of requests for the pattern, figured I’d try selling that. The response blew me away, and the rest is history!
Baby Moc-a-Soc, Rebekah’s first pattern, and Baby Merry-Jane,
both in Shine Sport
What does your stash look like?
My stash currently lives in two (I recently cleaned out ;)) big bins, in Ziploc bags, in a semi-organized, semi-disorderly state! Someday I hope to have it somewhere prettier and more accessible, but in the meantime, I rummage through the bins anytime I start a new project or design. Glamorous, I tell ya! 😉
What is your favorite thing to knit?
I’m all over! I don’t tend to settle on one thing long. Currently it’s knitting booties (Baby Merry-Janes), since I just gained two nieces, and shawl designs!
Cloud Nine Ballet Slippers and 3-in-1 Button Boots,
both in Wool of the Andes Superwash Bulky
What is your favorite thing to design?
I love designing a large variety of items, but over the years I’ve definitely kept going back to slippers. They’re that classic knitted item that just needed a major style revamp. Combine that with my obsession for seamless construction, and they’re the perfect template for a fun and challenging design project! Recently I released the 3-in-1 Button Boots and Cloud Nine Ballet Slippers that I had a blast working up. Both a stylin’ slipper, with a contoured fit, the surprise of a squishy sole, and best of all, seamless!
