saarelma knittings

The saarelma embroidery designs inspired by nature are like abstract drawings or paintings that can be put on, that I implement into various unique custom-made knits. I customize each pattern separately to fit each knit, whether it's a shirt, jacket, dress, pants, hat, socks, or gloves. The color scheme of the patterns shown in the sample knits, the composition and the model of the actual knit are planned together with the customer. The material used in the sweater is also chosen together to suit the purpose of use. My starting point is to use ecologically and ethically produced natural materials, such as wool, silk, linen, cotton and their mixtures.

In the saarelma embroidery patterns, I have given up symmetry and ornament-like patterning. Instead of traditional curved patterns and ornaments based on repetition, the patterns spread over the surface of the knit in a free form, either dominating the entire knit or in a selected area.

I photograph natural phenomena on my home island throughout the year. An air bubble trapped in ice, the play of light and shadow on a log, or a detail from the bark of a tree is transformed into a knitting pattern idea. The end result is an outfit with an abstract pattern that is unique and individual.

The prices of knitwear are determined by model, size, material, pattern and knitting technique.

Contact me, and we design and knit yours for you!

ICE LENS

Air bubbles frozen in ice, resembling a fisheye lens, aim in vain for the surface.
A cardigan knitted from the bottom up with fingering-strength merino wool yarn. The cardigan can be fastened with a buckle on either side if desired and it was designed with trumpet sleeves with raglan technique and a wavy hem length.

Example jacket 980€

ASPEN

The silky gray glow on the side of the tree and the different colored lichens growing on its surface capture and lift my eyes every day.

Sweater is knitted from top to bottom with Fingering-strength wool blend yarn with raglan sleeves.

920€

CANE

The lake reed falls into the shore water in autumn and when the frosts come, the ice traps it inside. The low autumn-winter light reflects in the ice and makes the reeds sparkle.

Poncho is knitted Fingering-strenght wool blend yarn with embroidery technique.

610€

Summer dress, a sleeveless dress knitted with lace-strength silk thread using the intarsia technique.

580€

BARK

In the yard, on the edge of the swamp, stands an old pine which is more than 200 years old. My arms can't reach around it when I hug it. Its thick bark reaches high up to twenty meters, close to the bushy top.

Long socks An ornamented design for the sock legs. Fingering-strong wool blend yarn with ladder technique.

90€

CRACK

On a bitterly cold night, the ice pops when the ice cap cracks and the warm water underneath bursts to the surface. In the cracks that appear to the ice, hard, inflexible old and tough, clear, new ice meet.

The wool jacket is knitted with fingering-thick wool blend yarn as a closed knit using the ladder technique and cut open and finished as a jacket.

950€

BUBBLE

The air bubbles that reached the surface of the water were trapped inside the quickly formed ice and their movement stopped. Flattened and compressed lines of bubbles shaped by pressure and movement like strings of pearls.

The long dress is knitted with fingering-strength wool blend yarn from the bottom up.

1250€

Thin but warm cardigan with willow wood buttons knitted with intarsia technique with light fingerin-strong merino wool yarn.

Example sweater €900

SORBET

Before freezing into a solid state, the water turns into a "sorbet", which floats in pale swirls in the recesses of the reeds. Thin hoodie for cool summer evenings with intarsia technique from light fingering-strong merino wool yarn.

Example sweater 780€

When I knit a sweater, jacket or dress for myself, I have several visual and technical solutions in mind, which I select before I even create stitches.

I don't like ribs. I prefer raglan sleeves to fitted ones. I like relatively close-fitting models. The neckline must be wide enough and I prefer it to be round, not for example V-shaped.

All these decisions I make before I even think about the patterns or the color scheme. I sketched out simple options for different solutions for necklines, bodices and sleeves. With their help, it is easy to choose the details for your own sweater.