Meet the Designer: Nidhi Kansal of knidhiknits
All images shared with us by Nidhi Kansel
Have you ever knit one of Nidhi Kansal's patterns? We've been fans of her work for a few years, especially her eye-catching and elegant shawl designs, so we were thrilled when she agreed to create a new pattern with our Messa di Voce yarn!
Ishq (pronounced ishk) is a crescent-shaped shawl, featuring a lace pattern combined with twisted rib, and knit with 2 skeins of Messa di Voce, a fingering-weight superwash merino wool (shown here in Canneberge).
Use ISHQ-LOVE and get 15% off any purchase of 2 or more skeins of Messa di Voce, until June 24, 2024.
Use coupon code ishq on Ravelry and Payhip and get 25% off the pattern, until June 20, 2024.
We love working with designers, and one of our favourite parts of collaborating is getting to know talented and creative people from around the world, so we asked Nidhi to answer a few questions about herself and her designs process. We hope you enjoy getting to know her a little too, and don't forget to enter our giveaway! (See all the details at the bottom of this post.)
How long have you been knitting, and when did you start designing?
I have been knitting for over 15 years now and I love making garments and wraps.
There were a lot of makers on Ravelry whose work really inspired me. They would modify patterns to make it fit their body type and I found that to be such a game changer because I was really skinny then and could never find clothes in my size. That led me to play around with size charts and numbers to make things that fit me and in hindsight, it probably was a natural progression to designing.
I published my first design on Ravelry exactly 10 years ago. I started out with a relatively safe - no shaping required - pattern, a cowl. I followed that up with a few scarves before publishing my first garment design.
Where does your inspiration come from? What was the inspiration behind this design?
I like straight lines and textures. So most of my patterns will have horizontal, vertical or diagonal line elements in some form. My ideas usually start to take shape after I have the yarn in hand. I work better when I can see and feel what I’m working with. I always hand wind my yarn and it’s the first step of my design process - where I begin to get a sense of what the yarn wants to become.
For this design, it was not only the feel of the yarn but the colour that played a role as well. It kept bringing the word ‘Ishq’ (meaning: love) to mind and I felt it was only right to combine two of my favourite design elements - lace and twisted rib and work towards a crescent shaped wrap.
How does the weather where you live influence what you design and knit?
Most of my work is knit with fingering weight yarn. This is because wool is my favourite fiber to work with and the tropical climate that I live in requires me to keep my wool usage to a minimum. Anything made in a heavier weight yarn may never see light of day.
Mumbai gets a very mild winter, if at all and I just need a light sweater to throw on maybe for early mornings or late evenings. So while I could get away with making cropped sleeveless vests here, I have to make sure I include the ‘warmth’ factor - maybe in terms of positive ease for layering, long sleeves, etc to ensure that makers from much colder places could knit up my designs without having to worry about functionality.
Do you do any other handcrafts, such as crochet, spinning, sewing, weaving, pottery, beadwork, etc.? Any other artistic endeavours?
I used to crochet often in the early years, but very rarely now.
Photography is something I really enjoy. While it was mostly indoor photography either for my work or with family members or inanimate objects for flatlays, I have now begun exploring street photography. I like people watching, and this genre makes me step out of my comfort zone a bit, photograph spontaneous everyday scenes while also including the human element.
A regular work day for the ladies at the fish market, Mumbai.
Sunrise and camel rides, Jaisalmer
Our grandmom shelling peas while our cocker spaniel Elmo watches on, waiting for her to drop a few peas his way.
Where do you interact with fellow knitters? With fellow designers? Who inspires you, either in the world of fibre arts, or beyond?
My initial interactions with makers were only through Ravelry, whether from my own country or abroad Now we have local groups too. The lockdown years brought us closer together, we began to have video calls every week and it really proved to be a blessing to so many of us during those hard times. Now we also try to meet up in person whenever possible and of course, there’s always Instagram.
Where can we find you and see more of your design work?
Giveaway!
We're celebrating the Ishq pattern release with a giveaway! To enter comment below and tell us which colour of Messa di Voce you would choose to knit your Ishq shawl. (You can see all 25 colours available here).
- One grand prize winner will receive a PDF copy of the Ishq pattern + 2 skeins of Messa di Voce in the colour of your choice
- One runner-up winner will receive a PDF copy of the Ishq pattern
- Giveaway closes at midnight EST on Sunday, June 16, 2024
- We'll randomly pick the 2 winning names from the comments on this post and will contact the winners by email
- Please note that yarn prizes are shipped without tracking to addresses outside of Canada.
52 Responses
Gail
What a gorgeous shawl pattern ….. Deep Purple or Georgian Bay would be perfect in my opinion.
Nicole
I think Canneberge would be gorgeous.
Cindy
What a lovely shawl! I would make it in Cosmopolitan.
Vickie
The shawl is absolutely stunning. The red color is amazing.
Denise Migneault
Quelle bonne idée de solliciter une designer d’un pays si différent du nôtre!
Merci pour cet entretien!
Rosemary Schmidt
Beautiful design! I would knit it in Emerald City.
Lori
What a beautiful design! Chimney smoke is my color choice!😊
Selva
Such a beautiful design! Sweet Paprika is familiar to me. I love all of their colorways, but I would love to knit with Cosmopolitan!
Srividya Ganapathy
Oh I would love to knit this in the same colour used by Nidhi. I love all her patterns!
Sumita Rawat
Nidhi has been my favorite designer ever since I got to know about her …and thatbwas pre covid. I love the simplicity of her designs and the Wow! factor in the final outcome. Ishq is a gorgeous shawl … another masterpiece by Nidhi. I would love to Knit it in either Moon Shadow or Purple Rain.
Deb
The design looks wonderful and I’d love to knit it in Purple Rain
Veronica
Stunning pattern! Super happy to now follow Nidhi on instagram and check out her other patterns on ravelry. I would knit Ishq in Georgian Bay!!!
Navneet
I enjoyed test knitting this amazing design and would love to knit another one in Emerald city for my daughter as I do not want to part with my Ishq.
Élie
So Beautiful! I’d love to put this pattern on my needles in the moon shadow color.
Mehernaaz
I’d love the make the Ishq in the Cosmopolitan colour. Having had the honour of actually draping Nidhi’s shawl, I was amazed at how stunningly fabulous the yarn was on my skin. The shawl pattern, as usual, is beautiful.
Jovette
Totally spoilt for choices with these gorgeous colours and Ishq is just lovely. Well done Nidhi. For me Ishq would look even more lovelier in the Cosmopolitan shade.
Catherine
Lovely to read about Nidhi! I am interested in her designs.
The Ishq shawl is lovely. I would knit it in Deep Purple.
Lior
Thank you for the interview, that was very interesting! It was a hard choice, but I’d pick purple rain :)
Ritha
Gorgeous pattern. This would look beautiful in Kelp or Cafe au Lait.
Sushma S
I have a couple of patterns..they are a delight to create. The final outcome is worth the wait. The present pattern is breathtakingly beautiful.
Marina
For this one I’d go with the designers choice, Canneberge. A love-shawl ought to be red! 😀
I’ve knitted one of Knidhis pattern before, love her use of twisted stitches. ♥️
Sulekha Bafna
Beautiful work as always!
It’s only because of Nidhi that I’ve been able to start knitting again. This happened before Covid on our first ever meet.
I’ve tested 2 shawls for her and I’m totally in awe of her work
Would definitely want to make this one as I’ve personally seen it and loved it.
Would love to make it in Dark Roast!!!
Tara
All Knidhiknits’ patterns are lovely, can’t wait to try this one. I think it would look lovely in the Kelp, or even Cosmopolitan colourways
Manasa
Fiji!! Love the mild tonal look of the colourway, and it wud lovely to see it translated into Ishq! Gorgeous pattern, matched with a gorgeous yarn❤️
Susan
Ishq would look gorgeous in so many colours, it’s hard to choose. Finally I picked Azul
Nidhi
Blood orange for this beautiful shawl
Keiko
I instantly thought of my best friend when I saw the photos for this shawl. She would look great in the crushed chili colourway.
Lucie
My favorite color Cosmopolitan. Lovely patterns by this designer.
Patricia
Canneberge look so lovely for this shawl.
Alejandra Diana Vera
Beautiful pattern! I want to knit it right now. It will stunning in Georgian bay, the colour is exactly like the water there. A second option could be cosmopolitan or purple rain. But Georgian bay is the best.
Petra
…and that makes no sense. I was looking at the palest green, cannot seem to find its name. But it looks like sun shining on am ivy wall…
Brigitt Heger
I think Kelp is a beautiful color, and the lace would pop if knit in this shade. <3
Petra
I think i woukd use azul- lace pattetn in shawl makes me think of trailing leaves !
Brittany
Gorgeous shawl! I’ve never tried a place pattern before but now I think I might have to try! 😍 I think I would choose Harvest Moon. Then the shawl would contrast beautifully against my normally dark/purple -ish outfits.
Melanie
I could see this beautiful shawl in a deep green like kelp 💚
Kathleen Cook
Thanks you for introducing me to a new designer! Would love to make this in Dark Roast or Georgian Bay.
Lorna Champagne
Very hard to choose just 1 colour, but, I would go with Chimney Smoke…although, it would be beautiful in Dark Roast or Steel Rail blues…..
Norma
Fuji or Steel ray blues.
There are too many colours to choose from. Ishq would look gorgeous in any of these 25 colours.
Margaret Black
I love the canneberge colour in the newsletter. This is such a gorgeous design.
Dominique
There are a lot of beautiful colours I could pick, but purple rain is my favourite for this beautiful shawl!
Julie
The shawl is stunning and I might find it hard to make just one. In any case, the one for me would be in the lilac-ish Jacaranda. It’s a soft but uplifting colour:)
Eleanor
All these colours are gorgeous. I’ve already made a shawl and gloves and mitts from Georgian Bay which I bought a number of years ago at the Toronto Knitters Frolic. The Deep Purple and Purple Rain colourways both call out to me. I love purple, but I rarely knit with it. These are both so beautiful, I’d be hard pressed to say which I prefer.
Beverly
What a magnificent design and yarn! My favourite colour is Cosmopolitan.
Roxann
Hot Cocoa would be my first choice- so many lovelies to choose from!
Frances
Oh the Canneberge is stunning. That would have to be my pick!!
I am off to check out her other designs, thanks!!
Sarina
That’s a tough choice, there are so many beautiful colours! I think I would have to go with Purple Rain or Deep Purple 💜
Kelly
Messa di Voce would be beautiful to knit the Ishq shawl in the grasshopper color.
Bev
Ishq is beautifully constructed! I would choose Steel Rail Blues 💙
Line
I love the drape of the Ishq pattern, I believe shawls should be light on the shoulders so not to add bulk and weight to our outfit, this is a perfect example of achieving that objective. I would love to knit one in the cardamon shade to see what it would look like.
Leah
I would knit this in Dark Roast, I think it would be beautiful to see the light coming through it. 💕
Maki
Yellow is my favourite colour, so I would want to knit this gorgeous shawl in Mango!
Irene
The ishq is just a beautiful pattern and I think the Messa di Voce color « Kelp » would be a great shade for it! If I could choose 😊
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+About Sweet Paprika
Sweet Paprika Designs offers high-quality materials for knitters and crocheters, with a focus on locally-sourced and sustainable products. Co-owners (and sisters) Debbie and Elizabeth create their own hand-dyed yarns, knitting kits and patterns in their Montreal dye studio and organize knitting and dyeing events in the community.
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