Meet knitting designer Lisa Richardson

With an incredible design portfolio stretching back more than 20 years, Lisa Richardson is known for her wearable, contemporary knit and crochet pieces. Lisa originally trained in pattern cutting and tailoring, and her attention to detail shines through in every design she publishes.

She is a regular contributor to Rowan’s pattern collections, and has had many designs featured in The Knitter. Lisa is based in Yorkshire, and has her own website selling her patterns and kits. We chatted with Lisa about her latest creative adventures.

Can you tell us a little bit about your design process – where you find inspiration for your designs, how you develop your ideas and so on?

“I am so lucky with where I live in Yorkshire, because I can look out of my studio window at home and see nature and hear birds, so I feel that just seeps into everything I do.

I also work from mood boards, either created by myself or as part of a design brief set by an external client, but always that element of nature stills adds to it. Recently I worked on a brief set by Laine magazine, and I drew from that but also from looking out of my window at an old barn and its beautiful sandstone bricks.

If I am working with a new yarn which I have never designed with before, I like to just have a play with different stitch techniques to see where that leads.”

Can you pick out one particular design you’ve most enjoyed working on over the past two or three years?

“This is tricky, because a lot of designs I’ve been working on in the past year haven’t been released yet –  it’s a long process from initial swatching to a design being available. 

‘Marylebone’ which appeared in issue 224 of The Knitter is a design that I loved working on, and one of the few patterns of my own that I also made for myself. It is an interesting knit, a top-down cardigan with cables along the raglan and sides, and I love wearing it. I might have to knit one in another shade!

I’ve also been designing using a new yarn from Baa Ram Ewe called Mowool, which is a brushed wool, so you get a haze to the finished knit. It was great fun experimenting with all of the gorgeous shades and playing with the different textures.

Of the designs I’ve created in recent years, I’m particularly proud of the ‘Gianni’ set from Rowan’s Magazine 78, which comprised a patchwork-style colourwork and cable dress, and a black and white slip stitch and cable sweater with a matching skirt.”

Do you have a favourite yarn? Have you discovered any yarns recently that you’ve enjoyed knitting with? 

“Oh my word, I love so many! Since becoming an independent designer, where I can work with any yarns I like, it has been like being a kid in a sweet shop. There is just so much variety, and I have so many more yarns on my wishlist to try.”

What sorts of things do you have available on your website?

“A new design on my website is the ‘Florence’ shawl and neckerchief – it’s a really lovely way of working with colour without being too complicated. It includes bands of slip stitch colourwork, garter stitch and moss stitch. 

“My website is having a revamp at the moment, but it’s still the place to go to find out about new designs, workshops and events. It’s always a good idea to sign up to my newsletter to be the first to hear of anything upcoming. There will also be new patterns added throughout the year for downloads  – maybe some for men and children too.”

What workshops do you like to teach?

“I’ve been loving teaching my ‘stash buster garment’ workshop –  it’s so great to have the time initially to just play with the yarn you already have, and see it in different ways and the potential it has. Then the workshop goes a bit more technical with taking the swatch and thinking of garments or accessories that might work well for you, and writing that pattern. Knitters leave the workshop with so many ideas and inspiration for further projects.

There are no other workshops in the calendar at the moment, but I send information in my newsletter when I plan them in.”

Do you have a favourite knitting book, or one you’d particularly recommend to keen knitters or those thinking of trying their hand at designing something for themselves?

“Any of the Barbara G. Walker books are fantastic. I think if there is a particular technique that you are interested in – cables, lace, mosaic colourwork and so on – try to find a book that concentrates on that technique and just have a play with swatching using different types of yarn and colours.

It will give you a broader understanding of that niche, and the confidence to experiment more in your everyday knitting, adapting garment patterns to add panels of lace of cables, for example.”

What do you have on your knitting needles today? 

“The past few weeks have involved lots of swatching for the spring-summer 2027 season, and so now I am on with pattern writing. In between pattern writing I am developing another version of my ‘Florence’ shawl.”

See more of Lisa’s designs – or purchase one of her patterns – on her website.

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