This year’s Knit Advent Calendar, A Winter’s Tale, brings something truly magical to the season, and at the heart of it all is designer Anna-Sofia Vintersol.
With her deep love for storytelling, fashion, and nature, Anna-Sofia’s designs are a celebration of coziness, imagination, and tradition. 🌲🧶✨
Starting November 30, you’ll unwrap 4 exclusive knit projects, one revealed each Advent Sunday, making December a journey of stitches, stories, and seasonal joy.
We chatted with Anna-Sofia to get to know her and learn more about what inspired this year’s festive designs.
Q&A with Anna-Maria Vintersol
For those new to you, can you tell us a little about you and your knitting journey?
“To share a bit about myself, I’ve always harboured a deep passion for fashion design. For more than 17 years, I’ve had the privilege of working as an artist, character designer, and art director in Japan, Germany and Norway. What truly ignites my creative spark is the art of storytelling, which finds its expression in the narratives woven into my designs.
My formative years were spent in Japan, where I drew immense inspiration from the works of the artist Yoshitaka Amano, who was also my teacher. His meticulous attention to detail profoundly influenced my knitting patterns. From the bustling city life, I transitioned to the serene countryside of Norway, where I was introduced to folktales and a slower lifestyle which inspired me to start knitting and where I also discovered one of my other greatest passion, gardening.”
What does winter and Christmas mean to you?
“I’ve always loved winter. While the season is cold and full of fun activities like skiing, I also think of it as the coziest time of year. For me, winter means knitting in front of the fireplace – indoors or even outside – and enjoying a warm drink with Christmas cookies and snacks. I wanted to catch this moment of peace in my designs for this year’s Advent Calendar.”
Your designs often have a romantic, nostalgic feel. How do you bring that into your knitting?
“I find inspiration everywhere, often in quite random ways. My background as a designer and art director means I’m always drawn to old, nostalgic things as well as to nature as there is where the origin of design lies. Even something as simple as the plants growing in my garden can spark ideas that weave their way into my patterns.”
Can you hint at what knitters will explore in this year’s calendar?
“Without giving too much away, this year’s calendar explores both structure and, of course, my favorite: fair isle.”
When designing seasonal projects like these, where do you start?
“I usually start with color, thinking about how different shades will interact with each other. From there, the design naturally begins to take shape.”
What’s your perfect winter knitting setup?
“I love skiing, and afterward there’s nothing better than sitting by the fireplace with some knitting, a cup of hot black currant juice, and a piece of snow-cold chocolate. That little ritual feels like the perfect winter moment to me.”
Unwrap the Magic of A Winter’s Tale
Four Sundays, four knits, and endless coziness. A Winter’s Tale invites you to curl up, cast on, and let the holiday spirit grow with every stitch.
Get your knit advent calendar here ➜
Want to know more? Read out Advent Calendar FAQ here ➜
