Meet the makers
This is knit
Lisa Sisk, Founder
It’s the second of our Meet the Makers series, where we introduce just some of the incredible talent thriving in Powerscourt Centre. This time, we are shining the spotlight on Dublin’s destination yarn shop, This Is Knit!
With celebrities like Michelle Obama who took up knitting during lockdown, and Tom Daly who knitted his way through the Tokyo Olympics - it could be just the hobby you’ve been looking for as Autumn beckons. We sat down with the founder of this creative, family run business Lisa Sisk, and talked about her work, inspirations and much more.
Tell us about your brand & what you do?
Our mission at This is Knit is to supply enthusiastic knitters and crocheters with excellent quality materials for their projects. Our focus is on natural fibre yarns, enticing textures and glorious colours! Our experienced and enthusiastic team love to inspire others with their own projects, many of which are on display in the shop. We strive to provide a welcoming and encouraging atmosphere at This is Knit, whether you are a complete beginner or an experienced fibre crafter. We also regularly share Tips and Tricks through our "Live" check-ins on Instagram.
What or who influences your work?
I'm constantly influenced by our customers and our team. They are always inspiring me to try new things and I really wish I had more time in the day! Thankfully I get to live vicariously through their amazing projects and their endless creativity.
What do you love about your job?
I enjoy being surrounded by enthusiastic, passionate people! There's such an amazing sense of achievement to be had from completing a project and then stepping back to say: "I made this. Every stitch of it" I really love seeing that glow of pride when someone masters a new technique or when they come in to show us their new scarf or sweater. It's such a treat.
Creative tool you couldn’t work without?
ChiaoGoo knitting needles are a must in my knitting bag. They're a joy to work with and the quality is second to none.
What’s your favourite thing about working with yarn?
The constant variety of it all. There is always something new to try or a new colour to inspire, especially in the hand dyed yarn ranges. There are so many different results you can achieve, even with the same yarn - by trying different stitch patterns, changing needle sizes, or pairing the yarn with another strand that's more textured or sparkly. It's such a tactile medium too, the right yarn paired with a simple stitch pattern can be soothing and truly meditative to work with.
Is there a story behind your brand name?
A short one! Before we got started, I think we had brainstormed about 3 pages worth of options, but we were really struggling to narrow them down to some finalists. "This is Knit" initially came up as a play on the very Irish way of saying, "Ah sure, this is it...", and it wasn't really a front runner. But then we noticed that our website would be thisisknit.ie (where the middle four letters also spelled out our second name), so that sealed the deal!
Can you describe your workspace?
Creatively, it's anywhere and everywhere! That's one of the brilliant parts about knitting - you can work away on projects during your commute, while watching Netflix or hanging out with friends and family.
On the business side of things, I split my time between my home office and the shop in the Centre. On days in Dublin, I'm generally photographing new products and recently finished shop samples and creating content for our social media posts and newsletters.
How long does it take to complete one product?
For me that can vary greatly! I tend to switch between projects, depending on what I'm in the mood to be working on. (I can often have 3-5 projects on the go at any one time.)
If I was to remain "loyal" to one project only then I could finish a scarf or shawl in a handful of evenings, but a sweater might take 10-14 days.
Do you have a creative routine?
I'm afraid I'm a little haphazard actually! I'll throw a lot of energy at a project and work all sorts of hours and then need a chunk of down time to recharge afterwards.
If it's not too early to be talking about New Year's Resolutions, then I might have to make 2022 the year I finally get a routine in place!
How does being in Powerscourt Centre influence your work?
I love seeing people's work-in-progress and their finished projects. There's always so much inspiration to be had from the colour combinations and pattern choices of our customers.
The enthusiasm of our customers is really encouraging too, especially when we’re brainstorming ideas for new product releases or events. We get a lot of wonderful feedback through our Instagram Live sessions, customer emails and comments on our social media. In fact, it was interaction with our customers that led to the whole plan to celebrate our 15th year in business with a special "knit-a-long" (using a brand-new yarn that we had spun just for the occasion).
How do you switch off outside of work?
Long walks on the beach near my home and yoga sessions when I can get to them. I also love cooking and baking. I must confess that I took up sourdough baking during Lockdown too. It was something I had always wanted to master so there really was no better time!
This is Knit is located on the First Floor of Powerscourt Townhouse Centre (beside Pepper Pot).
They are currently open Thursday - Saturday 11am to 5pm. (please keep an eye on their website for updates on trading hours).
Click & collect is available Tuesday - Saturday from 11am to 4pm.
Visit their website or follow them on their social media for some insta worthy yarns!