Panier

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? How long has your workshop been in existence? What is its story?

My name is Yolanda Estévez, and I have dedicated my entire professional career to design. After working in various companies, in 2011 I decided to create Knitbrary, a project that unites all my principles and beliefs about what design should be. It's a project close to my heart, born from a deep respect for the exceptional quality of yarns and dedicated to the creation of unique, limited-time, and timeless handcrafted knitwear. Each creation is made in Peru, in the very place where these noble fibers originate, a land where the art of knitting has a profound cultural influence and is considered an intangible heritage of humanity. Through Knitbrary, I seek not only to preserve this tradition but also to celebrate it, combining craftsmanship, authenticity, and beauty in each piece.

Where is your workshop located? What is the structure of your workshop?

We have our own workshop in Arequipa, Peru, where I am fortunate to work with an extraordinary team. Each member brings profound knowledge of the art of knitting, guiding and supporting the knitters through every step of the creative process, while ensuring that each piece meets our highest standards of craftsmanship and quality. For the first ten years, I spent six months each year in Peru, but after the pandemic, I realized that all those years of working side by side with the team, fostering deep understanding and open dialogue, had prepared us to create even from a distance. Now, I travel there twice a year for shorter periods, continuing to nurture the connection and the work we have carefully built together.

All of our pieces are individually numbered and knitted to order. We maintain a stock of our exquisite natural-colored yarn, which we then hand-dye according to each order we receive. A dedicated person delivers the hand-dyed yarn to each knitter once it has passed quality control, ensuring that it is as consistent and uniform as possible. Highly skilled knitters receive my detailed guidance about each garment and the specific knitter I envision for it. Together, they make thoughtful decisions throughout the process to bring each piece to life in the best possible way. Two professionals manage and organize the entire workflow, scheduling each step carefully and overseeing all aspects of export management. There is even someone who takes care of all necessary errands and the tedious bureaucratic tasks in Peru, which often involve waiting in long lines for hours.

What tool best represents our craftsmanship?

Knitbrary is time. The truest tools of our craft are the hands and knitting needles. Every stitch flows from the harmony of touch and thought, guided by years of experience and intuition.

It is the hands—their sensitivity, rhythm, and precision—that breathe life into each piece, transforming yarn into art.

They say crafting is thinking. What role does manual work play in your workshop?

In our workshop, manual work is the language of creation. Every gesture, every movement of the hands carries intention and knowledge. Experience allows us to anticipate the behavior of the yarn, to guide the design with subtlety and care. Here, thinking and making are inseparable; each piece is a dialogue between mind and hand, where craftsmanship is both a meditation and an act of devotion.