Riikka Peltola

Knitter

The memories in material

Riikka reconnects ancestral know-how with new knitting techniques
The link between natural and man-made is central to her work
To her, slow handcraft techniques reinforce the relationship between material and maker

Riikka Peltola is a fibre and knitting artist from Finland. A graduate of Aalto University with a degree in Fashion, she was trained by a master artisan and self-taught. Riikka combines ancestral Finnish know-how such as gut garment-making traditions and plant adaptation strategies with new fibre-knitting techniques to create objects we should care for. Riikka strives to reestablish a relationship with the material she uses in her work: how we shape, wear, and give garments value. Her clothing and object designs seek to widen our understanding of our codependence on nature, which is her strongest sustainable act.

Interview

Do you experiment with waste materials in your work?: So-called 'waste' material has rich history and characteristics, but I also see virgin materials as having a past. Materials from nature have a history with the soil, sun, etc. Spinning and other human-made processes affect it, too. Fibres have a role as memory catchers.
How does Finnish paper differ from other types, and why do you use it?: 75% of Finland is forest and cellulose processing methods are advanced since we are invested in it long term. I am interested in paper because it is fragile and delicate and tactile to work with.
Could you describe how old Arctic expeditions inspire your complicated designs?: These expeditions were doomed because those onboard wore upper-class pullovers and little jackets. As a Finn, I am familiar with snow and ice and garment layers, how snow creates a pattern on your clothing, how it follows your body's movement, and where it sticks. This topic inspired my designs with revisited ancient know-how.
What role does the gut garment-making tradition play in your work?: Gut garments are made of a sea animal’s gut: waterproof, breathable, and ingenious. My gut garment-inspired designs are made of paper or fine fishing lines. They are made of knitted stripes and connected as round spirals following the shape of the human body. The amount of material and its shape define the garment's pattern and construction.

Riikka Peltola is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2013 and she started teaching in 2020