Kate Knight
You’re building knitwear that needs to feel right, fit beautifully, and move smoothly from concept to production … and you want someone who truly understands the nuances of knitting, cashmere, and natural fibres. Whether you’re adding knitwear for the first time or you’re frustrated by too many sampling rounds, unclear tech packs, or recurring production issues, you want a partner who can guide you through the entire process with clarity and confidence.
I’m a freelance knitwear designer specialising in cashmere and natural fibres, with a background rooted deeply in all things knit. I studied knitwear at the University of Leeds and began my career teaching knitting machine techniques before moving into industry design — because I realised I wanted to create knitwear best sellers in real life, not just study it.
My career has taken me from New York to London, designing for luxury and high-end high street brands including Nordstrom, Barneys, The White Company, LK Bennett, and others. Along the way, I’ve become the person brands call when they need knitwear to work: clearer tech packs, stronger development processes, better fits, fewer sampling rounds, and solutions to those persistent knitting and production challenges.
Today, I help emerging and established brands develop collections that are technically sound, production-ready, and beautifully executed, with a focus on cashmere, natural fibres, and quality that lasts.
If you’re launching knitwear for the first time, need a cashmere specialist, want clearer knitwear tech packs, or are troubleshooting issues with fit, tension, pilling, sampling, or production… I’d love to support you.
If you’re interested in starting a fashion brand, check out my podcast with Charlotte Johnson.
For the science side of cashmere, have a listen to the Luxesci podcast.
Want to know how knitwear can be the most sustainable of all clothing production? Then there’s me talking to Jasmine Rennie
Ever wondered what it’s really like to freelance in knitwear design? I have a chat to SewHeidi about how I started out.
What people are saying...
She was very clear of what I was looking for after our first online chat and went about doing the job in a very professional manner. She sent me many design references before starting and kept me in the loop during the design stage just to ensure we were on the same page.
The project went very smooth and I never had to follow up on her for anything. She gave me more designs that agreed, which was a nice touch i thought, and a week ahead of schedule.
The results were great for me as most of my European clients LOVED her work and I am hoping to work with her on a larger project for the next season.
Shakti Goylan