We announced it in the summer of 2021: in 2022, we’ll be searching for the very first BreiSTER in the Netherlands. Who’s up for the challenge? From the many applications, we selected 10 creative candidates who will compete against each other this spring. This Friday, the first of twelve episodes is set to air. Nothing beats the excitement leading up to the show, so in this blog post, we’ll briefly introduce you to the ten BreiSTERREN.
Will you be tuning in on January 14 for the first episode of De BreiSTER 2022? You can find the episode on the Yarnplaza YouTube channel. See you then!
Irma
What a surprise it was when I received the email telling me I could participate in the first edition of De BreiSTER! I’ve been thinking about creating and writing patterns for a long time, but I never dared to take that step—and now I’m just going to do it! It’s so exciting and really fun! My name is Irma—nice to meet you. I’m a wife, mom, friend, freelancer, teacher, and I’m taking a course in sewing patterns—and in my delightful chaos, I’m sure I’ve forgotten a whole lot more. Still, I make time every day to knit—I love it! Sometimes I knit a simple pattern to clear my head, and other times I choose something complicated to challenge myself. I knit everywhere and anywhere, and I don’t care what others think of it. It’s already so much fun with the other nine contestants, so that alone makes it worth participating!
Linda
I’m Linda Koning (41 years old), I’ve been married to Richard for 21 years, and I have two daughters. I’ve been working at the nursing home for 18 years. My sister taught me how to crochet and knit, and I was hooked right away! After my mother passed away, I started knitting a lot of Jacobus patterns; it became a kind of therapy for me. I signed up for De BreiSTER while I was working the night shift. I thought, “I’ll just give it a try,” and then I heard that I was accepted. I hesitated for a moment because I’m not really one for the spotlight, but it seemed like such a fun challenge and experience! It’s so much fun to get together with all the knitting stars—we all share the same hobby! My goal isn’t necessarily to win, but to see how far I can go with my own ideas. I’ve noticed that I’ve actually started to feel more confident!
Inge
My name is Inge Bastiaansen. I’m 36 years old and live in Middelbeers with my husband, two little daughters, and our dog. I work as a certified nursing assistant on the single crochet night shift in elder care. I’m also addicted to knitting. You can find me on Instagram at @brei.miep. I never thought I’d be able to enter this contest as an avid hobby knitter. I’ve been knitting for over 10 years, and it brings me peace. I love creating something beautiful with Knitting Needles. Over the years, I sought out more of a challenge and discovered Circular Knitting Needles, which I used to make my first sweater. That was so cool!
Tessa
My name is Tessa; I’m a 35-year-old special education teacher. I’m married, have three children, and live in Roosendaal. When I was a little girl, my grandmother taught me how to knit, but I never really did anything with it after that. That is, until my oldest daughter was born: my crafty fingers suddenly started itching. At first, I couldn’t knit to save my life, so I threw those projects in a corner in frustration and switched to crocheting. Since I love making clothes, I decided to give knitting another try—and suddenly, I got the hang of it! This contest is a new challenge for me. I’ve been toying with the idea of designing something myself for a while now, and this is a great stepping stone to see if it’s really my thing. Plus, it’s just fun to embark on a new adventure with a group of like-minded people!
Nicole
I’m Nicole Teunissen, 34 years old, mother of two young daughters, and wife to my wife. As a freelance editor, I help improve books for various publishers. I love writing. And knitting, of course! I’ve been knitting for about twenty years now and would love to do more pattern design. Knitting brings peace to my mind (as much as possible), and I enjoy trying new things all the time. I feel connected to others who knit, as well as to the people I knit for. “All you knit is love” sounds incredibly cheesy, but I do believe in it. It makes me happy to see my knits being used. I hope to meet some great fellow knitters, learn a lot, and be surprised by the assignments.
Robert
My name is Robert de Vries (52 years old) and I live in Gouda. I work in the curtains department at a home furnishings store. My mother taught me to knit from a very young age. I found it fascinating how you can create the most beautiful things with just two needles and some Wool. It wasn’t until later in life that I started to delve deeper into it. Now I find it very relaxing and a sort of meditative experience. I knit lots of shawls, shawls, and cuddly toys in all shapes and sizes. I’m also very interested in vintage knitting patterns from the 19th century through the 1940s and 1950s. After much deliberation, I signed up for De BreiSTER, and to my surprise, I was among the first 10! Wow…. But now what? I’m doing my best and learning more along the way in this new adventure. In any case, I’m really looking forward to it!
Ingrid
My name is Ingrid Pool. I live in Rotterdam with my partner Theo and our Dutch Shepherds. I’m the mother of two adult daughters and have a grandson. When I was about 6 years old, my mother taught me how to knit. I knitted my first sweater when I was 7, but I’m not entirely sure if I really made it all by myself. My mother probably had a hand in it, although she’s always denied it. In 1985, I started knitting on commission for a store after my father found an ad seeking knitters. I was hired based on a sweater I had designed myself. I really enjoy designing, but I don’t take the time to do it. I hope that through this contest, my designing will really take off with all the different assignments that await us.
Bernadette
My name is Bernadette. I’ve been living in Kerkdriel for four years. I’ve always worked in the paramedical field and now run a small-scale fashion and textile studio—a hobby that got out of hand. I’ve been knitting since elementary school—over 55 years now. I started with doll clothes and scarves, then moved on to sweaters, cardigans, hats, and gloves. I work with various types of yarn, in all kinds of thicknesses, and using different stitches and patterns. I knit from existing patterns, but I often design my own models. Knitting is a wonderful form of relaxation and creativity. I’m really curious to see what we’ll be knitting and hope to exchange ideas with the other participants.
Michelle
Hi, I’m Michelle Oonincx (35 years old) and I live with my husband Yoeri in Oosterhout, Brabant. In my day-to-day life, I work in the back office of a large shoe manufacturer, but I spend my free time with needle and thread. Ever since I was a child, I’ve loved being creative, and as a teenager, I taught myself to knit. Shortly after completing my training as a dressmaker, I became the proud owner of a small yarn shop, and during that time, knitting became my greatest passion. During my burnout, I decided to share my creativity under the name Miss Knitwit (Instagram: @miss.knitwit.nl), hoping to inspire and motivate others to be creative. I’m really looking forward to the various assignments and challenges of the competition, and I’m curious to see how I’ll handle them and what beautiful things I’ll get to create. And who knows—maybe I can turn my hobby into my profession again.
Evelien
Hi, I’m Evelien, or Eef. I live in Ermelo with Gerrie, our two daughters, and two dachshunds. We’re a blended family with seven children. I work as a caregiver at a care facility for people with mild intellectual disabilities who live as independently as possible. I was about 15 when I taught myself to knit. I just loved all those knitted sweaters! I put knitting on hold when I learned to crochet. In 2017, I caught the socks-to-knit bug, and honestly, I was instantly hooked on knitting all over again. I signed up for this contest because I wanted to take on a challenge—really, a challenge with myself. I’m usually quiet and tend to stay in the background. Now I have to put myself out there, vlog, come up with ideas, write them down, and work them out. In short, it’s a big challenge, and despite my nerves, I’m really looking forward to it! You can follow my adventure on my Instagram @eef.knits.
