About

Hi! I'm Anna-Sofia Vintersol, though many of you also know me as Loparefur. Home in the North and the Wild, I design playfully Wanderful outdoor Knitwear. My designs are inspired by animals, nature, and my Anishinaabe and Cherokee family ties. I desire to create garments that combine playfulness, functionality, and an authentic appearance, and that are approachable to knitters of all skill levels.

Since I can remember, I have had a pencil in my hands and started designing characters and clothes from a very young age. At the age of 11, I was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome (and later on ADHD), so I knew from early on that I had to pursue a creative career. At 17 years old, I was hired by a Japanese video game company to design video game characters. This may seem unrelated to fashion and designing knitwear, but indeed, there is a direct link. It's all about fashion and creating a story around the wear and design of these characters. I continued to work as an artist, lead designer, and eventually art director for over a decade in the video game industry. I worked on very well-known projects you may have heard of if you play and like video games, such as Dark Souls, Naruto Ultimate Storm 4, and the Final Fantasy 7 remake. During this process, one of my biggest teachers and influential figures was the artist Yoshitaka Amano. He has influenced my style in many ways.

Then one day, I discovered knitting. It was during my travels to Iceland when I discovered the "Lopapeysa". The Lopapeysa is THE iconic garment and THE Icelandic sweater. I did not know anyone who could make me a Lopapeysa, so I thought, okay, I need to teach myself to knit! I did just that, and after I created my first garment, which was full of errors and had no tension straight in any place, I decided to do what I have always done: design.

When I discovered the Icelandic Sweater, I found more than just a garment; I found the love of my life—the love of designing knitwear.

Now, many years later, I have designed over a hundred sweaters, cardigans, and small knits and published 2 books. I wake up every morning (and sometimes at night) with the thought of what design I could come up with next. I like to challenge myself every single day, coming up with all sorts of new ideas, and I believe designing and knitting are like any challenge in life - take it one stitch at a time to create something big. It is important for us to accept challenges, as this is the only way we can grow.

I love to be outdoors and hiking with my dogs when I find the time, as I believe nature is the only place on earth where we are not controlled or manipulated by influences, and we can be inspired by the very beginning of creation.

Happy knitting!

Anna-Sofia