Knitting With a Superhero: Krysten Ritter Talks Yarn

Let’s be honest: all the cool people knit. And Krysten Ritter is definitely on the “cool kids” list. She has had an extensive acting and modeling career and has played several notable characters, including Chloe, a sassy “B” on Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, and Jane, a heroin-addicted artist on Breaking Bad. Currently, Krysten is captivating audiences as Jessica Jones, a rough-around-the-edges Marvel superhero who kicks some serious butt on the Netflix series of the same name. With a busy shooting schedule, Krysten rarely has a lot of downtime. But like every truly addicted knitter, she always finds the time to get a few stitches in.

Q: You are stranded on a deserted island with an unlimited supply of one yarn. What would that one yarn be?
A: That’s a really tough question. Do I have to pick just one? If you ask me next week maybe it will change, but at the moment I’m totally in love with We Are Knitters’ The Meriwool—and I also love Loopy Mango Merino No. 5.

Q: Who taught you to knit?
A: My grammy! She taught my cousins and me how to knit and crochet when we were little. She was always knitting in her chair with her basket of gear next to her. To keep us busy, she would sit us on the couch with a pair of needles and a ball of yarn.

Q: Why do you knit?
A: Because I love it. I love the sense of accomplishment when I finish a project. I also feel like it’s a great reset for my brain and my mood. It relaxes and energizes me at the same time. Knitting kind of gives me superpowers!

Q: What is your favorite item to knit?
A: Sweaters—I have a few going right now.

Q: Can you tell me about why you support charities such as #teamjuliet, a funding crusade to help baby Juliet Espinosa fight cancer?
A: I was introduced to Juliet and her story by a girlfriend of mine, and I was incredibly moved by her family and her strength. I honestly just had the idea to make her a funny hat in hopes that it would put a smile on her face. I was simply inspired to do it, and so I did. She has beat cancer, and I’m so thrilled for her and am rooting for her every day.

Q: Where is your favorite place to knit?
A: At home on the couch while either listening to music or watching Netflix!

Q: Of your characters Jessica Jones, Chloe, and Jane Margolis, who is likely to be the knitter? What would they knit?
A: I can’t see any of those characters knitting. Hilarious trying to imagine it, though!

Q: I see that you knit with a lot of bulky yarns. Would you ever dive into a laceweight shawl or fingering-weight cardigan?
A: I am definitely a sucker for some chunky yarn. For garments, it’s fun to have a statement piece with some huge bulky yarn, but things do lay nicer with the thinner stuff. I guess I just love how fast they work up and how dramatic the final product is!

Q: When I knit in public, I often get comments from strangers that crack me up. I hear a lot of “My grandma knits,” “How much for you to knit me a pair of socks?” or “I know how to crochet, too” (even though I’m knitting). Do you have any good stories of something someone said to you as they watched your needles click?
A: When I’m on set I don’t have a ton of downtime, but if there are a few minutes here and there where I can do a row or two, I definitely take advantage! I find that people always comment on how fast I am. I do knit pretty fast. And I’ve gotten a lot of other people into it as well! But yeah, everyone wants me to knit them something, and honestly making gifts for people is my favorite part.

Q: And lastly, what do you want to learn how to do in 2017?
A: I would love to learn how to make socks and a top-down V-neck sweater. I’ve done a bottom-up raglan sweater, but that’s it. I love working in the round because it’s\ so crazy fast and you don’t have to seam anything together at the end.

Follow Krysten on Instagram @therealkrystenritter to see all of her amazing UFOs, FOs, and her adorable dog, Mikey.

Krista Ann is the designer and knitter behind KnitsyKnits. Find her online at www.knitsyknits.com and on social media @KnitsyKnits.

Find the Krysten Ritter interview and other great profiles in the pages of knitscene!