Some of the most wonderful events in life can usually be experienced during a wedding.
Many couples look forward to seeing their very personal union take physical form in a ceremony that is visible for all to see.
But it also means months and months of preparation, anxiety, and more planning. A specific dress is the only thing a bride must have.
Regardless of its color – white, maroon, black, fluffy, ruffled, or tight – its wearer must give the impression that she is the most stunning lady in the world.
Some brides decide to try making their dresses, either because they enjoy the challenge or the craft itself. We explore the life of Veronika Lindberg Heino, also known as Kika, who crocheted her unique wedding dress six weeks ahead of schedule. Let’s get started! She was kind enough to answer a few Bored Panda questions!
Veronika Lindberg Heino, also known as Kika, decided to create her beautiful wedding dress by knitting.
What would you make if you had 250 hours and 2.5 kilograms of yarn? Maybe a knitted wedding dress, maybe a 3D portrait, maybe a blanket. Since you are reading this essay for a specific reason, you probably know that we will be discussing the second option.
Veronika Lindberg Heino, also known by her stage name Kika, accepted the challenge and shared the ups and downs of creating her unique white dress with her fans on YouTube and Instagram. She started writing about it in 2017.
She and her soon-to-be had an extremely stressful seven weeks preparing for the impromptu wedding and moving, which provided the impetus for the endeavor.
Life decided to add some *spice* to an already intense project: they were arranging a wedding that was scheduled for seven weeks after their move, and why not put a very important project on top of everything else? Not until you’re as good as Kika, I guess!
The knitter from Finland told Good Morning America (GMA), “I love a challenge and I’m often a little over-ambitious, and the idea was so wild and inspiring that I decided to take a chance and do it.” “I ordered 2.5kg of pure silk yarn and announced my crazy plan on Instagram and immediately knew there was no turning back.”
By placing an order for 2.5 kg of pure silk yarn and sharing her ideas with her Instagram followers, she formally launched the project and made it impossible to stop.
Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Finding time to knit was difficult because she had to move, prepare for a wedding, and publish her first book.
This extra effort seems to have the opposite effect – at least temporarily – of unsettling Kiku by keeping her grounded during a turbulent time. Since she had never knitted a dress before, it was no easy undertaking, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy.
“The process was intense and the biggest challenge was finding enough time to knit as we were in the process of moving and organizing the wedding at the same time,” said Kika. It has been very busy as I have also published my first knitting book. However, I also had a lot of fun and enjoyed watching my vision come to fruition.”
Then she had a big setback: her bodice was too big, so she had to start over from scratch.
After that, her sleeves kept falling off and it took a long time to fix them.
When Kika finished the bodice and tried it on for the first time, two weeks later there were problems – it was too big. Soon the bride tore it all up and started over, disappointed but not defeated, calling it “a difficult and frustrating moment where some tears were shed.”
Another problem was that the sleeves were a bit too visible and kept sliding, which Kika enjoyed, but it took a long time for her to fix it. “I made sure to film all my mistakes so I could be real and honest with my viewers, rather than just showing them the perfect moments,” she told Insider.
She continued until the wedding was only a week away and she had no other choice (you usually can’t go and buy dresses off the rack because they require alterations that take a long time). Positive letters from her supporters kept her in good spirits, and the commitment she put into the project from the beginning gave her a sense of responsibility.
However, “the biggest motivator was seeing for myself if I could see my idea and vision through, and the idea of having the dress as a memory for life also really kept me going.”
However, all this did not stop her! The outfit was completed just four days before the big day, so Kica had time for a well-deserved nap.
Everything was completed. When she finished the dress on Tuesday, she was more exhausted and annoyed than excited but was thrilled with how it turned out when she wore it to the ceremony.
Four days after completing the dress, Kika married Jukka Hein (who served as the inspiration for the cottage-themed wedding theme) on Saturday, September 10, at their new home. Kika’s partner was a little less enthusiastic about her last-minute knitting project, but “in the end, he was very impressed and proud of me and thought it looked really good.”
Kika told Bored Panda that they first met in the spring of 2020, just as the pandemic put the world on lockdown when she returned from London to her native Finland. “Just a few months after moving I met Juki and on our first date we walked around Helsinki for hours because all the cafes and bars were closed due to the restrictions,” she said.
“I was instantly captivated by his humor and thought he was incredibly wonderful. His descriptions of his performances were often colorful and made me laugh. I believe he was attracted to my shared excitement and my optimistic outlook on life.” .”
On Saturday, September 10, she married Jukka Hein in their new residence. Her outfit was a hit and everyone praised her for the work and effort she put into it.
During the day, guests approached me, felt the dress, and immediately commented on it. I love talking about knitting, so it didn’t bother me too much when they sometimes seemed more interested in the clothes than I was,” she told Insider.
The entire procedure cost 300 euros, or around $295, and required about 250 hours, 45 days, and 1.5 kg of pure silk yarn. Considering wedding dresses often cost $1,800, that’s a lot. Her 149k Instagram followers have been incredibly supportive of her quest, offering advice and encouragement whenever she needed it.
The whole operation took about 250 hours, 45 days, and 1.5 kg of pure silk yarn – or about $295.
With over 253K subscribers eagerly awaiting her knitting tutorials, her channel has over 253K views and a 46-minute YouTube vlog of her entire journey has had over 3.4M views. “I’m overwhelmed by all the positive attention the video and my dress have gotten, wow!” Kika replied.
“I am extremely happy to have received notes from individuals all over the world encouraging them to take up knitting or learn it again. I am proud to have made a difference and showcase the potential of knitting.”
Kika states “Knitting was actually done primarily by men at one point in history, so the fact that knitting today is associated with something predominantly feminine wasn’t always true.” You see, knitting isn’t just for old people!
Nearly 3.4 million people watched a 46-minute YouTube vlog showing the entire process, encouraging hundreds of individuals to take up or continue the craft.
What started as a five-year-old daughter’s pastime with her grandmother has grown into a lifestyle that connects like-minded individuals around the world. The one thing she always remembered was to approach her profession playfully rather than striving for perfection.
“With knitting, there are a lot of ‘rules’ or principles that come with the territory that can sometimes make you feel like you’re not doing things the right way,” Bored Panda said. “My grandmother always encouraged me to make things without being concerned with perfection, it was more important to be creative and playful.”
“While this may seem a bit ambitious, I say go for it!” she says, encouraging her fans and others who’ve jumped on the bandwagon to see the finished clothes to embrace whatever creative endeavors might beckon them.
We’re excited to see what Kika and Jukka have in store for them in the future, and we wish them all the best in their future together!
For those who are either returning to knitting as a pastime or diving back into arts and crafts for the first time, the post-pandemic return of knitting is a very welcome sight. According to recent studies, knitting can help people build a supportive network of friends, reduce stress, help with chronic pain, and reduce anxiety. And in the meantime, you get mittens and a beautiful hat!
“I think knitting as a craft teaches you a lot of patience and makes you think about what clothes you like to wear the most,” Kika said.
“When you’re going to spend 40-60 hours making a sweater, you want to make sure it’s something that will stay in your wardrobe for a long time, which also makes knitting very sustainable.”
What’s not to love? We wish Kic and Jukko all the best in their future together, and here’s to many more fascinating knitting endeavors!
Share your thoughts on the dress in the comments section below. Hope to see you in the future!
Veronika Lindberg Heino’s journey to creating her wedding dress is an example of the remarkable dedication and passion that can turn a personal vision into a stunning reality. Despite many challenges, including a hectic schedule and unpredictable setbacks, Kica’s dedication to her craft was unwavering.
Her ability to juggle tailoring with wedding preparations and moving while publishing a book is a testament to her resilience and creativity. The result—a unique, hand-crocheted dress made from pure silk thread—was not only a testament to her skill but also a cherished symbol of her dedication and love.
The positive reception of Kica’s dress, both from her wedding guests and her large online following, underscores the powerful impact of following her creative passions. Her story inspired many and showed that ambitious projects can be achieved with determination and a playful attitude.
Additionally, Kika’s experience highlights how traditional crafts such as knitting can be modernized and celebrated in contemporary contexts, bridging past and present.
As Kika and Jukka embark on a journey together, their story is a reminder of the beauty that can come from connecting personal creativity with life’s significant moments. Kika’s journey encourages others to embrace their creative pursuits, no matter how challenging they may seem. We look forward to seeing what’s next for this talented couple and wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors.