Meet Jennifer Berg

We recently connected with Jennifer Berg and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

Dine (Navajo) Women, or asdzáán in my native language, are known for their confidence. We are a matriarchal people, and I believe this is why the women of my tribe have the confidence that they do. We are seen as leaders and encouraged to be strong individuals. My great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother are all business owners. This, alongside an incredibly supportive father and husband, has set me up to lead confidently. Growing up, my family constantly encouraged me to try new things. They wanted me to be tough but also gave me the skills to succeed independently.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Yá’ át’ééh, my name is Jennifer Berg. I come from One Who Walks Around Clan and Red Running Into the Water Clan from my mother’s side. My father is Biliganna (Caucasian). I am a Navajo Knitwear designer and most people know me or my work through my brand, Native Knitter. I have been knitting for 12 years and started my design journey 5 years ago. At the time that I started designing, the knitting industry did not have any authentic Navajo designs. I started slowly with hat and cowl patterns and was quickly picked up by multiple magazine publishers, and my knitting journey began.

Native Knitter is a knitting business that focuses on providing knitwear patterns and collaborating with established companies to offer ready-made products. As the owner and sole designer, Native Knitter represents my passion and unique perspective in the knitting world.

Native Knitter partners with companies like Seek & Swoon and Faherty Brand to offer a selection of ready-made Blankets and knitwear. Through collaboration, I work closely with these companies, providing unique designs and creativity to complement their existing product lines. This partnership allows customers to purchase beautifully crafted blankets, sweaters, and accessories that embody Native Knitter’s attention to detail and commitment to timeless quality.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. I believe that the main quality that was most impactful was the desire to share who I was personally and authentically. Instead of fitting in a box with what “we think” others want from us, expressing ourselves truly is what audiences crave. The hardest part about sharing your journey and who you are is staying true to who you have been without exhausting yourself.
2. Another quality that I feel helped my journey was not being afraid to ask “dumb” questions. Seeking wisdom and asking questions to those who have much more experience is always going to be so helpful. I walked into the industry with little understanding of how to make a recipe or pattern language and found myself lost. I soon realized that if I wanted to really do this, and do it well, I was going to need all the help I could receive.
3. Lastly, get used to rejection. “No” is an answer that you can learn to work with. I have messaged companies asking if they would consider me as a designer and received kind messages of “No, not right now.” Putting yourself out into the world can be intimidating, but confidently shooting your shot could get you in front of people who can propel you so much further than you could by yourself.

If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?

Within the knitting industry, we pride ourselves on being slow fashion, but over the last few years, I’ve noticed that the turnover for patterns is extremely fast. I struggle with the pressure of rushing my pattern development or feeling left behind when I see other designers releasing 20 patterns a year. I understand that designing and fashion are a business, but for the knitting industry, the benefits of community, health, and intentionality are being overlooked. I am focused on staying true to the art of slow, methodical design processes. I want to encourage the industry to take a deep breath and to not feel the pressure of competition.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nativeknitter.com
• Instagram: @native.knitter
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nativeknitsshop
• Other: Domestika Course:https://www.domestika.org/en/courses/5128-stranded-colorwork-knitting
  Seek & Swoon Blanket Collaboration: https://www.seekandswoon.com/collections/heritage-collection?srsltid=AfmBOoqkXxOAtLfdo9NOXhCgcXRk4QkzWXuZDc5J8HiO3ySy-mYiyYvQ
  Faherty Collaboration:https://fahertybrand.com/collections/native-knitter?srsltid=AfmBOopMONyqDhm3RRq3t3fY76bN7PKgOPW8SGaky05aDyCJMmsDYDF1

Image Credits

Katie Lively Photography @katielivelyphoto
Beth Wells Photography @elizabethwellsphoto
@ddevriesphotography