Designer Maria Ficalora has made her life’s work in knitwear. She is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, where her love of knitting began.

Her knitting of costumes began when she made sweaters for Bert and Ernie of Sesame Street fame. From there, she went on to knit for Broadway beginning with sweaters for Twiggy and Tommy Tune in My One and Only.

“Costume making is challenging work and requires me to interpret what the designers have drawn, advise on yarns, develop fabrications and meet fast deadlines. I’ve become an expert at extreme pattern making, developing all shapes and sizes to fit unusual needs.”

Over the years Maria’s reputation for specialized custom knitwear has grown. She has made costumes for many Broadway shows as well as regional theaters, Opera, Ballet, film and TV. Her most recent work has been on Broadway in, Moulin Rouge, Jersey Boys, Kinky Boots, Mean Girls, The Band’s Visit and Spongebob Squarepants and in film, The Irishman, Newark and Joker. On TV in Dickinson, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, The Time Travelers Wife and Star Trek Picard, with over 200 projects completed.

Maria also teaches machine knitting and design at Parsons School of Fashion, NYC