Classes for our KNiTopia Danube Cruise 2025

Design Your Own Crescent Shawl 

with Joji Locatelli

A crescent shaped shawl is the perfect canvas to get your imagination and creativity going. The way these shawls are constructed is easier than most people think, and you can achieve really amazing, finished objects. In this class we’ll see in depth what different basic constructions you can use, and talk about yarn behavior, including lace patterns, using short rows, handling different colors, and blocking. 

At the end of this class, we’ll discuss briefly how to write instructions for all these steps and turn them into a great shawl pattern!

Color and How to Knit It in Knitting 

with Veera Välimäki

Color is often the first thing that catches our eye! That’s why choosing the right color is often the most exciting and the hardest part of knitting. This workshop guides you through all things color: how to use the color in knitting using stranded colorwork, intarsia and stripes, mosaic, how to pick the best colors for your idea, and how to make it easy to work with all the colors! We’ll also look into the fascinating history of colorwork in knitting. 

SOLD OUT!

Sweater Spree

with Melanie Berg

Ready to dive into the world of sweaters? SWEATER spree is a fun and inspiring class where we’ll explore a variety of sweater constructions—because there’s more than one way to create your dream knit! From classic top-down designs to shaped and boxy silhouettes, we’ll take a closer look at the different ways sweaters come to life. 

We’ll unravel techniques together, discovering new approaches that will spark your creativity and expand your knitting skills. Let’s enjoy and have a spree with sweaters!

Inlay Colorwork Technique

with Orly ben Ary

Everyone will think it's embroidered!

Looking for an exciting colorwork technique to add to your toolbox? The Inlay Technique, or Roosimine, is a traditional Estonian method to decorate your knits. Learn how to read an Inlay chart to knit a colorful pincushion Once you get the hang of it, you can use your imagination to add a personal touch to any knit! 

Fiber Fiesta & Calere Cowl

with Marilyn Woodruff

Learn 1x1 colorwork in making a fun intertwined tubular cowl while diving into all things YARN! We will cast on Calere Cowl, and then while working in the round, we will deep dive into different kinds of fibers, how they are made, how they behave, and everything you need to successfully substitute one yarn for another! 

SOLD OUT!

Perfect Raglan Yokes

with Joji Locatelli 

Raglan sweaters are a favorite among knitters for their seamless construction and customizable fit but achieving a perfectly tailored yoke takes more than just following a basic formula. In this hands-on and theory-driven class, we’ll break down the key elements of raglan yoke construction and explore ways to modify and personalize your sweater for the best possible fit.

By the end of this workshop, you'll walk away with the knowledge to confidently adjust and design your own raglan sweaters, ensuring that they not only fit beautifully but also reflect your personal style!

Shawl Evolution

with Veera Välimäki

Color is often the first thing that catches our eye! That’s why choosing the right color is often the most exciting and the hardest part of knitting. This workshop guides you through all things color: how to use the color in knitting using stranded colorwork, intarsia and stripes, mosaic, how to pick the best colors for your idea, and how to make it easy to work with all the colors! We’ll also look into the fascinating history of colorwork in knitting. 

Understanding Color

with Melanie Berg

Understanding Color is a vibrant and exciting workshop that will teach you how to create stunning color combinations for your knitting projects. You’ll discover which colors work best together, how to refine your choices by adding texture, and find colors that complement your skin tone. We’ll discuss the psychology of color, color mixing and matching, color schemes, and the impact of different textures on color!.

Yarn Substitution 

with Carol Sulcoski

When Good Yarns Go Bad:  Solving Tough Yarn Substitution Problems

You know the basics of yarn substitution but even the most intrepid yarn swapper can by stymied once in a while. In this class, we'll look at some of the trickiest issues you'll encounter when finding a yarn to substitute. A few examples are substituting when the pattern calls for two different strands of yarn held together, finding a substitute that's not too heavy or too light, unusual gauges, and more!

My First Sock 

with Orly ben Ary

Have you always wanted to knit socks but were afraid to try? The let's make your first pair! After this, you won’t be frightened anymore! In this fun workshop we will knit a pair of baby socks so you can learn all of the techniques required to knit socks during the session. Bonus? You'll have a finished project to bring home with you.

Design Your Own Dropped Shoulder Cardi

with Joji Locatelli

An open front cardigan can be built in many ways, but the easiest one is by using a rectangular seamless construction. During this workshop, you'll learn how to create your own version choosing your own yarn and stitch pattern. We'll discuss aspects such as how to take your measurements, what is ease, measurements, construction, yarn behavior, how to use lace or cable patterns in your design, and blocking!

Making the Most of Short Rows 

with Veera Välimäki

Short rows are a fun and simple technique for shaping your knitting that allows you to knit a gentle curve or slope by adding extra length of fabric to parts of your knitting. Short rows can be used for almost any shaping: the shoulders of sweaters, the heels of socks, custom-fitting the bust area, or perhaps ad a gentle curve to the bottom of a sweater.

In this workshop we take a look how to use short rows in more untraditional places too; to shape a shawl, add a wedge, or even instead of intarsia!

Shawl Love 

with Melanie Berg

Everything you've ever wanted to know about our favorite accessory! Shawl Love is the ultimate workshop for anyone who adores knitting shawls. This workshop will take you through the ins and outs of shawl knitting, from cast-on to cast-off. You'll learn about different yarns and stitch patterns that work best for shawls, different ways to construct a shawl, and get tips on how to create your own unique designs. There will also be secrets shared for blocking and caring for your shawls. Shawl Love is a workshop you won't want to miss!

Handmade to Homemade

with Marilyn Woodruff

  This class will be a hands-on session where you will learn practical tips, tricks, and hacks that will help you solve the pesky issues many knitters encounter while knitting. Such as how to make your K2TOG and SSK stitches mirror each other for beautiful lace, make your ribbing and cables look more even, bind off evenly without worrying about tension, jogless and beautiful stripes in ribbing, and so much more!

Mystery Date Hat 

with Laura Rasmussen

Did you play the Mystery Date game as a child? This hat is kind of like that – you won’t know exactly what your finished hat will look like until you start working the unusual, raised pattern that’s created with slipped twisted stitches. Aim for a more subtle look or a fun and funky style, depending on the yarn you choose!