NAUTICAL KNITTING CRUISE 2023: Bermuda & Spain

Design Your Own One Skein Shawl 

with Bronwyn (@casapinka)

Kick off the trip with a special shawl designed and knitted by you. 

In just 3 hours, Bronwyn will show you the ins and outs of shawl design so you can create a special souvenir you'll enjoy for years (and vacations!) to come.

Killer Color Cables with Melissa (@Melissa.Leapman)

 In this hands-on workshop, explore amazing fabrics that combine cables with colorwork. 

Although it appears intricate, the technique is actually quite simple. Learn how! 

Manta Calentita 

with Melissa (@Melissa.Leapman)

This morning, learn to use log cabin construction to knit a sampler afghan with slip stitches, yarn overs, stripes, and other fun knitting techniques.

With this method, there are no seams, as  each section is built onto the previous ones! (Caution: This technique is highly addictive. You're been warned!)

An optional kit containing 400 yards of washable cashmere-blend yarn (!!!) in each of 4 colors in your choice of 2 special colorways is available for $272.

Latvian Braids

with Lotta (@knittinglotta)

Discover the cleverness of Latvian knitters who invented ways of placing colorful, textured bands on knitted fabric.

In class, you'll learn the techniques and will get  to know the history behind the different patterns and motifs. 

Intro to Double Knitting

with Lotta (@knittinglotta)

Have you glanced at double knitted items and thought  "What is this sorcery?? It looks too complicated for me to knit."

 If so, it’s time to change that thinking and to think like Pippi Longstocking: "I have never tried that before but I think I should definitely be able to do that!" 

In this workshop, we will go through the basics of double knitting and practice the technique by knitting a few mind-blowing

swatches. 

WARNING! This technique is highly addictive and you might not want to knit anything else after this three 

hour session. (Don't tell Melissa or Bronwyn or, for Heaven's sake, Sharon.)

Paseo Cowl

with Melissa (@Melissa.Leapman)

Named for the Spanish word for "stroll" or "excursion", this mystery cowl will include several interesting colorwork techniques worked with 3 colors merino custom-dyed by Keith Leonard of Yarn Snob just for us.

Where will this knitting adventure journey take you?  Learn while you knit something amazing!

Materials Fee: $98 for three magnificent hanks of custom hand-dyed worsted weight superwash merino.

More Double Knitting

with Lotta (@knittinglotta)

 Are you hooked? Wasn’t that what Lotta warned you about? 

In this workshop, we'll dive  bit deeper down in the world of double knitting while knitting a cozy hat--and will even learn how to knit different patterns on both sides.

 Students will receive a double knit hat pattern designed exclusively for this cruise.

Note: Double knitting in the round is easier and more fun than doing it back and forth in rows. Take this class and see it for yourself!

Hip to be Square

with Melissa (@Melissa.Leapman)

In this fun, hands-on workshop, explore the possibilities of this simple designer's building block. 

Learn several versions using color, texture, and more! Best of all, since each successive square is built directly onto a previous one, no sewing is required. (Read that: You might actually finish a blanket rather than store individual blocks in a drawer for eternity.) 

Bonus: Mitered squares are ideal for stashbusting!

Learn Intarsia: New Glamping Blanket

with Bronwyn (@casapinka)

Join Bronwyn to learn intarsia and learn how to make a blanket designed by Sharon

From Security.

 It may involve cats but if we tell you now, it’ll spoil all of the fun. Besides, Sharon says mum's the word.

Trust The Cat. Bulky yarn. Materials to follow. Maybe a kit. No homework.

Tips, Tricks, and Steeks

with Bronwyn (@casapinka)

Join Bronwyn for a fun 3 hour class to learn her favorite tips and tricks that can make your knitting easier and more fun:

1) How to pick up and knit stitches

2) How to make the last BO stitch tight

3) How to loosen the edges of your shawls if they are tight

4) How to make the garter tab cast on easier

We will finish up the class by knitting a small sample that you will steek yourself so you can try out one of the scariest things in all of knitting (which isn’t really that scary at all.)

Swedish Bohus Knitting

with Lotta (@knittinglotta)

As a Nordic citizen, cultural knitting traditions are close to Lotta's heart.

 Bohus Knitting was a project started in 1939 to create job opportunities for the women in the stone quarrying districts of  Bohuslän, Sweden. 

The patterns use isolated purl stitches to blend colors and add textured. These designs well known and  are still, 80 years later, very popular and high fashion.  

In class, you'll knit an angora hat with the typical Bohus patterns and colors.

Luna Shawl with Melissa (@Melissa.Leapman)

Hone your knitting skills while knitting this exciting crescent shawl designed just for our cruise.

Techniques include various slip stitch patterns and other textured stitches.

Each section (see what I did there?) introduces new patterns. I bet I'll hear you saying "just one more row!" in your cabin at night!

Stranded Knitting: This is How to Do It

with Lotta (@knittinglotta)

As in most areas of knitting, there is no right or wrong way to knit stranded knitting.

That said, Lotta has lots of great ideas to make this type of knitting easier and more fun.

In this session, learn all the essentials, including how to deal with long floats, how to choose a dominant color, how to manage double-pointed needles (and how to live without them and do magic loop instead!)

In addition, Lotta will guide you through the ins and outs of color choice.

In class, you'll practice these skills as you knit a lovely cowl designed especially for our cruise.

Choosing Colors  

with Bronwyn (@casapinka)

Is choosing colors the hardest part of your

knitting journey?  Do variegated yarns fluster you? Do you love speckles but don't know how to use them? Do you worry about having enough contrast in your projects, or are you trying to get out of your box? If so, this is the class for you! 

With no pesky color wheel and no strict Bronwyn will share her knowledge and experience to give you

confidence when choosing colors for multi-skein projects. 

The class itself will last two hours and in the final hour you can put your new skills to work choosing colors for

any free Casapinka pattern that you like (you will get a coupon code) or just hang out with us and knit. After this class, you'll always be able to choose the perfect color combo to make you want to cast on your new project immediately.

Design Your Own

with Lotta (@knittinglotta)

 Have you always wondered how intricate colorwork patterns are designed? Woul you like to try it yourself?

Join Lotta--a professional graphic designer--to take a deep dive into the  designing jungle! 

Using paper, pencil, and a handy eraser, you'll learn how to design your own mittens (or hat or blanket or . . . .).

Let Lotta give you an overview of the entire process and give you the tools you need for success.

Participants will leave the class armed with several small pixel motifs and a complete knittable alphabet.

Design-a-Gram: Mix and Match Hats

with Melissa (@Melissa.Leapman)

You'll be amazed by the variety of hats you can knit using Melissa's easy-to-use template! 

Plug and play colorwork, cables, stripes, and other design elements to customize your hats with ease.

Mosaic Knitting Made Wicked Easy

with Bronwyn (@casapinka)

Mosaic knitting can be very intimidating but it does not have to be. It is an excellent

way to use multiple color without doing stranded knitting or fair isle. 

In this class, you will

go from newbie to mosaic master.

The session is based on Bronwyn's Llama Drama pattern,  which requires

3 skeins of fingering weight yarn and you can begin it at the end of class if you wish.

Pattern included with class.

Swedish Twined Knittingwith Lotta (@knittinglotta)

For hundreds of years,  women in the Nordic countries have practiced twined knitting. This traditional type of knitting creates beautiful, ultra-warm, and super long lasting garments. 

In class, we will go back in time and learn all the essentials of the technique while getting a history lesson as you knit.