Reservations 877·97·CRAFT  (877·972·7238)

14-Day ~ Baltic Knitting Cruise (Sept 2018)

Holland America Line


Start Date:

   

September 2, 2018

   

End Date:

   

September 16, 2018

Baltic Knitting Cruise (Sept 2018) ~ Knitting Cruises Description

14-Day Baltic Knitting Cruise with Galina Khmeleva - September 2-16, 2018

 

Join fellow knitters on this 14-day Baltic knitting adventure visiting nine cities in six countries cruising round-trip from Amsterdam September 2-16, 2018. Cruise from the Netherlands to Denmark, Germany, Finland, Russia, Estonia and Sweden while being luxuriously pampered as you travel from one fabulous port to the next. While the ship is at sea, the onboard educational program will feature classes taught by Galina Khmeleva; while in port, you will have the opportunity to shop for yarn and connect with local designers and knitters. We invite you to pack up your needles and come along for some fun. Life is short and you deserve to make the most of it.

 

Northern Europe is home to many leading-edge designers and has some of the most notable yarn shopping opportunities in Europe. Your onboard knitting instructor extraordinaire, Galina Khmeleva, is very passionate and knowledgeable about Russian lace knitting and the history of the region. Cruising here with Galina is particularly special since she grew up in post-WWII Leningrad and has gained much respect as one of the world's leading experts and historians on Orenburg knitted lace.

 

 

All of the countries visited on this cruise are known for having rich knitting traditions. Estonia, in particular, is often a favorite destination and is well known for its Estonian Folk Art and Craft Union, Eesti kasitoo. This craft union brings together organizations and individual craftsmen and craftswomen in an effort to preserve and develop traditional Estonian hand crafts to not only keep this part of their culture alive but also to serve as a source of income and subsistence for Estonian craftspeople throughout the country. Estonia, and all the countries on this cruise, have strong cultural identities and preserving these traditions is of increasing importance.

 

 

14-Day Baltic Knitting Cruise with Galina Khmeleva Highlights

 

 

  • Visit Weldraad, Amsterdam's leading yarn shop for natural fibers produced using environmentally-friendly processing methods.

  • Attend a presentation about traditional Dutch Ganseys and learn the stories behind these Dutch fisherman sweaters. Like their British counterparts, Dutch Ganseys gave fisherman the warmth and protection needed to survive the harsh conditions of the North Atlantic.

  • Shop for yarn at Stephen West's yarn shop, Stephen & Penelope in Amsterdam.

  • Shop at Sommerfuglen, the largest yarn store in Denmark and see work by many popular Danish designers.

  • Take a historical walking tour of Copenhagen and have lunch at Cafe G, a popular hangout for local knitters.

  • Shop for kits by popular Danish designers such as Marianne Isager, Bente Geil & Hanne Falkenberg at prices below those in the US.

  • Take the train into Berlin or stay in the quaint port town of Warnemunde where you can walk on the beach, eat fish and chips with a pint of beer or take the train to Rostock to shop for yarn at Prunkist.

  • In Helsinki visit Menita, the largest yarn store in Finland.

  • Shop for 100% Finnsheep wool dyed naturally with plants and mushrooms at Leena Riihivilla's open air stand at the waterfront market.

  • Explore the treasures of St. Petersburg including the Hermitage, Church on Spilled Blood, Pushkin Palace, and Catherine's Palace among others.

  • In Estonia experience the coolest "Old Town" in modern Europe, Tallinn, which has retained its medieval character and is home to some of the best design studios and art galleries in Europe.

  • Shop for locally produced lace shawls and a wide range of knit-wear at the Estonian handwork union craft guild stores.

  • Enjoy shopping for linen and wool yarn at the lowest prices in the region at one of Tallinn's yarn shops.

  • Spend the day in Stockholm exploring the architectural beauty of Old Town, strolling through five centuries of Swedish history at Skansen Open-Air museum or shopping for Swedish yarn at one of several popular yarn shops located throughout the city.

  • In Kiel connect with designer Martina Behm for a trunk show of her work including the popular Hitchhiker shawl.

  • Meet Lotte Kjær in her studio near Aarhus and shop for locally dyed yarn. Lotte will give a talk about what inspires her and some of the popular designers from this part of Denmark.

  • Shop at popular yarn shops in Aarhus including Fandango Garnbutik, Garnkisten, Garnlageret and Yarnfreak. Here you'll be inspired by Danish designers, products, yarn and more. Aarhus is a port that is rarely visited but never disappoints.

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