10-Day ~ Baltic Knitting Cruise (Aug 2018)
Holland America Line
Start Date: |
August 14, 2018 |
End Date: |
August 24, 2018 |
Baltic Knitting Cruise (Aug 2018) ~ Knitting Cruises Description
10-Day Jewels of the Baltic Knitting Cruise w/ Melanie Berg
Join fellow knitters August 14-24, 2018 on a knitting cruise visiting some of the best ports in the Baltic. Set sail from Copenhagen, Denmark for 10 action-packed days visiting ports in Estonia, Russia, Finland, Sweden and Germany. While the ship is at sea, knitters will have the opportunity of taking classes with Melanie Berg and while in port there will be plenty of time to shop for souvenir yarn and connect with local designers. We invite you to pack up your needles and come along for some fun in one of the best cruising regions for knitters, the Baltic.
Northern Europe is home to many leading-edge designers and has some of the most notable yarn stores in Europe. The onboard knitting program will be taught by the popular contemporary knitwear designer, Melanie Berg, a German-born designer who is most known for her modern designs that are beautiful to wear and fun to knit. Melanie will be teaching such popular classes as Shawl Construction, Colorwork Shawls, Losing Fear of Short Rows, Finishing your Handknits and Designing your own Mosaic Shawl.
All of the countries on this itinerary are well-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. On this cruise you will not only get to visit the shops of this non-profit organization but hear presentations about Estonian knitting and traditional costumes. The Estonian Folk Art and 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.
This cruise combines nicely with our 20-day Viking Passage knitting cruise with Hazel Tindall. Combine this 10-day Baltic for a 30-day knitting cruise extravaganza from Copenhagen to New York!
2018 Jewels of the Baltic Knitting Cruise Highlights
- Shop at Sommerfuglen, the largest yarn store in Denmark featuring the work of many popular Danish designers including Bente Geil, Marianne Isager and Hanna Falkenberg among others.
- Take a historical walking tour of Copenhagen and have lunch at Cafe G, a popular hangout for local knitters.
- 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.
- Explore the treasures of St. Petersburg, including the Hermitage, Church on Spilled Blood, Pushkin Palace, and Catherine's Palace among others.
- In Helsinki visit Menita, the largest yarn store in Finland.
- Shop for 100% Finnsheep wool dyed naturally with plants and mushrooms from Leena Riihivilla's open air stand at the waterfront market.
- 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.
- 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 Kiel, connect with designer Martina Behm, most known for Hitchhiker, the most popular shawl on Ravelry. See a trunk show of Martina's inspiring work and enjoy a typical German lunch prepared by Martina and her husband.