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

Icelandic Sweater Class

Instructor: Kristin Drysdale       Class Capacity: 25
Class Level: Beginner through Advanced.      

Description ~ Icelandic Sweater Class

Icelandic Sweaters use big needles and fat yarn, so they knit up quickly, and you can easily knit a sweater during sailing time on a cruise. It's the perfect souvenir. Knitters can knit their choice of sweater from The Nordic Knitting Primer. Sweater options for this class are Haakon, Maja, Greta, Little Greta, and Larsdatter. Haakon and Maja are the easiest sweaters, Larsdatter requires catching floats, and Greta and Little Greta require float catching and occasionally three colors at once. This class is for everyone. Knitters new to colorwork can easily knit Haakon or Maja, and more experienced knitters can increase their colorwork skills by knitting with three colors.


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Stjerne Slippers

Instructor: Kristin Drysdale       Class Capacity: 25
Class Level: Intermediate      

Description ~ Stjerne Slippers

This class teaches you everything you need to know about colorwork in a nutshell. This is an intensive colorwork class. The goal here is to finish the slippers so that you can wear them for the rest of the cruise. Warning: You might end up buying more yarn in Iceland to knit another pair. Making these slippers is addicting; they are cozy to wear and make great gifts.


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Nordic Hat Class

Instructor: Kristin Drysdale       Class Capacity: 25
Class Level: Beginner through Advanced.      

Description ~ Nordic Hat Class

Jump right into knitting colorwork in the round with either the Freja Hat from the Nordic Knitting Primer or Kristin's Ebba Hat. Freja is knit with two colors, smaller yarn and needles are often saved for more experienced knitters, but this pattern is simple enough for a beginner knitter to knit. It's knit with Rauma Tumi, sport-weight yarn, which is an alpaca/Norwegian wool blend, which is small but not too tiny, and it's super soft and makes a lovely hat. I think Freja is a great project for new knitters because even though it's full-on colorwork, it's a small project, and the pattern was designed to be easy to knit. This hat is named after Freyja, the Norse God of Love. The top of the crown has five stars that together form a snowflake, and the brim is circled with hearts that represent love and courage. The body of the hat has two traditional XO patterns, The XO (Kors og Kringla) patterns in Norway are symbolic of a Christian and a pagan symbol. The X represents the St. Andrews Cross, and the O is the pagan symbol for the sun. I love that Norwegian patterns have Christian and pagan symbolism. Beyond being beautiful, it can add a deeper meaning. If you make something with hearts and crosses, the garment carries a secret message of love and encouragement to the owner.

 

When Kristin's kids were little, I used to tell them that I made their sweaters for them and included knit an X and O to remind them that I love them. When they were far from home, they could still know that they were loved. I hope you make this hat twice, once for yourself and a second time for someone you love.

 

For more of a challenge, the Ebba Hat is knit with mostly two colors but also has several rows of knitting with three colors at once. Ebba was designed for Valentine's Day, but if you switch up the colors, it tones down the Valentine's vib and is a very fun knit with a lot of heart. Ebba, like Freja, is a great hat to knit to give as a gift; it also shares the X and O pattern and hearts throughout. This is a great hat to learn how to knit with three colors at once. There are enough three-color rows to help you master this skill, but enough two-color rows to make it fun. Ebba is a blast to knit.


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Norwegian Fingerless Mitts

Instructor: Kristin Drysdale       Class Capacity: 25
Class Level: Intermediate      

Description ~ Norwegian Fingerless Mitts

Scandinavian knitting motifs have a rich history of symbolism. This is one of Kristin's favorite parts about Nordic knitting. I love that knitting holds secret messages of inspiration and love. Learn about the symbolism and history of Nordic knitting and make Kristin's Fingerless Mitts. These fingerless mitts are based on the traditional Selbu mitten but with a modern twist. Knit with Tuku fingering weight yarn, these mittens are traditional and beautiful. These mitts are the perfect project for trying out knitting with small needles and small yarn. I love the fabric that comes from knitting with finger-weight yarn and small needles. I also love intricate knitting patterns. These mitts are the perfect place to start. They knit up relatively quickly, and they are a great small and portable project that will be a lovely gateway to Norwegian knitting. Fingerless mitts are great for cool and cold days. It's amazing how cozy you can feel when your wrists are warm. Fingerless mitts make great gifts.


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Swedish Lovikka Mittens

Instructor: Kristin Drysdale       Class Capacity: 25
Class Level: Beginner through Advanced      

Description ~ Swedish Lovikka Mittens

Lovikka Mittens were first knit in Lovikka, Sweden, in 1892 by a young girl named Erika Aittamaa. They were made with heavy, Swedish wool. They were felted and combed to make them and soft and embroidered to make them festive. If you travel to the tiny village of Lovikka above the Arctic Circle, you can see the world's largest mitten statue, dedicated to traditional mittens that kept them warm in sub-zero temperatures, and the young girl who designed them.

 

Kristin's version is made with softer, lighter Plötulopi wool from Iceland. You will love working with this lofty, unspun yarn. They are knit in the round with double-pointed needles. The cuff is knitted halfway, and then the mitten is turned inside out, and then the mitten and knit in the round. This makes it so that when the cuff is folded, then the knit side of the cuff is on the outside. Stitches are knit onto scrap yarn for the thumb, and then the mitten is knit in the round to the desired length. The top of the mitten is shaped, and the thumb stitches are picked up and knit. The mitten is washed, felted, air dried, then brushed to make the mitten softer and fuzzier. Finally, the cuff is embroidered with DK-weight yarn. Embroidery includes flowers made with Lazy-daisy stitch, French knots, and duplicate stitch. Knitting Lovikka Mittens will help you master knitting with double-pointed needles. If you are a beginning knitter, it can freak you out to knit with five needles at once, but you'll get used to it. Interlock the DPN's to map a circle will help. It gets easier with practice, and you'll learn to love clicking sound that happens only with DPNs. Practice knitting with your right and your left hand to increase your knitting dexterity with both hands. Learning to use DPNs is an important skill for knitting colorwork on small circumferences. These mittens are super fun to make and so easy that you can memorize the entire pattern and knit mittens on the fly. Knitting mittens without a pattern is a super happy life skill and even a bit of a circus trick. If anyone has five pencils and some string, Kristin can make you a pair of mittens!


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