Norman is bringing the knitting traditions from his hometown right onto the cruise ship. You will learn all about the history of Bavarian knitting and the intricate designs that are such a prominent part of the traditional costumes of the European alpine region. Together, you will knit a little sampler to study all the important techniques used to knit the socks and jackets Bavaria is so famous for.

You will also get the chance to examine authentic examples of Bavarian knitting from Norman’s very own collection, together with the patterns that go along with them. Through pictures and videos, you’ll also get an insider’s view of the regional differences and the many possibilities modern knitters can find in these centuries-old techniques and patterns.

Take  a journey through the history of handknitted socks and stockings, with a  focus on the practical garments worn by ordinary people rather than the  elaborate stockings of royalty and the aristocracy. Roxanne will share  surviving historical examples and handknitted recreations spanning  several centuries, exploring how stockings were constructed, how they  were shaped to fit, and the ingenious solutions knitters used long  before modern sock construction became standardized.

You'll have  the opportunity to examine historical stockings and replicas up close  before trying your hand at an unusual construction technique found in an  early sock. Roxanne will demonstrate the technique step by step, and  together you'll knit a sample that lets you explore how it works. Time  permitting, she'll also demonstrate a related technique found in  traditional Cowichan knitting.

Following in the steps of make do and mend, old knitwear can get a second lease on life. Maike will show you how to look at thrift store sweaters as a source of natural fiber yarn, starting with how to identify which sweaters can be unraveled successfully. You’ll learn how different construction styles impact reusability, how to identify seams to be unraveled, where unraveling must begin, and which warning signs mean a sweater is better left on the rack.

You’ll have the chance to examine several types of sweater construction before carefully dismantling and unraveling a garment section of your own. Together, we’ll unwind the recovered yarn, estimate its yardage, discuss how to prepare it for re-knitting and explore projects suited to reclaimed yarn. You’ll leave with your own reclaimed yarn, a guide for spotting future thirft store treasures and the knowledge to transform overlooked knitwear into something entirely new.