The introductory blog post you will find here: knitting course I
The schedule of the upcoming trip is as follows:
Please plan your arrival to
Tallinn on the 21rst or 22nd of August and we will provide you recommendations for hotels and choosing your traffic vehicles when you give your name up for the trip. Also, we would like to know if there are some special requests or food preferations from your side. Feel free to let us know! It is highly important, so we could ensure you the best knitting trip without worries and inconveniences.
On the 22nd of August we will meet in Tallinn and drive to
Haapsalu together – we might say to the shawl capital of Estonia. On this very day takes place the shawl knitting competition and other events of the Annual
White Lady’s Festival. We will arrange a visit to the museum’s room that is dedicated to shawls and offer you the possibility to buy the English version of the book Haapsalu Shawl.
The first day will end in the Altmõisa Guesthouse, which will be an utterly
peaceful place even for a local spirit. Delicious food and peaceful rest will be guaranteed. It’s not at all a long trip to the nearest beach or to the bird observing park and those who still have the courage, can take the bicycle there. The evening is planned to end with a common dinner and getting to know each other.
We will start the 23rd of August in
Haapsalu by letting a guide to show us the Episcopal Castle, old city hall, Czar Peter I Memorial Museum and the
wonderful house of Ilon Wikland. You do know the fictional children book’s characters of Astrid Lindgren and Ilon Wikland? Exactly this kind of a miraculous fairytale world we are going to take you! A true visit to Haapsalu would be worth nothing without seeing the beach and promenade in the end of the city. We can only hope that the weather would be on our side, so we could have an unforgettable walk there.
By the end of the day we will head out towards
Pärnu, where we are expected to spend the rest of the days in the
Green Luxury Mansion. Peaceful place, a picturesque creek flowing next to the house and large handcraft room – all reserved just for you. The Green Luxury Mansion is been called the first handcraft hotel of Estonia. If there’s time and will, then we could continue the trip with an introduction visit to Pärnu. Scenic resort, pure sand beach and
Gild of Mary Magdalena with the various handcraft shops await us.
On the 24th of August Aime Edasi and Siiri Reimann will arrive to the Green Luxury Mansion to join us. Together they will provide knowledge of traditional Haapsalu shawl knitting technique and wisdom. The craftsman will be there on the 26th as well, when we can continue with the workshop. In all of the evenings, we have planned common non-official workshops, where I or someone else with the knowledge will also join to give guidance in experiencing knitting a unique shawl. During these days shall everyone finish a mini sized Haapsalu Shawl according to the Shawl knitting mandatory rules. Starting and finishing in the traditional way, nupps and other wisdom knitted inside the shawl.
On the 25th we hope to take you to the farmstead in the county of Pärnu, where you can witness the true country style of living. This
particular farm holds a great value to the handcraft lovers – we will see how the sheep is raised and how the yarn is been made out of their wool. The process from wool to yarn will be demonstrated to you firsthand. In addition, we hope to offer you true Estonian food straight from the local kitchen.
We will be visited by
Juulike on the 27th of August. From the pots and vessels of this vivid young lady, we can find the most odd and interesting herbal mixtures and concentrates. With these mixtures she dyes the yarn. There you can have a try to dye the yarn yourself and also buy some if you like. Exciting, isn’t it?
On the last day of the trip we will tie together what ever loose ends we might have from the knowledge of knitting a true Haapsalu shawl. And by that day, everyone should have their sample shawl ready. The trip will end with a common good-by-lunch and we will send off the participants to Tallinn if they wish to.
All the days of the trip will the land lady of the Green Luxury Mansion take care of the meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) or provide you with vouchers in case you would like to try a meal somewhere else. Pärnu is only few kilometers from where we stay and you will always have a chance to stop by there.
At the moment we are having discussions with a master who knows the history of the laces and knows how to maintain the good condition of it. If the outcome is successful, then you will have a fun and educating course in addition. As a surprise, we have planned an outdoor event with Estonian music and local food – you are welcome to a village festivity!
The cost of the whole knitting trip is 8000EEK, which includes accommodation, transport on our trips among Estonia and daily meals. Also, the participation on the program that I have described during this letter (there could be a slight change of plans, but of course we will inform before the registration if some should occur). Among other things, you will be around tons of fresh air, could have the opportunity to pick wild berries in the nature, walk barefoot on the morning wet grass and the ultimate pleasure of all – knit without disturbance in a friendly environment until the morning hours if you will. PS! For all the participants we will provide a starting kit with decent needles and traditionally fine Haapsalu shawl yarn. And who still hasn’t got the Haapsalu Shawl book in her/his possession; I can assure you they will have it by the end of this trip.
Although my partner Kadri was ill recently, I hope you don’t have to wait for an answer for too long. We wish to plan a trip for your, that will stay in your hearts for a long time!
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