Our carefully selected teachers will arrive with a large backpack full of knowledge, tips and tricks. It is always nice to learn more about the teachers. Therefore we would like to give you some details about them.
Joji Locatelli
More about Joji
Joji Locatelli enjoys living her life in sunny Buenos Aires, Argentina, while dreaming of visiting the rest of the world armed with knitting needles and yarn. (She believes life is much sweeter when served with coffee and chocolate.) Joji self-publishes her designs on Ravelry, and likes to write Interpretations books with her friend Veera Välimäki.
Julie Dubreux
More about Julie
Julie Dubreux is a French knitwear designer and knitting instructor. Her enthusiastic love for the knitting community translates into colourful collaborations with indie dyers from all around the world.
Her designs have been published in Pom Pom Quarterly, Laine Magazine and Knit Now UK, as well as in books such as I Knit Paris, My Favourite Things and Homecoming.
Julie is both an entertaining and understanding tutor. She teaches skills and knowledge, but she also focuses on sharing enthusiasm and confidence, so knitters can follow their own path without fear. Her past experience as a high-school teacher allows her to manage groups of knitters with different levels of ability so that no one feels left out, and everyone actually gets to learn something new.
Aimée Gilles
More about Aimée
Aimée Gille is the founder and creative force behind La Bien Aimée, an artisanal dyeing studio and yarn store renowned for its vibrant and luxuriously hand-dyed yarns. Nestled in the heart of Paris, France, La Bien Aimée has become a treasured destination for knitters, crocheters, and fiber artists from around the world.
With a passion for color and texture, Aimée started La Bien Aimée as a small project fueled by her love for knitting and desire to create a community around hand-dyed yarns. Her journey into the world of fiber arts began with a blog where she shared her personal knitting projects and musings on yarn and color. Her eye for color and her knack for creating exquisite yarn blends quickly garnered a loyal following, transforming her passion project into a full-fledged business.
Anna Husemann
More about Anna
Anna Husemann is a textile and knitwear designer from Hamburg. Her work is all about the interplay between color, form and material – always in search of a modern, abstract interpretation of the traditional craft of knitting.
Her greatest source of inspiration is nature: here she finds not only ideas for motifs and compositions, but also special color nuances and structures. She shares her love of colorful patterns and environmentally friendly textiles in knitting instructions, in collaborations with international knitting magazines, and in numerous workshops.
Her first book, INTARSIA KNITS, which was published in October 2024, explores the intarsia technique in all its variations. Anna shares insights into her work on Instagram via @anna_husemann.
Irina Heemann
More about Irina
Irina Heemann is a graduate fashion designer, B.A. & textile designer, M.A. (studied in Germany/Hannover and Switzerland/Basel & Lucerne) and has specialized exclusively in knitting. Through her studies, she has developed a unique knitting technique that allows seamless knitting models to be created, but not only in rounds. She was nominated for the Swiss Design Award & Heinrich Blanc Award for this technique.
Irina Heemann has worked for knitting magazines and yarn manufacturers for many years, designing models. She also created knitted costumes for theaters and opera houses in Germany, Switzerland and Austria for five years.
In 2016, she founded “Stricken ohne Naht” (Knitting Without Seams) – an online shop for ecological knitting wool and seamless knitting instructions – and is present on Instagram as @stricken_ohne_naht.
Dario Tubiana
More about Dario
Dario Tubiana is an Italian knitwear designer living in Amsterdam.
After his humanistic studies in Israel, he graduated in Creative Knitwear Design at the Accademia di Costume e Moda, in Rome.
He participated with his knitwear collection at the Pitti Filati 2019 fashion show for which he designed, created and exhibited two knitwear capsule collections.
He worked as a knitwear designer at United Colors of Benetton in 2018 and 2019, and since 2021 he has been collaborating with the knitwear brand “Laboratori Knitwear”.
Since 2015 he has been collaborating as a knitwear designer with international magazines such as “The Knitter”, “Simply Knitting” and “Knit Now” and also collaborates with international wool and knitwear brands such as Fibre.co, mYak, Sheepjees, LangYarns, KatiaYarns, Mez Cucirini Italy and Prym.
As a teacher he has led numerous workshops in various events such as Vogue Knitting, Swiss Yarn Festival, Abilmente, Knit Italia, Lugano Creativa.
Since 2021 he has been teaching several classes for Vogue Knitting live both online and in New York City.
He lectured at the IED Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan knitwear techniques/collections and hand knitting and embroidery techniques and at NABA for the course in knitwear fabric design.
He currently works as knitwear designer for Esprit, in Amsterdam.
Aleks Byrd
More about Aleks
Aleks Byrd is a knitwear designer and illustrator whose work reflects a rich blend of heritage and creativity. With roots in the USA, Estonia, and Canada, Aleks draws inspiration from all three cultures, though her Estonian heritage remains a central influence in her designs. She skillfully integrates traditional Estonian knitting techniques into contemporary patterns, creating pieces that are both modern and connected to the past. As a self-proclaimed ambassador for Estonian knitting, Aleks is passionate about preserving these little-known techniques, giving them a fresh, wearable twist that resonates with knitters today. In addition to her design work, Aleks shares her expertise through popular workshops, where she teaches these unique methods to knitters of all levels. Her background in illustration adds a distinct visual flair to her knitwear, with a playful use of colour and pattern that makes her designs both enjoyable and rewarding to knit. Her portfolio of designs includes individual patterns as well as those published in The Knitter magazine and Laine Magazine as well as books like her llatest book Traditions Revisited – Modern Estonian Knits. Whether through her patterns or her workshops, Aleks brings a vibrant and accessible approach to traditional knitting, making it exciting for a new generation of makers.
Charlotte Stone
More about Charlotte
Charlotte Stone is the creator and designer behind Stone Knits, and is internationally-known for her love of knitting and designing whimsical colourwork knitting patterns. She has had work published in Laine magazine, and has been teaching colorwork knitting workshops in Zürich since 2019. In 2022, Charlotte published her first book ‘Charming Colorwork socks’, an international bestselling knitting book which is already being translated into German and Korean. Charlotte is originally from London in the UK, but has lived in Zürich with her family since 2008.
Simone Ryan
More about Simone
Simone Ryan is the person behind Rust Knitwear. She was born and raised in Switzerland but has American/Irish roots. She learned to knit as a child, but it was only during her studies and while pregnant with her first child that her passion really blossomed. Today, writing knitting instructions is the main part of her work. In 2021, she founded her label Rust Knitwear, and the name reveals her love for a particular color group. Since then, she has been continuously publishing new knitting instructions in English and German, mainly top-down models for adults. She has also been giving workshops on various knitting-related topics since 2021.
Chantal-Manou Müller
More about Chantimanou
My name is Chantal-Manou Müller alias chantimanou. My life revolves around wool and yarns. Hand spinning is my passion and processing my yarns is always an exciting adventure. I love breathing new life into the craft of hand spinning and being able to pass it on to many other interested people. My aim is to inspire people with my work and show them what they can do with their hands. But also to simply give interested people an insight into the processing of fibers and the many possible color plays and textures in yarns and textiles.
In 2010, I started publishing videos about spinning with hand spindles and spinning wheels on YouTube. I quickly realized that handicrafts is not my only passion. I really enjoy producing videos and inspiring people online and offline for the craft of spinning – and giving away a smile. Today, special attention also belongs to the fibers themselves. Wool is a great material and it is very important to me to promote the processing and trade of and with local wool.
I also enjoy spinning, knitting and weaving in my free time, while drinking a lot of coffee and listening to podcasts and audio books or watching thrillers.
Anna Dora and Margret Jonsdottir
More about Anna Dora and Margret
The sisters Margret and Anna Dóra have been knitting since they were kids, their móther and grandmóthers taught them tó knit, cróchet and many óther handcrafts. They have been designing sweaters and óther things fór óver
twenty years. Their patterns have been quite pópular in Iceland and they have alsó published óne knitting bóók tógether. Creating patterns and knitting is Anna Dóra’s hóbby and as a side-gig. Margret has been the ówner and shóp-manager óf Þingbórg Wóól Shóp fór many years. Margret and Anna Dóra have been teaching in The Sóuth Iceland Wóól Week and at the Swiss Yarn Festival in 2023. Margret had alsó a wórkshóp at The Shetland Wóól Week.
Knitting and óther handcrafts are a big part óf their life and they lóve tó share it with óthers.
Bärbel Salet
More about Bärbel
Bärbel Salet has been knitting since she was 12 years old and has always been fascinated by knitting with many colors and harmonious color gradients. Since 2012, she has regularly given workshops on how to plan and knit large, artfully patterned triangular shawls. On October 20, 2022, her first book KUNSTVOLLE TÜCHER was published by Stiebner Verlag. In addition to a comprehensive section on techniques that will help beginners overcome their inhibitions about such a large knitting project, another aspect was important to her: she designed shawls that are suitable for beginners, as well as models that offer a challenge to experienced knitters. She also uses the many photos to show that the shawls can be worn by all generations and ages and that they also look wonderful in muted tones.
Bea Lang
More about Bea
“…things or gifts that are almost indescribably wonderful”
(Astrid Lindgren: Mardie and Pims).
She passes on her enthusiasm for the craft to many interested people in her knotting courses. With the learned knots, a whole world of design possibilities opens up for the course participants.
Sabrina Schumacher
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Mona C. NicLeòid Wagner
More about Mona
“I grew up in a house full of knitters and learned to knit at the same time as reading and writing. For the last 10 years I’ve delved deep into garment design, shaping and fit.
I write patterns for my own designs and publish them on Ravelry.
It’s my mission to encourage other women to work confidently with their individual measurements and style preferences, in line with the motto: Create your own fashion!”
Lisa Meissner
More about Lisa
“I am Lisa – a full-time architect and an absolute knitting addict. For some time now, I have been knitting and writing my own instructions – my creations are known for colorful, geometric patterns. A few years ago, I fell for the magic of double knitting. I am still fascinated and delighted every time I see that knitting is possible without a back. At the same time, I love to push proven techniques to the limit and translate them into modern ones – over time, I have accumulated a small collection of special techniques such as the “Ladderback Jacquard”, which I like to use in my designs to “make the impossible possible”.
Manuela Thüler
More about Manuela
“Manuela Thüler is a designer and explorer with a particular passion for Japanese textiles and craft traditions. The themes of slow fashion, upcycling and the careful use of resources play a central role in her work.
She finds inspiration in old textiles and objects and enjoys experimenting with different materials and techniques. The experience of the process is just as important as the personal relationship with what is created.
Her curiosity and energy are awakened wherever there are stories to tell and connections to be made.
Manuela Thüler lives and works in Bern, where she also teaches various embroidery courses.”
Rüdiger Schlömer
More about Rüdiger
Rüdiger Schlömer (1978) is a visual designer and book author who works in the field of exhibitions and book design. In 2018, he published the book “Pixel, Patch and Pattern. Typeknitting” with Verlag Hermann Schmidt. Since then, he has been giving workshops at numerous font and knitting festivals, at the Museum of Design Zurich and at the Gewerbemuseum Winterthur. With Typeknitting, he publishes typographic knitting patterns and knittable fonts, such as the type family “Knit Grotesk” (published by Nouvelle Noire in 2023) and the typeface “Knit Hello”, which is specially designed for beginners.
Markus Hurley
More about Markus
“After knitting enthusiastically and without interruption for over 50 years, I built up my own company and brand ‘Herr von Strick’ in 2017. Since 2022, I have been devoting more of my time to designing knitwear and running courses and workshops. In my workshops, I aim to instill in participants a sense of self-confidence and trust in their personal abilities, as well as a sense of enjoyment in their own design. In doing so, it is particularly important to me to make visible and bring together knitters regardless of gender identity. It is also important to me to foster an appreciation for natural and sustainable yarns and to combine modern constructions with traditional cuts and patterns when building a knitted piece.”
Christina Serra
More about Christina
Christina Serra started teaching needle-felting workshops nearly 15 years ago in Western North Carolina, where she also had her wool paintings displayed in gallery shops and shows. Christina loves aharing her love of fiber arts with new people, and is excited to help more people discover the satisfaction that comes from learning how to make their own art pieces. Since childhood, Christina has been drawing, painting, and making things with her hands. In addition to the fine art textile wool paintings, she also spins, weaves, sews, embroiders, carves wood, and volunteers at castle museums.
Géraldine-Lucille
More about Lucille
“I am an art historian and folklorist who taught herself frivolité. As a passionate lace maker, I create delicate patterns based on 19th and 20th century instructions, creatively adapting them to our modern everyday lives. Frivolité, recognized as UNESCO cultural heritage in France, connects me deeply with my roots. It gives me great pleasure to design a traditional border for a Swiss costume or to apply an antique pattern to a modern garment or everyday object. This inspiring journey into the past invites us to celebrate the beauty and heritage of this centuries-old cultural treasure together.”
Theresia Lew
More about Theresia
Resi, also known as The PassioKnit Spinner, has been addicted to spinning for many years and welcomes anyone who would like to learn more.
Anita Haug
More about Anita
“I was probably born with a passion for handicrafts, I loved knitting, crocheting and sewing lessons at school.
Naturally, I then learned a creative trade and became a dressmaker.
Later, I continued my professional training and now work as an accountant.
I am married and unfortunately we have no children. My husband and I share our hobbies of cats and classic cars.
The trips with the club are always very interesting and you get to see the whole of Switzerland on the back roads.
Nine years ago, I started crocheting baby shoes and got involved in two scenes.
On the one hand, I got involved in the luggage market scene, where I was an active participant with my crocheted goods. Today I support the OC team of the Koffermarkt Winterthur on social media after actively helping to organize the Koffermarkt for 4 years.
And secondly, in the needlework and wool scene. I have gained an insight into many areas, especially online.
That’s when I discovered Tunisian crochet. I was fascinated by this technique right from the start.
I’m totally enthusiastic, really on fire, and the more I get involved with the subject, the more varied Tunisian crochet becomes.
Tunisian crochet is often referred to as a mixture of knitting and crochet and is therefore also called knitting.
In my opinion, it is much more than that and cannot be reduced to a mixture of knitting and crocheting.
It is an extremely exciting needlework technique that every woman and every man can learn.
The aim of my course is to teach a technique and to infect people with the Tunisian crochet virus.”
Anne-Sophie Chiarello
More about Anne-Sophie
Anne-Sophie Chiarello
Creating and making with my hands is my passion. I was born into the textile trade: my great-grandmother was already known for her fine knitting technique. The family consists of knitters, master weavers, stocking makers, tailors and sewing enthusiasts. Many made textiles their profession, for others it became a lifelong vocation.
I am particularly fascinated by the knitting traditions of the Shetland Islands. The wonderful play with all the colors of nature in the Fair Isle tradition and the mysterious world of the finest hand knitting technique in the world – both born in the inhospitable and harsh islands in the North Atlantic.
After many years in China and the textile stronghold of India and many trips around the globe, I have made myself at home in the Bernese Oberland. I am particularly passionate about knitting, as well as embroidery, crochet and historical sewing techniques. For me, freedom means creating sophisticated knitting patterns snuggled up in a warm blanket in my favorite armchair with a view of the lake and mountains.
Lotti Pfyl
More about Lotti
“I spent my childhood between sewing machines, patterns, Burda magazines, knitted socks and sweaters and my father’s fashion train. We were a creative family, I learned many techniques from my mom, as a teenager I learned to knit Occhi lace, knitted huge knitted tablecloths for my aunt, a 5m long SCB fan scarf for ice hockey matches.
Then came work, later family, then work again. I had to manage my time well, but my creativity always found its place. During my family time, I ran a quilting group and gave patchwork courses, and I was passionate about sewing for my kids. Later I learned hand weaving at the farmer’s school, spinning wool on the spinning wheel, but I gave up on lace-making. I discovered a love of cross-stitch, old samplers and their stories.
The internet opened up a new world for me. I discovered different knitting techniques from different countries, because until then I had only known Norwegian and Icelandic sweaters. For me, it was like learning to knit all over again. Now I am very happy to pass on the knowledge I have acquired about knitting. My professional career is slowly coming to an end and I can now use my time to create and design cross-stitch patterns and knitting patterns. You can find me on social media under Swiss Needleworker.”
Beatrice Frei-Hofer
More about Beatrice
“I am a mother, housewife and trained gardener living with my family in Flaach in the Zürcher-Weinland. I got to know the old technique of fillet knotting 6 years ago during the customs week Fiesch (organized by the Swiss Trachtenvereinigung). With my label beasallerlei.ch I have specialized in knotted loop scarves made of various fibres. Meanwhile I can call myself a Button millionaire and fillet knotting has become my great passion. ”
Regina Kaiser
More about Regina
“I am a hand therapist and passionate knitter. I would like to pass on my knowledge to those who are limited in their handicrafts for health reasons and would like to change this.”
Yara Peretti
More about Yara
“I’m Yara, 24 years old and I live in Malans GR. I like trying out new things, experimenting, bringing together things that seem incongruous and then seeing what happens. As well as knitting, I enjoy weaving on my loom, spinning, sewing, dyeing with vegetable dyes, embroidering, drawing, researching, visiting art museums, teaching textile design and studying at the ZHdK. I would like to inspire you with my enthusiasm for textile crafts and design.”