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.
Natasja Hornby
More about Natasja
Natasja, an Amsterdam-based designer, draws inspiration from the city’s beautiful architecture and its extraordinary people. Her designs are a story of dedication, and tell of her genuine, spontaneous passion for beauty, art and design.
For her, knitting is more than making garments or accessories; it’s a way to connect, celebrate diversity, and showcase craftsmanship. Through relationships and interactions, each design is viewed differently by each beholder, evoking personal emotions while tapping into a collective understanding.
Natasja devours stitch pattern bibles, and thinking about the construction of knitwear is what keeps her awake at night. Her designs are contemporary, authentic, wearable and elegant, but always with a twist.
André de Castro
More about André
“I’m a knitwear/ hand knitting designer, researcher and instructor Based in porto, portugal.
My first training is as a classical violinist, but love of textiles and Clothes led me to study fashion design and illustration. Other passions of mine include history and knitting traditions from Around the world… so i devoted some years traveling around europe To learn and develop in depth the most diverse aspects related to Knitting traditions, even the most unkown ones. I’m a knitting “Geek” who loves design, math and i make the complex Things seems simple to my students! I knit and i can teach in all knitting styles: english, continental, Portuguese, left handed. .. Even with a knitting belt! I teach regularly in international festivals as perth festival of yarn (scotland), stitches events (us), barcelona knits (barcelona), wool
Monty in sheffield, among others… Since 2 years i have been a regular teacher for vogue knitting live (usa).
My designs can be found under the brand andreknits and i just Released my first book “Knitting around europe”!”
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.
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.
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.
Soraya Garcia
More about Soraya
Soraya is a passionate knitwear designer and instructor whose knitting journey is a tapestry of exploration, innovation, and profound love for the craft. Founder of www.yedraknits.com, her focus is on understanding knitting from the ‘why’ rather than the ‘how to.’ Soraya guides her students and fellow knitters to embrace the present moment, intertwining self-growth, texture, colour, and art into every stitch. Published in prestigious magazines like Laine, Pompom, and more, Soraya brings a unique perspective to fashion-oriented designs. Collaborating globally, her goal is to share the joy of mindful knitting, inviting everyone to craft a vibrant, meaningful story together.
Filipa Carneiro
More about Filipa
“I am a knitwear designer and knitting teacher living in Lisbon since 2013. I am the main designer of the most important Portuguese yarn brand and a reference for Portuguese knitting. My work has been published in “The Knitter” magazine, “Yedra Knits” and other magazines in Portugal and Spain. I regularly participate in knitting festivals, give lectures and classes in different languages, knitting styles and techniques. Last year I was a teacher at the Knit With Friends, Sevilla Teje and Barcelona Knits festivals. Lately I have also been teaching at Vogue Knitting Live.”
Jule Kebelmann
More about Jule
Jule is a textile designer and has been teaching knitting and dyeing workshops for more than 15 years. In 2015, she founded Hey Mama Wolf, which produces organic regional and plant-dyed wool. Today she is a knitwear designer and creative director for Hey Mama Wolf and Erika Knight Yarns. Her knitting patterns have been published by PomPomMag, Making Stories and The Knitter
Jule lives with her family in the north of Germany in an old watermill. There she knits, sews and makes pottery and gives plants, children, chickens, turtles, a cat and many other creatures a home.
Sabrina Schumacher
More about Sabrina
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!”
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.”
Arabella Miller
More about Arabella
“I had my first experience with the knitting machine during my fashion design studies in London. After that, I was fascinated by knitting machines. Back in Switzerland, I gradually acquired various knitting machines from the Swiss brand Passap. Since 2021, I have been giving regular knitting machine courses in my studio in Basel, as well as semester courses at the Basel Vocational College. I have also been teaching textile design and technical crafts at an elementary school since 2022”
Jolanda Schneider
More about Jolanda
“Why knit in particular? In the midst of the constant rush, knitting allows me to find a moment of peace in which I can concentrate fully on the simple interplay of stitches.
I developed a great passion when my grandmother taught me to knit when I was 9 years old. Since then, my enthusiasm has steadily increased and never let go.
My knitting instructions encourage people all over the world to get creative and create unique knitted pieces. The support and feedback I receive from knitters is an endless source of motivation and joy.
Knitting is not only a passion for me, but also a creative expression and a way to pass on my love of the craft to others.
I look forward to passing on all my knowledge to you in this exciting workshop.”
Nadine Grolimund
More about Nadine
“Hello, my name is Nadine, I am 42 years young and grew up in Glattfelden. At school I didn‘t like handicrafts so much. But since my childhood I have been wearing my mum’s knitwear. The knitting and crocheting is the absolute passion of my mum. I always liked wool, during school time I knotted for all my friends. My mum and I share the same hobby, we like to go as visitors to medieval markets, where I got to know the two techniques needlebinding and tablet weaving. I have been practicing these techniques for more than 10 years now and today we are also represented with a stand at a few medieval markets. Needlebinding has totally gripped me, it has become an addiction to try out new types of stitches and textiles have increased from caps to sweaters. Just consider that there are over 100 different stitch types and I can do their 15. Furthermore, there is the problem that there are no instructions, everything comes out of the feeling. But it is and remains my hobby, because my first passion is the animals. As an animal keeper EFZ and qualified dog physiotherapist I made my first hobby my profession.”
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. ”
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.
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.
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.”
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.”
Melanie Scharlé
More about Melanie
“Making something with my own hands is simply part of my life. I learned to knit, sew and crochet as a child from my mother and grandmother. As I am against fast fashion and the throwaway mentality, I make my own fashion whenever possible. And I’m most interested in using old handicraft techniques. Not only do they fascinate me immensely, I also want them to be preserved for future generations.
That’s why I launched the magazine “The valiant Tailoress”. It is the first magazine for handmade fashion that combines knitting, crocheting and sewing and offers instructions for entire outfits. So, for example, a knitted sweater with a matching sewn skirt.”
Natalia Gildenberg
More about Natalia
On these days we embroider together with Natalia, who embroiders herself and creates embroidery kits for all kinds of embroidery (portraits, landscapes, cushions, etc.) from photos. Take a look at our exhibition. All these pictures are made from photos and embroidered with a simple stitch (cross stitch, half cross stitch). People about us: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/handdeco.com?languages=all