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.
The advance sale has ended and no more workshops can be booked.
Soraya Garcia
More about Soraya
My name is Soraya, and I’m a teacher, knitting pattern designer and freelance editor. For the last five years, I have dedicated myself full-time to the Yedraknits publishing project (formerly Bellota). To date, we have edited five magazines, and some 15’000 copies have been printed and sold in mor than 20 countries.
As a designer, I have seen my patterns published in international magazines such as PomPom Quarterly, The Knitter and LITLG Mag. I have also spoken at international festivals such as Perth (Scotland) and Indi Untangled (New York) and teach at Spanish Yarn fests like Sevilla teje & Barcelonaknits. I collaborate with brands worldwide and run ongoing workshops online and in my current studio in Amsterdam.
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.
Dario Tubiana
More about Dario
Dario Tubiana is an Italian knitwear designer.
He started knitting when he was a kid and never stopped since.
After his humanistic studies in Israel, he won a scholarship and graduate in Creative Knitwear Design at the Academy of Costume and Fashion in Rome.
He participated with his own knitwear collection at Pitti Filati runway Fashion Show. For the even he designed, realized and exhibited two knitwear capsule collections.
He has been collaborating since 2015 as a knitwear designer with knitting magazines such as “The Knitter”, “Simply Knitting”, “Knit Now” and “Vogue Knitting” and he also collaborates with international wool and knitting brands such as mYak, Sheepjees, LangYarns, KatiaYarns, Mez Cucirini Italy and Prym.
He worked as a knitwear designer at United Colors of Benetton in 2018 and 2019 and currently collaborate with knitwear brand Laboratori Knitwear.
As a teacher he has led several workshops at various yarn festivals such as Abilmente in Rome and Vicenza, Knit Italia in Florence, Lugano Creativa in Switzerland, and collaborates with several yarn boutique in Italy and abroad where he teaches technique classes.
In 2021 and 2022 he taught several classes at Vogue Knitting live and he will be teaching at Vogue Knitting Live in New York next February, 2023.
He is currently a lecturer at the IED Univeristy European Institute of Design in Milan, where he teaches knitting techniques, embroidery techniques and knitwear collections.
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
“My name is Simone Ryan and I’m the face behind “Rust Knitwear”, a contemporary knitwear label which I founded in 2020. I work as an independent knitwear designer and blogger and teach a variety of knitting workshops here in Zurich.
My main focus is on designing new knitwear designs (like sweaters, cardigans and accessories) and writing and selling knitting patterns for these designs. Occasionally I work as a freelance designer for larger companies. My work is visually accompanied by a blog on Instagram, which can be found under @rust_knitwear.
Originally, I was active in the field of Psychology, however, due to the effects of the pandemic, I’ve changed my professional focus and am now living out my creative side to the fullest.
Knitting has been accompanying me for years and has always been my safe haven. My insatiable passion to knit and create started its journey in 2020 has been unstoppable since then. To be able to create my own garments with just my hands and some yarn and to be able to shape the pieces to my likings and colour preferences will never stop amazing me. I love working with my hands and being able to touch and feel the results. Every piece is so precious and with the right care, it will last you a lifetime.
I love sharing my passion and knowledge in the field of knitting with others, that’s why teaching knitting workshops is giving me so much joy. With my workshop I hope to inspire you creatively and that you will knit lots of wonderful and precious pieces, which will accompany you and your loved ones over a lifetime.”
Jule Kebelmann
More about Jule
Jule studied textile and surface design in Berlin. After university she spend some years as a knitting instructor and freelance knitwear designer for theatre, movies and fashion brands. With knitting for her two children the idea of a sustainable and local yarn came into life. Since her own childhood she feels deeply connected to the botanical realm and the healing properties of plants. A friend gave the idea to start dyeing with plant dyeing. It was love on first try. She started her own yarn company Hey Mama Wolf in 2015. Today Jule lives in an old water mill in the north of Germany with her family, chickens, angora rabbits and a lot of friendly plants.
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!”
Rüdiger Schlömer
More about Rüdiger
Rüdiger Schlömer combines his interests and experience as a designer and exhibition mediator in typeknitting. He studied Visual Communication and Art in Context, has worked for many years in the fields of exhibition graphics, signalling and book design and gives workshops in museums and art academies.
As a graphic designer he has discovered knitting as a way of making type and typography tangible and sensual. And to explore parallels between digital design and analogue craft. This has resulted in the book “Pixel, Patch and Pattern – Typeknitting”, which has been published in Vogue Knitting, The Knitter, Make, Page and Novum and has been nominated for the Design Preis Schweiz 2019.
In his workshops, Rüdiger teaches the basic principles of typeknitting with the aim that participants can apply them creatively in their own way. This happens in an open and communicative atmosphere, in which there is also room for new approaches and ideas. Typeknitting is thus constantly evolving as a “plug-in” for knitting techniques.
Rüdiger Schlömer lives and works in Zurich.
Markus Hurley
More about Markus
Born in Germany, Markus Hurley first studied psychology and German language and literature in Berlin, and later studied dramaturgy at the Leipzig University of Music and Theatre. After working at German theaters, opera houses and museums, he later focused on consulting and human resources development. In 2018, he founded the brand “Herr von Strick” with a store in Wiesbaden. There he also started to give courses and workshops around knitting. His main focus is on contemporary and modern designs that are wearable yet off the mainstream. Meanwhile, as a representative of high quality yarns, he also works with Swiss retailers.
In his workshop at the Swissyarnfestival, the focus is on motivating the creative potential of the participants and making the best use of their individual technical knowledge. To do this, he uses a method he developed in the form of a mood board, which, in addition to typical options such as materials, color and shape, also includes the personality of the participants.
Sibylle Peter
More about Sibylle
“Fascinated by yarn production? From wool processing? Interested in dyeing, spinning, knitting and crocheting from time to time? Want to produce something yourself? That’s exactly what drives me.
Since my youth I have always made something, be it knitted or sewn. During my stay in Norway at the end of the 90s, knitting fever definitely gripped me again. After my return to Switzerland, I had difficulties to find the right yarn for the nice warm two-coloured gloves. This led to an intense interest in yarn production, until finally a spinning wheel was drawn to me and I made my own yarn. At the same time I also experimented with plant dyes. In 2012 I completed a 2.5 year apprenticeship in yarn design with Zürcher and Stalder.
I am looking forward to many textile adventures wherever the journey takes me – according to the new motto: “share.learn.craft”.
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
The passion for handicrafts was probably put into my cradle, already in the
I liked school lessons most of all with knitting, crocheting and sewing.
Of course I learned a creative profession and became a dressmaker.
Later, I continued my training part-time and now work as an accountant.
I am married and unfortunately we have no children. My husband and I have hobbies with cats and vintage cars.
The trips with the club are always very interesting and you get to know the whole of Switzerland on side roads.
Five years ago I started crocheting baby shoes and so I got into two scenes.
The first scene was the suitcase market scene, where I was active as a participant with my crocheted goods.
And on the other hand into the handicraft wool scene. Especially online, I gained insight into many areas.
I discovered the Tunisian crochet. I was fascinated by this technique right from the start.
I’m totally thrilled, I’m really on fire, and the more I
the more diverse the Tunisian crochet will be.
Tunisian crocheting is often referred to as a mixture of knitting and crocheting and is therefore also called crocheting.
In my opinion it is even more and cannot be reduced to a mixture of knitting and crocheting.
It is an extremely exciting handicraft 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
To create and to create with my hands, that is my passion. The textile craft was born in my cradle: already my great-grandmother was known for her fine knitting technique. The family consists of knitters, master weavers, stocking makers, tailors and sewing enthusiasts. Many have made textiles their profession, for others it has become 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 long years in China and the textile stronghold India and many journeys around the globe, I have made myself comfortable in the Bernese Oberland. My enthusiasm is mainly for knitting, along with embroidery, crochet and historical sewing techniques. For me, freedom means creating sophisticated knitting patterns in my favorite armchair snuggled up in a warm blanket with a view of the lake and mountains.
Margret Jonsdottir & Anna Dora Jonsdottir
More about Margret and Anna Dora
The sisters Margret and Anna Dora Jonsdottir are from Iceland and as they are making a trip through Switzerland with their knitting group and stopping at the SwissYarnFestival, there is a unique chance for you to learn how a real Lopi sweater is knitted.
Theresia Lew
More about Theresia
Hello, I am Resi “The PassioKnit Spinner”. I have loved spinning for my life since 2007. In 2019, I founded “The PassioKnit Spinner Fiber School” and started giving spinning classes through Zoom. In 2020, I moved to Patreon and now share my knowledge there.
Spinning is a diverse hobby with endless possibilities and I am happy to pass on two special yarns to you: Sock Wool Spinning and Corespun Yarn Spinning.
Yara Peretti
More about Yara
I am Yara, 23 years old and at home in Malans GR. I like to try out new things, to experiment, to bring together things that are supposedly unsuitable and then see what happens. Besides knitting, I like to weave on my loom, spin, sew, dye with vegetable dyes, embroider, draw, do research, visit art museums, study at the ZHdK, teach at elementary school, go for walks with my dog Ombra and dance tango. With my enthusiasm for textile handicraft and design I would like to inspire you as well. Have the courage to get involved in improvisational knitting.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Christine Schlup
More about Christine
My name is Christine Schlup, since 2010 I am the owner of HandArbeitsTreff in Arch. Knitting, crocheting and everything that has to do with handicrafts is my daily work since then.
My experience as a dressmaker and training as a color and fashion consultant I let flow very happy in the customer service.
In my courses and workshops, I always manage to infect and motivate the participants with my knitting enthusiasm. At Wolle Schweiz I have already given several courses for retailers.
You can find info about me and my business at www.strickgut.ch, or as stricktine on Instagram.
I am looking forward to presenting the butterfly shawl to you at the SYF, in one of my courses.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Melanie Scharlé
More about Melanié
Making something with my own hands is a vital part of my life. My mother and grandmother taught me how to sew, knit and crochet when I was a child. Today, I use these crafts to create my own handmade wardrobe, whenever possible. Avoiding the fast fashion industry is not the only reason, why I make my own clothes, but to me it is an important one. I am most intrigued by the old techniques and I would like to contribute to keeping them alive for the next generations. One such technique is smocking, which I will teach you in the course. With smocking you can easily achieve a striking textured effect in your knitting. Stocking stitch, ribbing or brioche get a total different look. And the good thing is, it doesn’t require much extra effort during the knitting process. Anyone who can knit and purl can smock and can make items that look more complicated then they really are.
Last year I founded the magazine “The valiant Tailoress”. It is the first magazine that combines knitting, sewing and crochet to make entire outfits. The next issue will be out next year and smocking will play a major role in it.
Isa Kuhnert
More about Isa
5 years ago I had my first contact with felt as a material during an apprenticeship and since then I have become hopelessly addicted to it. I love to dive into my own world and to depict it in dreamy pictures. Fairies and gnomes and other magical creatures can be found on it. In addition, you will find very special birthday crowns with magical motifs. Pocket princesses, dwarfs and magic nuts are also packed.
Come and let yourself be taken from my world
enchant or learn to create such creatures yourself in a course!
I am looking forward to it.
Caroline Staub
Swiss Yarn FestivalMore about Caroline
Hello,
My name is Caroline and I am a wool specialist and course instructor in knitting, crochet and macramé.
I also work in the field service for Rico-Yarns. In the workshop we will also work with Rico Qualities.
I am looking forward to a great afternoon where we will dive into interlock crochet togther and I wish you a lot of fun.