nordic masters

with Yarns by Design and Ragga a Knitting Iceland tour April 13th to 20th 2013

At a glance Tour dates: April 13th to 20th Accommodation: Sunna Guest House Knitting Instructor: Ragga Eiriksdottir Tour operator: Knitting Iceland Travel agent partner: LT Travel Included in the tour price: Airfare from Milwaukee*, accommodation for 6 nights in Reykjavík, meals as stated in program, two exciting fiber and nature focuse day tours out of town, knitting and spinning classes as stated in program. Price: 3700 USD Ask us about our discount for non-knitting companions. There is plenty to do in Iceland, even for non-knitters! A full day to day program will be Make your reservation by emailing to tours@knittingiceland.is *Participants are themselves responsible for travel to Milwaukee (MKE Airport).

The story Yarns by Design, the loved LYS in Neenah, WI, has hosted the Midwest Masters retreat for the past 10 years. They thought it was about time to bring Midwest Masters on the road so when owner Barb Cattani and Ragga started their collaboration the idea of bringing Wisconsin knitters to Iceland was born. The idea was presented at the 2012 retreat and was very well received, to say the least! Ragga Eiriksdottir, is the owner and manager of Knitting Iceland and an international knitting instructor. It so happens that Barb’s company Up North Fiber Arts Supply is the USA distributor for her DVD Knit your own Lopapeysa. Ragga has been organizing tours for knitters to Iceland since 2010 and is thrilled to be able to host the Wisconsin knitters and show them around on the knittyest island in the North Atlantic ocean. Ragga’s popular Lopi sweater patterns can be seen on www.knittingiceland.is and you can follow Ragga’s knitting ventures on www.raggaknits.com

The knitting and spinning classes The little Lopi hoodie – you’ll learn to knit a tiny little Lopi sweater that contains all the elements and techniques you need to know to knit aof a full sized one. Then you will get expert tips from Ragga before casting on your very own full sized sweater (remember, a sweater’s worth of yarn is included for all!). While knitting Ragga will tell you about the history of Lopi sweaters, the Icelandic knitting heritage and today’s Icelandic knitting scene. Basic drop-spindle skills – bring your drop spindle or borrow one at Ragga’s studio. We’ll dive into the Icelandic wool bags and really get to know the fiber by playing around with carding, drafting, spinning and plying. You don’t need to have any prior spinning experience to enjoy this class.

The day tours The Woolen Circle We’ll hop on a bus and ride out of the city to see some of the most awesome natural wonders Iceland has to offer. We’ll see Geysir (erupting hot spring), Gullfoss (huge waterfall) and visit Þingvellir (the old parliament site where you can stand between the European and American tectonic plates – photo is from there). Of course we’ll also meet sheep and visit a wonderful wool collective run by a group of local knitters, spinners and dyers. The Woolly West This tour takes you deep into one of the most creative and crafty parts of Iceland, the West. This beautiful area has a rich history dating back to the settlement around 1100 years back. We’ll visit people that dye with Icelandic plants, make beautiful buttons and pieces of art from horns, spinners and of course master knitters.

The Reykjavík Experience Ragga’s  design  and  yarnie  city  walk  Ragga  will  take  you  to  her  favorite  spots  and  places  in  down  town  Reykjavik.  You’ll  love  the  quirky  li<le  bou>ques,  the  art  galleries  and  the  bustling  crea>vity  of  the  city.      Geothermal  swimming  pools  Reykjavík  and  almost  every  single  town  and  village  on  the  Island  have  geothermal  swimming  pools  that  are  warm  and  cozy  and  open  year  round.  These  pools  play  a  great  part  in  most  Icelanders’  everyday  life.  Nothing  beats  siFng  in  a  hot  pot  gazing  at  the  sky…  we’ll  do  that  too!      

Meals Don’t’ worry, we will not eat the super cute lamb on the photo. But we’ll have some fabulous meals together. These meals are included in the tour price: Breakfast – all days except for the arrival date. Sunna serves great breakfast and their home baked bread is legendary. Lunch – lunch or lunch picnic is included on 5 of the days. Dinner – we’ll have 5 dinners together… that leaves two “free” evenings for you to go out on your own. Of course we’ll take you to some of our favorite restaurants in Reykjavík. Please make sure to let us know if you have any special dietary restrictions.

Iceland in april  First of all the weather is really unpredictable. April mornings can be lovely and sunny followed by heavy horizontal rain in the afternoon. An old Icelandic saying goes “If you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes!”. We ask you to come well prepared in terms of clothing and bring shoes that are OK for walking on wet, uneven terrain. If the clothes are right nothing will stop you from enjoying the city and scenes in all weathers. Physical activities This tour will include moderate physical activities. To fully enjoy it you should be able to climb a few flights of stairs, to walk outside on the hilly streets of Reykjavík for 2-3 hours, and to climb on and off our tour buses. Special Dietary Needs Please let us know if you have any specific dietary restrictions. We’ll do our best to accommodate to your needs.    

What to bring  Your knitting equipment such as knitting needles (32”/80cm circulars in US 6,7 and 8 / 4, 4,5 and 5mm), a drop spindle if you have one, darning needle, small crochet hook, sketchbook etc. If you forget something don’t worry. We’ll get you sorted or you can buy what you need at the LYSs. A camera is a must!  Good shoes for shorter walks on uneven terrain to wear on the sightseeing tour.  Clothes that will keep you dry and warm. There is little use for umbrellas in Iceland, they blow away all to fast!  Swimwear is very important, whatever the weather is...  Wash  and  WiFi  You’ll be able to wash clothes at Sunna. Your laptop or other equipment you like having around. You’ll have access to WiFi at Sunna and in many cafés and restaurants in Reykjavik.  

Terms of payment / Booking conditions In the following text KI refers to Knitting Iceland   VALIDITY OF PRICES: All rates quoted or shown in our tariffs are based on current purchasing prices in Iceland. KI reserves the right to change prices already quoted or published in our price lists without notice in the event of currency fluctuation, government taxes, or due to any other cost increases that are outside our control. Any eventual changes in rates will not be made with less than 8 weeks’ notice prior to arrival. After the invoice has been issued the price is guaranteed against any surcharge, unless an increase is due to government laws or currency changes. KI will absorb an amount equivalent to 5% of the package price. Amounts that exceed the 5% will be charged and clients will be entitled to cancel their booking with a full refund if the surcharge exceeds 10%.  CANCELLATION: All cancellations must be made by letter, fax or e-mail. In conformity with business practices within the Icelandic travel industry, the Travel Agent is obliged to charge cancellation fees to passenger(s) as follows:  CANCELLATION CHARGES: KI reserves the right to keep USD 150 confirmation fee to cover costs, if clients do formally cancel their participation within three months of departure.  CHANGE FEE: If one requests changes to the package, such as adding nights, changing hotels or dates a change fee of USD150 will be charged. Please note that there is no fee for booking additional nights in Reykjavík before or after the tour if you book everything at the same time. Last minute change fee: If a confirmed service is changed less than two weeks prior to arrival of the client, change fee of USD150 will be charged.  INSURANCES: We advise all our clients to have travel insurance. Upon booking you will have the opportunity to also book a travel insurance.  COMPLAINTS: All complaints must reach KI within 5 days from departure from Iceland. Otherwise possible compensation is not valid.  NOTE: KI reserves the right to alter tours and itineraries due to weather or road conditions. All programs can be changed or cancelled at any moment during the trip to assure the safety of the clients and staff of KI. No responsibility is accepted for losses, expenses due to delays, changes of flights, or other services or because of strikes, accidents, sickness, damage, negligence, weather, war, changes in schedules, or other similar causes. KI does not assume responsibility for accidents or death that can be traced to the participant´s negligence, acts of third parties or exterior circumstances such as weather, natural occurrences, war or other similar causes. KI reserves the right to change prices due to inflation or changes in oil price.