Danube River

Knit Retreat 2027

Budapest, Hungary to Vilshofen, Germany

07 - 14 November, 2027

Only 150 Spots

With more Special Guest Knit Instructors/Presenters than ever before!

Mary Jane Mucklestone -  Instructor/Designer - USA

Laura Nelkin - Instructor/Designer - USA

Janette Budge - Knit Instructor - Scotland

Di Gilpin Knit Instructor/Designer - Scotland

Sheila Greenwell - Instructor/Designer - Scotland

Knicoleknits - Knit Instructor/Podcaster - Canada

Our Yarn Shop Hosts - Deb McDonald & Janine Smith, Skein Sisters, Sydney Australia

Onboard Pop-up Yarn Shop - Bilum Yarns from Budapest, Di Gilpin Yarns from Scotland

7 AMAzing nights onboard the NEWEST & LARGEST river cruise vessel on the Danube!

AMARudi's Inaugural Season

Experience the heart of Europe on a cozy, creativity-filled exclusive Danube journey from Budapest to Vilshofen, where storybook towns, grand imperial capitals, and charming riverside villages unfold at a relaxed, inspiring pace. Sail through breathtaking scenery while enjoying meaningful cultural experiences, warm hospitality, and plenty of time to unwind and connect with fellow travelers.

Curated especially for knitting enthusiasts, this exciting knit retreat includes four enriching knitting workshops along with engaging fiber-art presentations and onboard experiences.. Guests can browse our exclusive pop-up yarn shop featuring luxurious fibers from Bilum Yarns in Hungary and Di Gilpin Yarn from Scotland; perfect for finding beautiful, lightweight treasures to bring home.

LAURA NELKIN

Knit Instructor & Knit Designer

USA

LAURA is a prolific and innovative knitwear designer and pattern maker. She is known for her complex but accessible designs that challenge knitters to think about their stitches in a new way. Taking inspiration from her home in the gorges Fingerlakes Region of Upstate New York, Laura loves incorporating elements into her designs that reference the landscape around her.

Laura has traveled all over the country to teach classes and workshops on some of her favorite techniques. She loves to share her enthusiasm for knitting with others!

Laura has an extensive line of self-published patterns, knitting clubs (The N Club, and Lola's Choice, knit-a-longs, and online classes through Craftsy and YouTube. Her patterns are challenging yet accessible thanks in large part to extensive video tutorials. Laura makes sure that no knitter is ever left behind!

MARY JANE MUCKLESTONE

Knit Instructor, Knit Designer & Author

USA

MARY JANE is a celebrated American knitwear designer, teacher, and author known for her innovative colorwork and contemporary approach to traditional knitting techniques. Based in the United States, she has gained international recognition for creating stylish, wearable knit designs inspired by Scandinavian and Fair Isle traditions. Mucklestone is also the author of several influential knitting books, including Fair Isle Weekend and 200 Fair Isle Motifs, which have inspired knitters around the world with their creative patterns and practical instruction..



JANETTE BUDGE

Knit Instructor & Knit Designer

Shetland, UK

JANETTE BUDGE is a Shetland-born knitwear designer, Fair Isle knitting tutor, and passionate advocate for preserving traditional Shetland knitting techniques. Raised on the Westside of Shetland, she learned to knit at a young age and was inspired by her mother’s work knitting Fair Isle yokes. Through her workshops, designs, and involvement with organizations such as Shetland Wool Week and the Shetland PeerieMakkers, Budge shares the rich heritage of Shetland knitting with students from around the world. Her colourful Fair Isle designs are inspired by Shetland’s landscapes, history, and community, helping keep the island’s knitting traditions alive for future generations.



KNICOLEKNITS

Knit Instructor & Youtube Podcaster

CANADA

NICOLE is the creator of Knicoleknits, a YouTube knitting education channel devoted to pattern understanding, smart modifications, and making knitting work in real life  for real bodies, real wardrobes, and real attention spans.

Best known for her no-nonsense approach, dry sense of humor, and snarky side-kick, Oscar the Dog, Nicole teaches knitters how to think their way through patterns instead of following them blindly. Her focus is pattern hacking: adapting existing designs to fit your body, your preferences, and the way you actually wear knits — without turning every project into a full redesign.

DI GILPIN & SHEILA GREENWELL

Knit Instructos, Designers, Authors

and Judges Game of Wool Season 1

Scotland, UK

DI and SHEILA are internationally acclaimed Scottish textile designers known for revitalising traditional knitting through contemporary design, craftsmanship and sustainability. Based in Scotland, their creative partnership has grown into a leading hand-knit design studio, with work that is highly sought after and deeply rooted in the country’s cultural heritage.

Together, Di and Sheila are widely recognised for their expertise in gansey knitting, an intricate technique rooted in British maritime heritage. Their collaboration on The Gansey Knitting Sourcebook has become an essential reference for knitters worldwide, combining historical insight with accessible guidance for contemporary makers.

In Autumn 2025, Di and Sheila brought their expertise to a wider television audience as judges on Game of Wool, further cementing their role as leading voices in contemporary craft and design.

MARIA NEFISCHER

Zum Schwarzen Schaf

Pop-Up Yarn Shop

MARIA is an Austrian knitwear designer, instructor, and owner of (Knitting Makes You Happy). Based in Seitenstetten, Austria, she creates colorful knit designs and teaches traditional techniques like Fair Isle and Icelandic sweaters.

Maria is a stocklist for Di Gilpi yarns and will be joining us onboard for a presentation on the Austrian Cable.  Maria will also be selling Di Gilpin yarn in our onboard pop-up yarn shop.

MICHELLE STREICHER

Owner & Retreat Organiser

SPJ Retreats, CANADA

Michelle is the creative heart behind SPJ Retreats, bringing together memorable knitting and fibre adventures in some of the world's most inspiring destinations.

With more than 26 years of experience in the travel industry across Australia and Canada, Michelle enjoys creating thoughtfully curated South Pacific holidays and knitting retreats that celebrate the creativity, traditions, and culture of fibre arts from around the world. Her greatest pleasure is connecting like-minded people through shared experiences and a love of travel and making.

One of the questions she's asked most often by retreat guests is, "Do you knit?" The answer is an enthusiastic yes!



Michelle discovered her love of knitting when her eldest child was just six months old while living in Australia. Keen to build a solid foundation, she enrolled in two three-month knitting courses at the local college in Armidale, where she developed the skills and techniques that continue to shape her knitting today. What began as a desire to learn the craft well gradually grew into a lifelong passion, one she now enjoys sharing with knitters from around the world through every retreat.

DEB MCDONALD & JANINE SMITH

Yarn Shop Owners

Skein Sisters, AUSTRALIA

Skein Sisters is Australia's ultimate yarn destination.  The product of years of planning by friends (and your co-hosts).  Skein Sisters opened its doors in the inner west of Sydney, Australia in April 2017. Nine years later and the shop and webstore is a customer favourite, occupying a special place at the heart of Australia's crafting community.

In 2003, they realised a dream with the launch of their own range of exquisite, hand-dyed yarns.  Skein Sisters Yarns has a very special place in their hearts as it was always part of the initial plan when they first envisioned what Skein Sisters was going to represent in the yarn industry.  Today they have multiple ranges with plans for more bases, colours, clubs, special releases, patterns and lots, lots more.

All created with sustainability and decreasing our environmental footprint in mind.  They send yarn oll over the world.   Go and visit them in person or check them out online - they're so glad you're now a part of their Skein Sisters family.

AMARudi Deck Plan

Piano, Cello and Violin