This weekend is the yarniest event ever, Wonderwool Wales. Here is out exclusive guide to the weekend!
The Wonderwool Wales event is taking over Builth Wells Royal Welsh Showground this weekend (22nd-23rd April 2017) for the wooliest event in the calendar, the 11th Annual Wonderwool Wales Festival!
Promoting an incredible range of Welsh and British products with the opportunity to meet the amazing people that make them everyday, it is a great family day out with plenty of hands-on activities for all to enjoy, including woolschool workshops and events showcasing the best in Welsh and British wool and natural fibres.
Wonderwool Wales has exhibitors and trade stands covering all parts of knitting, felting, weaving, spinning and crochet as well as textile art with raw materials, equipment, books and finished products. There are also a large number of demonstrations and wide selection of fibre animals on display which include alpacas, sheep and angora rabbits!
This years event has a special centenary textiles exhibit showcasing the role and development of handmade textiles during WW1, telling the story of how things were made 100 years ago with an interactive area where visitors can take part in a community project: A Curtain of Poppies. This project will include textile poppies to commemorate those from the UK who died serving their country, Volunteers are invited to use the range of patterns to make one or more poppies to feature in 2018.
Knitting was a huge part of the first world war, as was proven during the making of the WW1 film, Tell Them of Us. Women supplemented the basic military uniform by knitting for the men on the front line, making gloves, scarves, balaclavas, sleeping helmets, wrist warmers and more. The items were either sent by families of the soldiers or by major organisations such as the Red Cross, Queen Mary’s Needlework Guild or the Regimental Comforts Fund. You can see the clothing from the film at the exhibition.
Go along to this weekend to find out more and celebrate all things yarny! For more information go to the official website, www.wonderwoolwales.co.uk
Online tickets for the festival have now sold out but you can still get tickets on the door at the following prices:
Day ticket: £10 per person
Weekend ticket: £18 per person
Photography by John Teale.
Share