The Largest Knitting Event in the South East During National Knitting Week was held on

Saturday 21st October 2006

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Over 2,000 visitors flocked to South Hill Park for the very first Unravel knitting festival.  It was a really happy, social occasion combining knitting, art and live music. The feedback was brilliant with a resounding plea to do it again! The whole community got involved and mixed well with the many visitors who came from further afield.

Shane's Knit and Knot Workshop
Knit and Knot Workshop
Knit and Knot Installation
Knit and Knot Installation

As you entered South Hill Park, a beautiful 18th century manor house, you were immediately drawn to the interactive knit and knot workshop by Shane Waltener and the amazing installation of 1,000 strands of glorious coloured yarns by Extreme Knitter Rachel John, who set a new world record by hand knitting 1,000 strands of yarn on giant needles whilst at the show.

Rachel John's 1000 strands ready and waiting
1000 strands knitted for World Record

The spectacular knitted river displayed like a waterfall by Gerard Allt of I Knit London and the live music wafting around the building all made a strong impact on visitors as they entered the festival.  Having delighted in these spectacular exibits, visitors ventured further a field to see the beautiful wire knitted bicycle, complete with violin, wine and glasses in the pannier basket and dainty bird on the saddle  - all cleverly suspended in the huge landing window with a view down to the coloured sheep grazing in the park below! In the adjacent recital room fabulous designer textile collections were for sale and you could also catch a workshop on felt-making.

Knit A River
Music while you knit
Suspended Knitted Bicycle
Felt Making

Armed with a lighter purse and lots of goodies, the journey up to the first floor provided more feasts for the eyes with the life-size Knitted Garden displayed courtesy of ICHF exhibitions and the new Gingerbread House project unveiled by mother and daughter team Ann and Alison Murray.

Coloured Sheep
Knitted Garden
Gingerbread House

Then along the landing to admire the fabulous projects in progress at the wire knitting workshop run by talented designer, Sophie Jonas. Along a little further and you come across the beautiful installation of wire knitted Christening robes and bootees by Anne Maycock.  Next stop is a studio filled with spectacular installations of previous Knit and Knot workshops run by Shane Waltener earlier in the week with local school children. In another gallery you got the opportunity to see the amazing painted landscape project that linked with the brightly coloured sheep.  Just in time to catch the Poodle Badge Jumper and the Mystery performance in the studio theatre for a little light entertainment and a chance to pause and reflect.

Sophie Jonas
Knitted Wire Workshop
Anne Maycock's Christening Robes

Back downstairs the merriment was mounting as live jazz filled the building and sun streamed through all the windows.  A very conducive atmosphere for more shopping temptations and a chance to look at the fantastic interactive displays provided by the Berkshire Spinners, Weavers and Dyers, watch and marvel as Mike Abbott the wood turner turned knitting needles then buying some wool to get down to the knitty gritty with the Dropstitch knitting group who were passing on skills to newcomers to the craft.

Spinners, weavers and Dyers
Spinning Demonstration
Mike Abbott turning needles
Dropstitch Knitting Group

The fabulous football jumpers by artist Julie Henry and the under-tens football scarves caused a lot amusement and the lectures kept us well informed on the history of knitting and how it spread across the world presented by Martine de Lee.  We were also kept up to speed on latest developments on Knitting as Therapy by Betsan Corkhill, founder of Stitchlinks and we were provided with lots of clever tips and creative ideas by knitting expert Lucy Neatby. You couldn’t fail to be tempted to explore the knitted cave by Lynn Andrews and marvel at the huge sculpture created from the work of 936 local school children by sculptor Laura Smart before watching the Vitu-Knit presentation by Catherine Cobley and subscribing to Selvage magazine before returning home to get cracking on a new knitting project.

Julie Henry's Football Jumpers
Lynn Andrew's Knitting Cave
Laura Smart's School's Project
Laura Coburn's Designer Bags

See you next year!

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