Unravelled

Finally here is some unequivocal proof that guerilla marketing works.. at least on me. While wandering around Farnham last weekend, I noticed a proliferation of knitted items draped on or covering various items of street furniture; a yarn-encrusted lamp post here, a knitted spider sitting on some metal fencing here. Attached to each one was a QR code. Being the inquisitive sort, I took out my mobile and scanned the code. What's the worst that could happen? A) my phone might combust B) My entire bank balance might be sent to Outer Mongolia C) I could find out something interesting.

Thankfully 'C' was the outcome as the QR code connected me to a website for 'Unravel' an annual knitting festival in Farnham, which happened to be on THAT VERY WEEKEND! Score! After suppressing the desire to look smug, I decided to check it out the next day.

A warm welcome awaited me:

Knitted frame *and* plinth. These guys are serious.

I was too late to book in any classes, but just checking out the market stalls was enough for me. This place was well-stocked!

Even saw a couple of things which *almost* made me want to take up crochet again.

Temporarily tempted by some pretty Jawolle, but convinced myself that it would probably pool funny..

Sadly I missed the official Unravel tote bags which had the same print as the cushion below. As with all things knitterly, you snooze, you lose.

The workshop and cafeteria area were also buzzing.

Even the loos had not gone undecorated.

En route to the exit, I made one last excursion to the other end of the building and found another massive hall full of goodies:

Damn you Unravel, you know my weakness for buttons!

I also found this book (sadly not for sale) which was hilarious. It contained various projects aimed at keeping young ladies busy at the weekend i.e. knitting, setting your hair, cooking, baking, sewing etc. A part of me thought 'how sexist' and other part 'sounds like fun'. In the end I decided that it probably makes a big difference whether you have chosen to do any of these things yourself, rather than having them forced upon you by society.

On the way out, I took a closer look at what I initially thought were some knitted ducks. Nope, they are knitted mole hills, complete with moles!

Some rather bored-looking sheep.

So did I buy anything? Well, obviously it would have been rude not to!
In the end I picked up a couple of things from the Skein Queen stall: two hanks of cashmere DK from Lotus Yarns and a skein of cobweb merino/cashmere/silk from Skein Queen.

I also fell for an assortment of buttons which I reckon will look good on future baby clothes projects.

So there we have it. A rather lovely and unexpected knitting indulgence. Who says that technology and knitting don't mix?