Yarndale & puppets

Last Sunday, on a gloriously sunny day, I headed to Skipton to visit Yarndale. Apparently it was so popular that there had been massive queues and traffic jams the day before! Luckily I chose the 'quieter' day to visit.

I didn't take many photos inside or around the venue because I was so busy just taking it all in. This one gives you an idea of what the building was like though. The venue is an auction mart for livestock and all of the stalls were set inside these animal pens. At first appearance, it looks as though it could be a little bleak with all that metal and concrete (and I did wonder if it might have been a bit chilly on a less sunny day) but there was so much warmth and colour from all of the gorgeous yarns on sale that you really didn't notice it. Also, while I was there, a brass band was playing which only added to the atmosphere.

For me the best part of the show though was the bunting. I can't describe to you just how vibrant and colourful it all was and the photos really don't do it justice. No doubt like everyone else who had submitted triangles, I wandered around eagerly looking for mine. What were the chances of spotting them amongst this vast array?

Well, dear readers, I found one! It's the green and orange triangle in the top row. It was so exciting that I had to go back and take more photos later because all the first ones I took were blurred!

After all that excitement I decided to get some fresh air and go on the Yarn Walk into town.

The walk takes you through the wide open spaces of Aireville Park. So many beautiful trees. I saw a few children trying to knock conkers out of a horse chestnut - a true sign of autumn.

I enjoyed looking out for the trees and lamp posts wrapped in colourful crochet. It was such a good idea to yarnbomb along the path as it meant that you always knew you were going in the right direction.

This gorgeous blanket was at the entrance to the park.

As were these colourful flowers.

On leaving the park, you turn to head along the towpath of the canal and here was my absolute favourite part of the yarnbombing...

Ducklings! I saw lots of passers-by looking and smiling and who could blame them? It makes me smile just looking at the photos again :)

As I was walking into town, I could hear drums and music getting louder and louder. Not only was it the weekend of Yarndale, it was also the weekend of the biannual Puppet Festival. By sheer luck, I arrived at the High Street just as the Puppet Parade appeared.

Aren't they incredible?

By this point it was time for lunch and a 'fruity sheep platter' (a savoury scone with 2 types of cheese and 3 types of fruit) and a cup of tea at the Three Sheep Tea Rooms.

Suitably refreshed, it was time to head back along the canal, a small tub of banoffee ice cream in hand, for a last look at Yarndale before heading for home. Look what I missed on my way into town though! Doesn't the cat at the back look just like a real cat stretching up into the sun's rays? I love the barge art too.

Back at Yarndale I spotted some other yarn bombing which I'd missed before. These balls looked so effective - they'd look great hanging off the tree in my garden. I can see crochet balls appearing on trees all over Britain!

And more of that lovely bunting.

When I arrived back, the stalls were a lot quieter, making it easier to wander around. I also still hadn't done one of the things I really wanted to do - say hello to Lucy. I'm pretty shy so it took a few more times circling around before I gathered my nerve. I'm so glad I did though because she's just as lovely as she seems from her blog.

And did I buy anything?

Just a couple of things - I was very restrained and mindful of my budget. I saw this pattern for wristwarmers and couldn't resist. There was a sample made up and the yarn was so silky and soft. I also couldn't resist the felted brooch made by the blogger Marmalade Rose - her stall and the work on display was truly stunning.

If you want to see more of the event itself, I'd recommend Jacquie's 3-part write-up which gives a real flavour of the venue and the yarn walk. Plus she also visited Lucy and Tracy's studio which I completely forgot about.

It was a fab day out and particularly being lucky enough to see the puppet parade too. Roll on next year!