The Longest Yarn

On Tuesday (November 12, 2024) my wife and I went to the Royal Garrison Church in Aldershot to see an astonishing exhibition of wool art, The Longest Yarn, a series of eighty tableaux depicting in 3D scenes from the D Day landings and the aftermath. Using a mix of knitted and crocheted figures, some designs quite complex, others simpler, each focusing on one minute aspect of the campaign and each a testament to the hours of dedication of the volunteers who made them and their extraordinary skill. The total length of the whole piece is some 80 metres. The eightieth stood away from the main exhibition, a poignant representation of an upturned helmet on a beach.

It took around an hour to snake around the Perspex containers and even though we got there relatively early, around 9.45, we had half an hour’s wait seated on reasonably comfortable pews, before it was our turn to shuffle through the exhibition.

It was all very well organized, although not without incident, a woman deciding to throw her coffee over one of the exhibits. The hot liquid did not penetrate the casing, a case of they shall not pass. The space between the exhibits was relatively narrow, making it a bit of a trial for wheelchair users and anyone in their proximity.

The exhibition was free, although visitors were encouraged to buy their informative book (£10) and to make a donation, both of which we gladly did. The exhibition in Aldershot closes on the 18th but is touring around the country, next stop Stoke Minster from November 21st and is even going to the States, Cape May in New Jersey from April 25th next year.

If you get a chance, pop along to see it. It is truly astonishing.