UNRAVEL 2013

Unravel Show guide with illustration by Amy Blackwell

This post is going to be an unashamed glorification of all things Unravel.
Look away now if you're ruing the day you missed taking a trip to this incredible Show . . . or read on and plan your knitty calendar around Unravel 2014!

MillaMia have been fortunate enough to be stallholders at Unravel for the past 2 years - taking a lucky (for us!) cancellation at the very last minute in 2012 and being invited back again this year. We initially wondered whether the Show would be right for us - not being a small indie dyer, or local craftsman, spinner or artist we were unsure if the Unravel customers may think we didn't quite fit. Of course, the fact that we've exhibited twice now, proves that this certainly wasn't the case - and we were in fact welcomed in a warm and cosy embrace by the other vendors and customers alike.

Unravel is unrivaled in it's friendly, intimate atmosphere - it's warmth due in part to the mix of vibrant, supremely talented stallholders and teachers and in no small measure to the loyal knitters, crocheters and multi-faceted crafters who stream through the doors of Farnham Maltings every February. These people aren't just customers - they are designers and pattern writers, yarn shop owners, podcasters, yarn dyers, farmers, spinners and textile artists - they are knitting celebrities chatting over their purchases and yarnoholics planning their next project.

The MillaMia stand in the Long Kiln Gallery

The venue, in itself a beautiful building perfectly matched to this lovely event, always offers a plethora of rooms to get lost in - each with a variety of stalls and people to discover. I don't have space enough to list all of the incredible people that I met at Unravel this year - suffice to say that I felt humbled by the excess of talent crammed into such a small space! You can find a list of this years exhibitors here but I must mention just a few of the vendors that I had the great pleasure to come into contact with (and, ahem, make a few purchases from . . .) It was great to see Pom Pom Magazine exhibiting for the first year, and to be alongside EasyKnits again. I met podcasters aplayfulday and Miss Elle Knits and on my pre-opening hasty shopping trip around the venue I also saw Fyberspates, Juno Fibre Arts, A Stash Addict (also their first show), Jenny Bartlett (beautiful needlefelt animals), Knitting4Fun, HilltopCloud, Sparkleduck and the marvellous Interknit Cafe who along with Selvedge Magazine are sponsors of the Show.

 Happy Shoppers!                                              The view from our stand

Some very loyal MillaMia customers made a point of seeking us out, and even some knitters who discovered us last year, came back to see what new and exciting developments we had made during the course of 2012.  I was thrilled to be able to show them the first of our 2 adult collections - Country Escape and Colour Coded (we sold ALL of the 7 preview copies on within hours of opening on saturday!) and for the first time, be able to offer the grown-ups some garments to try on! Judith, owner of Fringe (one of our stockists in London) came along with her son, Alex who was rather taken with the Stefan Jacket, and there were many other knitters who took the opportunity to try the samples on for size.

Alex looked great in the claret Stefan Cardigan

If I'm left with one lasting impression of Unravel, it is one of a crafting community that is generous, all-inclusive and passionate. You won't meet a more thoroughly decent group of people anywhere - well, apart from maybe at Unravel next year . . . see you there!
Oh, and a huge thanks to my Mum, Margaret who helped out all weekend.

(posted by Max)