YARNDALE WORLDWIDE CREATIVE PROJECT 2026

Our Charity Partner

This year we are supporting UNICEF to raise funds and awareness of their incredible vital work for children. Every penny raised will help to transform the lives of children around the world.

UNICEF is the United Nations Children’s Fund. A child rights organisation established in 1946. They reach more children than anyone else.

When an emergency strikes, they are ready to respond – no matter where or when. Their global network helps families and communities to withstand crises, recover, and prepare for the future.

UNICEF provides more children with clean water, life-saving therapeutic food and vaccines, education and protection from violence than any other humanitarian organisation. They work in more than 190 countries and territories and in the world’s toughest places, to reach children and young people in greatest need.

Let’s help them work to build a better world for every child.

Worldwide Creative Project

Yarndale is renowned for its large scale yarn installations and we love working with so many people all around the world to create the splendid display for the show. Many visitors still come to the show looking for their contribution and it’s such a buzz when they spot their triangle of bunting in The Gather.

We enjoy planning each project and it’s so brilliant hearing from knitters and crocheters all over the world when we announce the details and then receiving each and every completed piece as they are sent in for the show.

Bringing people together to make and explore different yarns and projects is the fun part of Yarndale. We work with people is so many ways and one of the most exciting is the annual project bringing woolly makers together from around the world in one huge shared make. It’s great to share everyone’s creations at the show and it’s fabulous to see the connections and friendships that are made along the way.

Worldwide Creative Project 2026

Inspired by Yayoi Kusama‘s interactive Obliteration Room, which we loved at the Tate, this year’s creative challenge follows in her footsteps to create an array of woolly dots to cover the auction mart in colour.

Yayoi Kusama’s work transformed a white space which visitors covered with coloured stickers. The blank canvas white room became an explosion of colour, with thousands of brightly coloured spots stuck over every inch.

We invite you now to make circles, as many as you like to create swathes of colourful dots at the show. This is the perfect way to use any scraps leftover from your projects. Bright colours will work best, think rainbows and sunny days.

Here’s the pattern for both crochet and knitted circles. Maximum size 7cm diameter.

This year contributions to the challenge can be made in advance and sent to us by 1^st September and they can also be made at the show to add to the display.

DOWNLOAD PATTERN (pdf)