Events start this Friday, with the town to be transformed into a woolen wonderland by the festival end. 

An army of young yarn bombers were out in force in Stawell on Monday blanketing Sloane Street with colourful knitted creations.

The mission to brighten up the streetscape came in preparation for this weekend’s Stawell Winter Woollies Festival at the Powerhouse.

The festival provides locals and visitors alike the chance to buy handmade woollen garments of the highest quality.

An abundance of hats, gloves, mittens, toys, baby clothes, scarves, leggings, spun wool, rugs, skirts and socks will be all available.

“We receive entries from all over Australia and it is absolutely beautiful work,” event organiser Cherrelle Nicholson said.

This week’s yarn bombing blitz was conducted by Central Grampians LLEN’s Sarah Garton and a group of teenage volunteers. 

One resident described the woollen decorations as adding “a bit of brightness at a this dull, cold time of year”.

“Knitted by volunteers, using recycled and scrap wool, the knitted lengths make a bright sight and help us to advertise the Stawell Winter Woollies Festival,” Ms Nicholson said.

One of the festival’s highlights will be the opportunity for people to participate in workshops to learn two techniques used to make many of the items – crochet and felting.

On Saturday and Sunday there will be two workshops conducted each day beginning at 10am and 1.30pm and running for two hours.

Children will again play an important role during the festival.

Last year, the pom poms they made were sent off to the National Wool Museum at Geelong to help them break the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of pom pom sheep.

On Saturday, between 1pm and 4pm, the record will be celebrated and more poms poms made to create a spectacular model sheep to be displayed at future festivals.

“One good thing about holding the festival at the Powerhouse is that it has fabulous heating, so come in, get warmed and enjoy some great winter woolly entertainment,” Ms Nicholson said.

The festival opens on Friday from 4pm to 6pm, then continues on Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm. For more information, go to http://stawellwinterwoollies.weebly.com, or call Stawell Neighbourhood House on 5358 3500.