The Longest Yarn – From an Impossible Idea to an International Exhibition

It began with one simple question…

“Why don’t we knit and crochet the story of D-Day in time for the 80th Anniversary on 6 June 2024?”

What sounded like an impossible idea became The Longest Yarn®.

An extraordinary 80-metre-long, three-dimensional wool art exhibition telling the story of D-Day, the Battle of Normandy and the road to liberation. Eighty metres for the 80th anniversary, portraying the 80 days from D-Day to the liberation of Paris.

More than 1,000 volunteers from around the world answered the call. Knitters and crocheters from the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries worked together to create what has become one of the most unique commemorative projects ever undertaken.

Historical accuracy was at the heart of every scene. Historians helped check uniforms, vehicles, medals, battles and equipment, ensuring that every panel tells an authentic story while remaining a remarkable work of textile art.

The exhibition has now been seen by well over half a million visitors across Britain, Ireland, the United States and Normandy. Schools, veterans, serving military personnel and families have all discovered history through wool, often seeing familiar events from an entirely new perspective.

One of the exhibition’s most moving features is the inclusion of real veterans and their stories. Among them is Piper Bill Millin, whose son generously donated one of his father’s favourite jumpers. The wool was unravelled and knitted into the very scenes depicting him crossing Pegasus Bridge and landing on Sword Beach, creating a lasting connection between history and the artwork.

Today, The Longest Yarn has found its permanent home in a beautiful 12th-century church in Carentan, Normandy, where visitors from around the world continue to experience the exhibition. A second exhibition, The Longest Yarn 2 – Britain at War, is now touring the United Kingdom, telling the story of life on the Home Front and Britain’s wartime experience.

As our exhibitions continue to travel, preserving and transporting them safely is vital. Every scene represents thousands of volunteer hours and countless precious memories. We continue to raise funds for specialist transport cases, exhibition equipment, interpretation, educational materials and new ways to share these stories with future generations.

Funds raised help us keep The Longest Yarn exhibitions safe, accessible and touring — but they also help us do something even more important.

Once exhibition costs are covered, surplus funds support veteran charities, including Forces Veterans Afloat and the restoration of Clover, a boat being rebuilt to provide a safe home for a homeless veteran living with PTSD.

So every donation helps preserve history, educate future generations and give practical support to veterans who are struggling today.

The Longest Yarn is far more than a knitted exhibition.

It is a worldwide community, a living memorial, and a reminder that history can be told in ways that touch hearts as well as minds.

Thank you for helping us ensure these stories continue to inspire generations to come.