Crafty villagers have come up with a novel way of combating Britain’s freezing temperatures – by knitting together a house made of WOOL.
The cosy eight foot by six foot home is made up of 800 intricately knitted bricks and boasts an 18-foot woven garden surrounded by a picket fence.
Inside the wool wonder, black-and-white knitted tiles cover the floor, while a roaring yarn fire blazes in front of carefully crafted lamps, clocks and furniture.
Dedicated volunteers have even painstakingly decked out the property in festive decorations – complete with knitted Christmas cards, tinsel, a cake and tree.
Val Procter, organiser of the busy brood of villagers, in Hilmarton, Wilts, said the house – named Dunknittin – had exceeded all their expectations.
She said: “The house looks fantastic – it was so much better than I thought it would be.
“It was such a team effort, we had people young and old getting involved, from beginners to people who are really experienced in knitting very intricate objects.
“Everyone’s imagination was really fired up to knit all sorts of different things, it was just incredible.
“We have used pounds and pounds of wool so far.
“For Christmas we have made loads of decorations, including a knitted tree with angel on top.”
Around 35 villagers started the giant project in February this year to raise funds for Hilmarton’s St Laurence Church.
They put together a timber wendy house frame and used it as a base on which to hang their colourful patterns.
Villagers included every little detail in the design – giving Dunknittin a chimney, furnishings and even knitted food.
The garden features a threaded beehive, a hen with eggs, a miniature pond and even hand crafted flowers in window boxes.
But there is no sign the prolific knitters – known around the village as the “nit-wits” – are ready to put down their needles just yet.
Val said: “We want to knit a grandfather clock for the house and we also have to produce grass for the garden.
“People have been amazed at what we have created here and we are still going strong.
“This project has been brilliant at showing what talent there is in our village.”
The fleecy house is now on display at the Heritage Centre in nearby Calne, Wilts., until December 23.
It will then take pride of place in the town’s Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum in the new year.