Yorkshire Fishermen's Ganseys
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- čas přidán 13. 08. 2014
- Each port along Yorkshire's coast has its own unique gansey (jumper) that fishermen wear - to identify them if lost at sea. We first go to a Gansey Festival at Old St Stephen's Church above Robin Hoods Bay where Suzanne Parkes of York St John University gives the history of the jumper, and the Coxswain of the Whitby lifeboat, Mike Russell, shows the ganseys from his own family. At Filey Museum, Margaret Taylor can be seen knitting a gansey - a very time consuming and costly process. She explains the different motifs and what they mean on the Filey gansey.
I am from Ukraine, first I saw such pattens I decided to knit the same. Sometimes it takes me some weeks to understand how to do some patterns, but it’s just a pleasure and beauty to do it!
you can see the love that was put into the making of the ganseys, she is blessed in her craft.
My maternal grandmother knitted me one, in royal blue, no less, when I was a young teenager. She was from North Wales, and grew up in a small coastal town, her father being a labourer on local hill farms. There was still some fishing a few miles further up the coast. She knitted it in this manner, without reference to a pattern. It wouldn't fit me now, as I'm much taller than I was then, but this video brought it vividly to mind.
One of the most touching videos I've ever watched. Just beautiful.
thank you for this video. my mother and grand mothers and great grandmothers all knitted there all up in heaven now lord bless them all. they left the craft to my sisters but only my oldest sister keeps it going today knitting sewing and chrocheing.
My Grandmother (born in Hull and lived there all her life) used to knit these while she watched crossroads or coronation street. Lord help you if you got in front of the telly while she was on....
She is lovely. God bless those that work hard, have gratitude and love each other and tradition. Thank you.
Wonderful! I'm knitting my first Filey Gansey at the moment - great history from Mrs Taylor! Thank you.
I come from Cornwall and have knitted four guerseys, also locally known as knit-frocks. I liked your reference to the fishermen not using the name 'pigs'. In West Cornwall, they have a superstition against using the word 'rabbits' at sea - they call them four-leggers.
Very interesting. Thank you!
I have just started my first real Gansey - got part the first hurdle of joining the round at my second attempt. It will be slow going and certainly something you would only do for love as I would be far too slow to make a living from it.
beautiful ! i loved learning the meanings of the patterns
Golly that was really interesting. I am from New Zealand and all my Grandparents came from England. I would like to knit a Guernsey with traditional patterns and have had a fantastic time listening to all the information of what is involved. Thank you so much for producing this video and telling the history of your pullover.
I’m literally knitting an 8 stitch cable as I watch this. I can’t wait to be good enough at knitting to make my family sweaters like these
Got to try and revive this with the old knitting machines of the 70s!
Just bought a Garnsey with a Bay pattern, which I gather is Robin Hood Bay, originally Bay Town, not worn it yet but looking forward to many years of wear from it. Got mine in grey rather than blue, going by this video it must be my Sunday best!
Recently uploaded our video on gansey knitting at Filey Museum and also a Gansey Festival at Old St Stephen's Church, Fylingdales above Robin Hoods Bay.
I have the skill, but not the knowledge of what comprises a true traditional gansey. I’ve known of these sweaters for a while, but I didn’t know they were this distinctive to locations or that the different patterns had such meaning. Very interesting.
Propagansey happens every year at Old St Stephen's Church, Robin Hoods Bay, in September. The first 2 interviews in this episode were filmed in this church. Check out Propagansey on facebook. The longer interview is with Margaret Taylor, at Filey Museum.
Fascinating! Thank you for posting!
There are few ladies in Whitby that knit them to order, so the skill is still alive
I love to order a gansey. Can you help me get in touch with an experienced knitter?
Are you telling me there is a museum somewhere that tells me about the wonder full Jumpers I have loved all my life!
Thank you for this great video - I have just discovered this knitting after knitting jumpers for many years and bored with the patterns but a friend from Cardiff told me about Ganseys and I know send to Yorkshire (from Australia) for the wool and knit them for my family members. So much more fun and a real challenge but I love them.
God bless women who still knit!
I only filmed this, but this e-book (first published 1971) seems to have it in: Patterns for Guernseys, Jerseys & AransBy Gladys Thompson
On the wall in Filey Museum are a number of patterns (possibly from this book). The Filey patterns can be seen in the preview of the e-book - it shows the steps and ladders, etc. It also has the patterns from Flamborough and Whitby too (as well as the title says, around the UK). If this doesn't help, I'm sure the Museum will be able to.
Thank you for adding this to the last comment. The chances of getting to the Museum are very slim but I will research further into finding this book. Your help is truly appreciated.
My understanding is that there's not much evidence of fishermen being identified by their sweaters regionally because there's not a lot of evidence that communities stuck to one pattern, instead sharing and borrowing patterns as they encountered them. I would absolutely believe that men were identified by their sweaters because the knitter recognized their own knitting, however. I could spot my own work anywhere. What a treasure of a video, though. I've knitted one guernsey and am currently a few inches into my second.
Loved this! And that’s he first time I’ve heard about the crepe bandages around the wrists. So practical!
Lovely!
Amazing!
Thanks Deb - I'll get round to editing the piece you did for me at Old St Stephen's!
+Around & About Yorkshire I'd forgotten all about this! Look forwards to seeing the edited piece. Once again Old St Stephen's is full of Ganseys old & new, including several kindly loaned by Margaret Taylor. Propagansey 2015 runs until Sept. 20th, 10-4ish daily. There's a Gansey Sunday Evensong at 4pm on Sun. 13th - Will you Anchor Hold? Come & find out.
I'm an ancient knitter, and seem to remember the old saying, "all my eye and Betty Martin" meaning a tall storey.
Beautifull. I just bought a Flamborough marine knitting kit, and can’t wait to start. Just, i don’t understand how to cast on the right way.
I wish you put a tutorial...
Thanks a lot!
"Knitting Ganseys, Revised and Updated: Techniques and Patterns" By Beth Brown-Reinsel
Hi please does anyone know what the women knitted for themselves? I noticed the lady in a cardigan. I was just curious as to whether these ladies, being so talented and the patterns being so special and regional for the fishermen, had something they knitted for themselves? Thanks x
This is so interesting. What weight of yarn is used? Looks like our DK or Sport weight. I live in Texas, USA, and it really doesn't get that cold, but I'd love to learn how to do this, and I've just watched several videos about the knitting sheaths, and knitting belts. So very interesting. Thank you!
I think it's usually 5ply. At least I think the basics is it's not a very lightweight yarn but it's knit very close in a tight gauge to keep the wind and wet out.
Very interesting. What size needles are you using?
This is very interesting, thank you. Where would you find knitting needles that long? Also would love to find a pattern to knit. So very interesting.
thesunnystitcher.co.uk/2016/08/23/free-knitting-pattern-for-a-traditional-gansy-a-k-a-guernsey/
Addi double pointed 40cm
The old Cornish knitters, couldn't afford knitting needles, so used the struts from old umbrellas.
Are there any pattern books that describe how to knit the "Betty Martin" stitch? The video was very interesting and informative. Thank you for your hard work and for posting the video.
I want those dpns
Too bad there are no video of the real knitting belt Knitters swaving. I read one reporter said it was singing and swaying back and forth. The palm is up not down. Social knitting shifted the palm down because they wanted to separate themselves from production Knitters. Mostly knitting with wire, and while walking, too. Anyone have any more info, please? I have trouble with wrists by twisting the palm down. Stupid society.
“Um… Um…. Um…” 👀
Very difficult to knit this in a dark color..96 hours is very fast!!!it would take me a year
Think my ex drowned in my sweater