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Download Tips & Tricks 11
The gansey sampler scarf can get you started on these wonderful
stitch patterns from the English and Scottish fishing ports. This one
is simpler, and is a single pattern, seahouses, flanked by cable and
ladder patterns. It requires two balls of knitting worsted, a pair of
#6 needles, and very little else. I use a cable needle, but you may
want to do the cables by an alternate method.
Cast on 33 stitches, by the knitting method, in K1, P1. Work twelve
rows of K1, P1, as shown on the chart, ending with a wrong
row. Increase as shown on the chart in a knit row. Begin the
pattern, and repeat until you have about 5 feet of length and end
with the top row of the central "house." Now, decreasing on the
two central stitches of each cable in a row that will read as "knit" on
the front of the work. Work 12 rows of K1, P1 rib, and bind off in
pattern.
On each long side of the work: With a long circular needle, size 7, pick up stitches on 3 of each group of
four rows. Work 4 rows of garter stitch (knit each row), and bind off. Wash gently, block, and dry
thoroughly.
Copyright ©2009 by Pat Feeley for High Country Knitwear
Download Tips & Tricks 12
Not long ago, I worked a traditional
gansey for a dear friend, along with a
matching hat and fingerless mittens.
The inspirations for this included
Gladys Thompson’s classic
Knitting Guernseys, Jerseys, and
Arans, which is a little short on
instruction but has a wealth of stitch
patterns, and Beth Brown Reinsel’s
Knitting Ganseys, the instructions of
which are clear, imaginative, and
extremely well done, whether you
want to design your own or work
from one of her traditional patterns.
When that project was finished, I
found myself with almost two full
balls of Cascade 220 Superwash, the
yarn I favor for anything for men and
children, and so settled into making a
sampler of gansey patterns.
I
selected 30 stitches on #6 needles as
an appropriate width, and cast on in
pattern, for 12 rows of 2 x 2 ribbing
to start the work.
I then figured out how to separate the blocks of pattern from one another, using this
sequence: 2 rows reverse stockingette, 2 rows stockingette, 2 more rows reverse
stockingette:
I gathered chart ideas from everywhere and set them up. While I sort of winged it, I
present these charts in the order in of difficulty, simplest first, with the name of each. I
did not use, as ganseys so often do, the handsome cables that are so much a part of this
particular craft, because I wanted the scarf to be supple, easy to wrap and tie, and without
variation in width. Working these back and forth is marginally more demanding than
working them in the round, as one does for a sweater, hat, or mittens; you may need
markers for some of them.You could also select a single pattern and work it the full
length of the scarf.
You may also wish to work the scarf full length in a single pattern, which would surely
be a handsome way to use them. Just make sure that you begin and end with the same
row. In all cases, the blocks are meant to be 30 stitches wide, and 28 rows deep.
I’d alternating the simplest, the more complicated, and the more elaborate patterns
with one another, but make your own choice, remembering that you will want the
more elaborate ones showing on the ends!
When you’ve finished, and bound off your ribbing, pick up three stitches in every
four rows on the right side of the work. Your edging will be garter stitch; work the
second row, and bind off the third.
Wash gently, roll in a towel to dry, and lay out.
When almost dry, toss it, believe it
or not, in the dryer.
Here are the patterns, in order of difficulty, simplest first, and not full size.
Seed stitch:
Moss stitch:
Double moss stitch:
A little more complicated:
Filey lifeboat pattern:
Wavelets:
Mock rib or seed stitch rib:
Almost a woven pattern, we’ll just call it Mock Weave:
And here are the more complicated ones:
Flying geese:
Pennant:
Marriage Lines:
Seahouses and ladders:
Copyright ©2009 by Pat Feeley for High Country Knitwear
