Another old favourite – Patrington and Withernsea. Knitted in Creskeld conifer wool, pattern from Thompson, p. 9.
This was the pattern that first really inspired me to take up knitting ganseys, and is one of the first I knitted – so it’s probably about 20 years old, now. (That’s me in the pictures again, from about 10 years ago, and already there seems to be a lot more hair involved. Oh dear…) It’s one of the early patterns in Gladys Thompson’s book, and luckily it has a very clear photograph, so I could visualise it very clearly. I still think the combination of moss stitch, cables and wide ladder makes it one of the very best. I wouldn’t knit the sleeves quite so wide nowadays, but it’s still one of my favourite ganseys. And I always think of it in conifer, which suits it very well – I can’t imagine it in navy.
I really like this one Gordon. I might have a crack at this one day!
Hi Nigel,
It’s a perfect pattern in many ways. (By the way, if you ever see a copy of Gladys Thompson’s book, the model pictured creepily has the head and hands removed!)
Ack! That is creepy. I thought it was on a posed cloth mannequin or something. Nope. It’s on a person.
Hi Sarah – glad you agree – though come to think of it, you don’t mean my pictures above, do you?!
Okay,
This is the Gansey that has inpired me as well. I have got up to the neck line [almost] of a prototype for a fairly decent size teddy bear. That means I have to complete the arms and the neck. I have left it for so long I have forgotten that I have lost my focus. I have tones of notes. I just need to get back to work. Thanks for this inspiring blogg.
Hi Anthony,
It’s just a great pattern, isn’t it? A number of people have mentioned ganseys for teddy bears – perhaps we could work up a range for seafaring teddy bears, in fact I sense a bestselling series of children’s books coming up with lucrative merchandising opportunities (a bit like the Mousehole cat)!
With all good wishes,
Gordon
I have just knitted a scarborough pattern for my three yr old grandson which will fit him when he is about ten!!
Been looking at the Withernsea pattern and notice all the cables going same way…is this normal, or do the traditional ones twist one way one side ie left side and another way on the right side??
Hi Sally, congratulations on your Scarborough gansey—it’s always good to plan ahead, and he’ll grow into it over time!
Now you mention it, as far as I can remember, all the cables in all the photographs I’ve seen have the cables going the same way, whichever side of the body they are on. Certainly it’s the way it was in the original Patrington & Withernsea photos. But—as so often with ganseys—that doesn’t mean it’s a rule; it’s probably just that it’s easier that way. But there’s absolutely no reason why one can’t knit cables any way one likes! And besides, no doubt somewhere there’s a picture with them just as you describe…
Having lived an hour’s drive from Yorkshire’s east coast I think the time has come to knit a local Gansey. But where do I get a pattern to do so. Any help would be greatfully received. Thank you.
Hi Chris, I got my patterns from Gladys Thompson’s and Michael Pearson’s books mainly.
But you might try the Flamborough Marine website – they offer a range of worked-up Yorkshire patterns and kits – see https://www.flamboroughmanor.co.uk/flamboroughmarine/gallery.htm to see their range.
Deb Gillanders of Propagansey in Whitby is also an authority on Yorkshire ganseys and will I’m sure be happy to advise too – see https://www.propagansey.co.uk/
I wish you every success and please do let us know how you get on!
Thank you for all your wonderful advice and photos. So much helpful advice from you & Deb in Whitby. I’m about to cast on my first project (Withernsea & Patrington because I love the pattern!) Tried to “buy a coffee” for you but the link is broken 🙁
Hi Chris, thanks for the kind words. Yes, the link is broken – we’ll take a rain check in the donation till we can get it fixed, but that won’t be right away as we’re going on a wee holiday tomorrow!
And – spoiler alert – my current sneaky side project is a Patrington gansey. Like you, I just love the pattern!