My first gansey is finished and has made its society début. Knitted with Frangipani “Bottle” green, it has some decidedly non-traditional features and they please me.
It is a zipped cardigan. I knit it in the round on size 2.75 needles with a steek at the centre front. The tight cables (cable every 5th row) are mirrored, in that they twist away from the zipper and centre back. I made hems for the neckline, sleeves, and lower edge and whip-stitched them down. For the gusset, I purled on the public side, which tucks close to the body rather than poking outwards.
Despite the variations, I will call it a gansey and hope you will, too 🙂
Thank you, Gordon, for your weekly entries. Without them, and without my friend Maria, http://knackfulknitter.blogspot.ca, I wouldn’t be wearing my new gansey today.
“Pewter” is on order for #2 and “Denim” for #3.
Wishing you, your family, and your loyal readers a Merry, Happy Christmas and may 2016 be good to you.
Superb work, Julie, many congratulations. I am very fond of a knitted cardie with a zip, so warm, and the centring of the cables on the zip is masterful. So well done.
Thank you, Jane for your kind words. I appreciate your taking time to have a look.
That is a splendid gansey. I have made two ganseys in green, and there are certain traditionalists who get very upset as to some people green is a colour that should never be worn to sea. i just point out that I’m not going to sea in mine.
Freyalyn,
At this time of year on Canada’s west coast, I’ll not be shipping out!
Thanks for your compliment.
Julie
So, if you purl your gussets, they tuck in better? Nice tip and beautiful work
Yes, Nigel. The pearled gusset will hug your armpit rather than make an outward pouch. Much nicer to me, if untraditional. Thank you for your compliment.
Julie
*Purled
Dear Julie,
Congratulations to this fine work ! I love the green colour and the pattern too. Never mind the “certain traditionalists”! To knit a gansey means lot of work and I think the most important thing is,that you like what you are doing. And you may wear whatever you want to sea.
Happy Xmas and a healthy new year !
Thank you for your words of praise and encouragement. Designing a garment is at least half the joy for me. I would much rather have something flatter my colouring and body type than adhere to the strictly traditional. Frangipani makes too few suitable colours for me, favouring soft blondes instead of Celtic brunettes. Many of us girls have substantial bumps in our fronts and one-piece pullovers, to my eyes, do not suit us. Just my two cents. Or shillings.
Happy knitting to all!
Julie
I love it – a nice job!! I love the subtle diamonds & narrow cables. And I think the zip front is an extremely good idea – I prefer a zip to a pullover. All in all, a very wearable variation!!!
Thank you, Sharon. I am encouraged by the positive feedback!
I will add that I inserted the zipper according to directions at http://www.chicknits.com.
Julie
Absolutely gorgeous, Julie.
A beauty, and what a great idea for a zippered cardigan. Thanks for sharing this.
Julie,
I love the pewter cardie, definitely a Julie original. The cables on the sleeves and front opening are very harmonious with the textured pattern on the body.
I will have a go at a purled gusset for my next gansey.
Well done on both!
Jenny
Victoria, BC
Lovely, lovely work. Many congratulations.
Great job on the designing of both cardigans, I especially like the unique cables on the pewter AND the idea of purling the gussets. I look forward to your future projects!
A beautiful cardi! I like that unique cable that you have mirrored so nicely.
Thanks to all of you who took time to write such complimentary messages about my Pewter gansey-ish cardigan.
On the needles now is a much more traditional pullover/jumper in Frangipani Denim blue.
Happy stitches,
Julie
VIctoria, BC, Canada
Hi. Awesome pattern. I have been looking for a Gansey pattern with a zipper. I know I want to knit it in the round as it is much easier to keep track of the pattern but never thought of a steek. How many stitches did you put in for the steek?Did you do plain knitting in the bottom ribbing for the steek. I admit I am nervous about all the knitting it takes to make a sweater then cut it up the front, any hints on what worked for you? Thanks. Judy
Hello Judy,
My apologies for the delay in responding. Thanks for your kind words.
Seven sts for the steek worked well and yes, plain knitting in the ribbed band.
Ask Gordon for my email addy and I will give more details.
Julie
VIctoria, BC, Canada
PS to Gordon:
The little button “Notify me of new posts by email” appears not to be operational.
Congratulations on the denim gansey, such a beautiful colour and such wonderful work. Lovely!
That is a beautiful shade of blue and I love the combination of patterns that you used. Somebody is very lucky to have it!
Thanks, ladies, for your compliments. The colour is not as vibrant as is shown. But pretty.
“Somebody” is my husband of 48 years. As he watched the progress, he gently and delicately expressed his concern that the design with the horizontal dividing line and pattern beginning at the armpit might not be suitable. When I showed him Gordon modelling his Wick IV, things turned around dramatically! He just couldn’t visualise the finished project.
Julie
Victoria, BC, Canada