Kind of like the look of ganseys but not interested in recreating an 18th century Cornish fishing gansey, using authentic yarn and needles? Then I have the book for you!
The Gansey Knitting Sourcebook is by Di Gilpin and Sheila Greenwell. It is new, published in 2021. This book starts with a few pages of the obligatory history of ganseys, then spends a few pages on gansey-specific techniques. Armpit and collar gussets are covered, as well as shoulder straps. Then it’s on to the stitch patterns! The majority of the book is stitch patterns, thoughtfully organized in categories to make it easier to find what you are looking for. Finally, there is a collection of patterns.
Some of the patterns are pretty straightforward accessories embellished with gansey-typical motifs or stitch patterns. There is a cowl, some fingerless mitts, a shawl, and these socks:
There is a yoke sweater and a boxy cardigan with ganseyish stitch patterning, as well as this sleeveless vest and children’s sweater that are more in the line of traditional ganseys.
It is a nicely designed book. The project photos are clear, which is just wonderful. The stitch patterns will be a great resource for anyone who likes to customize their knits. There are plenty of in-depth gansey books out there, and this one is a great introduction to the topic for anyone who like the fisherman’s sweater look but doesn’t have the desire to go full-on into the topic.
Have you ready any good books recently, knitting or otherwise? Do tell!
Quite A Yarn 
That looks like a great book and one I will definitely check out.
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It is a good one for sure!
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No. I have not read anything. If I attempt to read, I fall asleep. Such is the life of a sleep-deprived woman. 🙂
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I’m often there myself!
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Cool stuff! Thanks for introducing that book!
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Thanks!
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Wonderful book. I am that person you described: not interested in making an authentic gansey, but in love with the wonderful stitch patterns, as source material for modern knitting designs.
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This is the perfect book for just that!
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Beautiful and intimidating! Those socks look pretty cool – bet you can make them in your sleep!
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LOL – not quite 🙂 They are cool looking for sure!
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I do love the look of the traditional Gansey, but I need to move somewhere colder before I could realistically consider making one…
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Oooh, another book I now want to buy. I do want a modern version of a Gansey, but I would also like you to suggest a traditional Gansey KAL, and then I would be all in for that.
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I am planning on doing a Gansey later this year – if you are serious it can definitely be a KAL!
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I wouldn’t be up for knitting a garment but a gansey accessory I’d be up for.
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Very cool! That would definitely work! This book has some accessory patterns, and I’m sure there are others out there as well 🙂
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I’m in!
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Yaaayyy!!! We’ll have to talk dates soon!
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I’ve been really enjoying the Gansey projects that one of our YOP members has been creating since she read a book by Di Gilpin. There are gansey Facebook groups and it’s so interesting when you see a TV show talking about the ganseys the fishermen wore. If a fisherman’s body was washed up they could tell who it was from the individual pattern on the gansey! Like 19th century DNA testing.
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It’s an interesting sweater genre for sure!
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Nice! I will see if our library has that.
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It’s a good one! I think you would like it 🙂
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Our library doesn’t have it. Oh well. I just love that gold sweater on the cover.
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