Guernsey Solid In Ecru

The Guernsey is famous worldwide. Testimony to how terrific this traditional piece of knitwear truly is, considering Guernsey is a tiny island 30 miles off the coast of France cocooned in the cerulean waters of the English Channel. 

Its geography is imperative to its success. Sitting in prime position on a busy shipping route this jumper reached international fame due to the trade done by domestic knitters with passing merchants. That’s why today we have differing spellings of the Guernsey, you see it referred to as a gansey or ganzy, as other knitting cultures in costal areas adapted the pattern and made it their own. Similar to the effect of the Fair Isle. 

Its origins date back to the 16th century when hand knitting was at its peak. The women of the community creating for the fisherman and sailors.

By the 1800s, a typical pattern was set in place, still used as a template today, and each element of the garment's construction is significant - from the original diamond-shaped armpit to aid movement, to the ribbing on the sleeve used to mirror rope.

Knitters were said to customise for certain individuals or parishes, of which there are 10 in Guernsey, so that if a jumper was separated from its wearer, they could be identified and reunited. 

Today the jumper is an integral part of island culture worn proudly by islanders. 

Our Guernsey is knitted on our machines at our mill on Guernsey. It is hand finished, bar tacked with their ends sewn in by our expert team of artisans. 

We use 100% British Wool from our mill in Yorkshire who have been producing wool from farm to yarn for over 100 years. The fleece is collected from our sheep, delivered to be dyed & spun within a 50 mile radius of each other. 

The wool then makes its trip from the main land to our island - across the English Channel where it is knitted into the iconic British Woollens Guernsey.