ONE STITCH FOR ALL

INTRODUCTION garment will be a Jersey so long as the Whether or not the romantic idea of the knitter or wearer feels it is. fisherman’s jumper was ever a reality, certainly today it seems out of step. Though allowed, changes in the actual Pragmatic reasons for its decline aside (it’s stiches or patterning aren’t necessary for warm, it’s tricky to wash), it appears that the this garment to be adapted to the individual. old-world symbolism of the Jersey fails to Evident from the varieties of local names reflect the identity of all but a few remaining that can exist for stitch patterns that are islanders. One will be disappointed trying to otherwise identical, you may simply find knitters passing their patterns on and change the name of the stitch and alter its sharing them with a new meaning irrevocably. generation. This, argu- ably one of the last oral The included stitches (manual?) traditions in have been chosen with modern Western society, their reinterpretability in is disappearing. mind. They will be familiar to many knitters already, The knitting pattern and for ease of reading before you is a reimagina- (and to avoid suggest- tion of the once-famous ing some bias) I will stick traditional Jersey fisher- to their standard names man’s jumper, making it in the pattern itself. But fit the practical and sym- do not be fooled by their bolic needs of the modern familiarity! Together, they islander. It is informed by are capable of sustain- conversations with local ing as wide a range of knitters, and wearers and meanings as the knitter’s non-wearers of the iconic garment alike. imagination will allow, such that they may follow this pattern to the letter and still Like it should, this pattern combines produce a garment that is wholly individual. tradition with personal sensibilities. Every As such, Jersey’s new jumpers may visually knitter, and every knitwear-wearer is unique. unite, while never failing to represent the The composer of this pattern actively wide-ranging wearers they envelop. encourages you to make what changes are necessary to suit your own practical and MY CHOICES symbolic needs. The distinct features of the traditional Jersey jumper include a knotted cast-on, garter HOW TO USE THIS PATTERN stitch welts with slits either side, subtle Every element of this pattern may be freely ribbed patterns around the armholes, an changed by the knitter, and the resulting unassumingly humble external cast-off mid-shoulder, and a patterned panel on the of a mark. Field Y features a calm sea, while edge method. (Cast on double wool twice chest. Here is a handsome (and allegorically at the same time symbolising the gleeful round the thumb, knit stitch through all versatile) basis that I have seen no reason use of loopholes the island is famous for. (Of PATTERN loops, then wool forward as for purl, making to alter. course, it being knitted, the whole garment SIZING 2 sts each time.) Knit in garter stitch for can be seen in this particular light.) Field X Model: 1.80 m tall, 38” chest. 3.5cm. Back welt: same as front welt. However, the anchor present on most (but pays homage at once to the rocky grassy Tension: 10 cm2 = 27 sts by 36 rows not all) jerseys’ chests lacks universal appeal, shores I enjoyed walking along during my BODY and as a symbol seems not loose enough stay, the flint quarries of Neolithic Jersey, For other sizes, adjust stitch and row counts Transfer to circular needle or dpns and in meaning to be meaningfully put to use. and the spreadsheet, without which the to match your own measurements, or a continue in the round, thus joining front Meanwhile the navy colour mostly synony- modern-day Jersey would be unimaginable, jumper you know fits well (and match/adjust and back welt. Knit 2k2p rib for 2cm, then mous with the style (again, exceptions exist) and which independently from this fact is to your tension square!). E.g., if you knit for a change to stocking stitch, increasing 1 is a historical remnant of fishermen seeking something I have genuine appreciation for. 42” chest, divide the cast on amount (120) by stitch above either welt join to start the to copy naval dress. Not wishing to militarise 38 and multiply by 42, then round to an even seam stitch which is continued along the civilians I’ve opted instead for grey, hoping Jointly the three fields form a landscape, number divisible by 3. Cast off at shoulder full length of the garment (indicated by a more fashionably adventurous knitters will like a Caspar David Friedrich painting, with is 1/3 of this amount, plus 3 steek stitches, dashed line, and consists of k1 and p1 on choose more boldly than I have. a strip of land beyond which lays a vast minus 9 reserved for the neck gusset, in my alternate rounds). Knit until total length is ocean. I see this perfectly while I wear the case making 34. 40cm. Next rounds: r1: Increase 1st in the My yarn of choice has been wool-rich sock jumper and I look down, but anyone else will 3rd st before and after the seam stitch on yarn, being fine enough to permit small have to do a handstand to appreciate this Panels X, Y, and Z are 1/3 of the width of either side. r2&3: Knit in pattern. r4: Increase stitches and fine detail, while still being feature fully. the cast on, and 1/3 of the height between 1st in the 4th st either end of the seam st. washable as well as easy to obtain in a the start of the garter stitch band and the r5&6: Knit in pattern. r7: Increase in the 5th variety of colours. cast off each. When making sleeves wider, st either side of the seam st. (The 6 extra sts make sure to alter the height of the armhole start a steek; stitches which will later be cut

The crest has been divided into three to shoulder section as well. This pattern to make the armhole.)

Z Z

panels, each of which can be filled with its Z makes a tight-fitting jumper, for looser fits

own stitch; adding the pluralism with consider maintaining the tighter welt Y Y Y ARMHOLE TO SHOULDER

which today we feel most at ease. Mine and cuff, increasing in the first row of Back: 1 seam st, 3 stocking st tbl, 3 stocking

X X features one field (filed X) of maverick X stocking stitch. st, 6 garter st, (96 stocking st), 6 garter st, 3 stitch, named after the American farmer stocking st, 3 stocking st tbl, front: as back who, when branding was made mandatory WELTS but middle panel (in brackets), knit 28 by law, branded his cattle with the absence Front welt: Cast on 120 sts using the knotted stocking st, 40 pattern stitch (stocking st for Z and Y, moss for X), 28 stocking st. continue until 50 cm. Start sleeve gusset by Continue this pattern for 22 cm, changing increasing 1st either side of the seam st on pattern stitch at 7.3cm and 14.6 cm. alternate rounds until you have 16 more sts. Next, knit rounds of 2k2p rib for 2cm but SHOULDERS AND NECK keeping the gusset in stocking stitch and Divide the work on 2 straight needles and retaining the seam st throughout. Cast off all join front and back together at the top of the sts in pattern, except for the gusset which is shoulder by slipping the seam stitch purlwise completed by knitting 2 together at the end and then taking 1 st from either needle and of each row until end. knitting together. Continue until you have knitted 34 sts from each side. w Turn and FINISHING cast off finishing at point of shoulder. Break Block the pieces if desired, being careful not off yarn. Pick up a stitch at w. Knit this stitch to stretch ribbing or deform pattern stitches. and one from front needle. Turn and slip the Cut steek carefully along the seam stitch first st purlwise. Purl next st and one from from the point of the shoulder until you have the back needle. Turn and sufficient space to insert continue taking one more the sleeve. Hem in 3 sts st alternately from front either side of the cut, then and back until you have 9 sew in sleeve and gusset. sts either side of centre st, thus making the first trian- gular neck gusset. Without THANKS breaking the yarn, continue knitting across the front of This project started at the garment until you have The morning boat, where 34 sts left on the unfinished at the time I was busy shoulder (not counting filming a grandfather seam st). From this point, clock in circumstances for knit together stitches from which it was not designed. front and back needles until you reach the My thanks go out to the organisers, and to point of the shoulder. Turn and cast off all who shared their patterns or otherwise coming back to the neck. Using the last st helped shape the work. To my mother who left, make another neck gusset as before, taught me the basics of knitting two life- then knit one row across the back of the times ago, and to De Afstap in Amsterdam. neck. Finish neck: Knit 2k2p rib in round for 4cm, then cast off in pattern. Kind regards, Harald den Breejen

SLEEVES Cast on 56 sts with knotted edge method Produced by The morning boat, ArtHouse Jersey and Jersey and knit 2k2p rib for 12cm, then switch to Heritage, funded by the One Foundation, the Association of Jersey Charities and the Channel Islands Lottery. stocking stitch, adding 1st for a seam st. Increase 1st either side of the seam st every 6th round 5 times, and every 8th round after that, until you have 90 sts in total, and