The whole heritage movement has shed light on a lot of knitwear, which has a great history and a legacy that you just don't find in modern knitwear. I'm thinking of the Aran, the Breton and the fairisle sweater However the Guernsey jumper seems to have flown under the radar and it hasn't been gaining the attention that it deserves. Especially when you take into consideration that the classic Guernsey jumper has been made on Guernsey in the English Channel for centuries.
Nowadays the most classic Guernsey sweater is made by a company called Le Tricoteur, but there are other good makers that still make the sweater.
Nowadays the most classic Guernsey sweater is made by a company called Le Tricoteur, but there are other good makers that still make the sweater.
The original Guernsey sweater is made of a sturdy worsted wool and it's constructed in such a way that the front and back side are identical making it very easy to put on - even in the dark. Other than that it features the recognisable pattern, where the sleeves are attached and on the hem, which is slit at the bottom. Just like the Aran and the Breton the Guernsey sweater was also used by sailors and fishermen, so it's extremely hard-wearing, as you probably already guessed. It's so hard-wearing that it's affecting sales, as people buy one and never return for another, as the sweater outlives the owner.
The Japanese have of course embraced the classic Guernsey.
Not true on longevity. Mine only lasted 20 years of near constant wear (including at sea, as it was designed to do), before going through at the elbows and needing patching ;).
ReplyDeleteHaha. I take everything back then :-)
ReplyDeleteI've always loved stuff that would take daily abuse for such a long time.
Did you get yourself a now one or are you still using the old, trusted, patched one?