Traditional Dutch Ganseys for Children

From around 1875 to 1950, Dutch fishermen wore sweaters with characteristic knit and purl stitch patterns, sometimes cable. These jerseys, known as ganseys, became an intrinsic part of the identity of the Dutchmen who wore them. Many of the children in these fishing families wore ganseys too, and numerous photos have been discovered in recent years of schoolchildren dressed in the knitwear seen on their fishermen fathers.

Stella Ruhe returns with over 40 sweaters to knit from 30 different Dutch villages this time, for your little ones to wear and ramble in. Based on the original designs shared by families and discovered in archives, Stella has created recreations of these historically important garments for our contemporary life that ooze classic style with modern minimalism. With these designs, you are offered not only a chance to pay homage to the women who lovingly knitted the jumpers and to share in a beautiful Dutch tradition, but also give something for your child to treasure for years to come.

The sizes of the ganseys run from 1- to 14-years old, but can easily be adjusted to any child’s size by following Stella's straightforward measuring instructions in her chapter on knitting know-how. In the same chapter you learn that every gansey is a standard shape, meaning the beauty of each sweater is in the variation of pattern motifs and finishing details, which varies from village to village. In the gallery of knitting designs, each jumper is accompanied by knitting charts the pattern repeat clearly shown for easy garment adjusting, a diagram of the jumper and styled, modern photography.

With a wealth of fascinating background information and historical photos of the original designs alongside every design, this is an inspiring book for the ambitious knitter looking for unique, classic knitwear, and a brilliant read for anyone interested in craft, culture and heritage.

Book Contents

Foreword 4

The gansey 6
- Origin 8
- Knitting 9
- Designs and dating 10
- Work wear 10
- Practical sweaters 11
- Myths 12
- Boys and girls 12

Child labour and compulsory education 14
- Industrial revolution 15
- Protests 17
- Child protection laws 17
- Schooling and compulsory education 18
- The situation today 19
- Developing countries 19

Children in the fishing industry before and around 1900 20
- From father to son, from mother to daughter 22
- Social relations 23
- Poverty 25
- Food and drink 28
- Education 29

At Sea 30
- Fish culture 31
- On the luggers 32
- On the longliners 36
- Mental and physical well-being 38
- Food 38
- Besomming 39
- Stop box and clothing 39

Knitting 42
- Sagathy 44
- T-model 44
- Yarn types 45
- Amount of yarn 46
- Tools 46
- Techniques 46
- Sizing 47
- Stitches used 47
- Tension (gauge) 47
- Motifs and patterns 48
- Basic sizes 50
- Chart and sketch 50
- General knitting instructions for ganseys 51
- Knitting in the round 51
- Flat knitting 53
- General information 53

North SEa Coast 54
- Den Helder/Huisduinen 56
- Egmond aan Zee 58
- Zandvoort 60
- Noordwijk 62
- Katwijk 64
- Scheveningen 69
- Pernis 73
- Vlaardingen 76
- Zwartewaal 80
- Middelharnis 82
- Colijnsplaat 84
- Yerseke 86
- Arnemuiden 90
- De Paal 94

Major rivers 96
- Charlois 98
- Woudrichem 100

Wadden Sea Coast 104
- Terschelling 106
- Harlingen/Het Bildt/St. Jacobiparochie 108
- Wierum 112
- Paesens-Moddergat 114

Zuiderzee Coast 116
- Wervershoof/Medemblik 118
- Volendam 120
- Durgerdam/Ransdorp 123
- Bunschoten-Spakenburg 126
- Harderwijk 130
- Elburg 132
- Urk 134
- Lemmer 136
- Stavoren 138
- Workum 140

Word of Thanks 142 

Credits 143