Knitting Ganseys is a wonderful resource for knitters interested in Gansey sweaters. This is a revised edition that includes the history of traditional gansey sweaters. Also there is a stitch dictionary and wonderful patterns. This book is inspirational as well as practical.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Beautiful patterns with nice clear instructions.

Gorgeous patterns. I definitely want to see if I can make some of these once I get my hands on some perfect yarn

Informative book for knitters. I would recommend it for knitters who just want to start knitting sweaters, or for the experienced sweater knitter. Overall, very good knitting resource.

Knitting Ganseys, Revised and Updated is a re-release of a classic and meticulously researched piece of knitting history. The traditional pullovers of the British Islands, ganseys, (a corruption of 'Guernsey') were working garments, knitted in the round and seamless. The shaping was done integrally during the knitting. This included the sleeves and waist, the areas with the most wear, so that they could ingeniously be removed and re-knitted as they wore out, thus saving the body of the sweater from having to be replaced.

This rebooted version of the original (1993) classic by knitting historian Beth Brown-Reinsel, was released July 31st 2018 by Interweave and F+W Media. It's 192 pages and available in hardback format.

The logical layout of this book is a huge plus. It's easy to find thematic content with the index at the back of the book. For such a meaty, content rich book, it's amazingly readable. It really is comprehensive, both for history and culture surrounding the creation and use of these garments as well as in-depth instruction in how to recreate one for modern wearers.

The book is arranged in chapters starting with introductory chapters including some definitions, materials and history. Each of the following chapters introduces a construction element along with a sampler of stitches and alternatives which can be incorporated architect style into a complete garment. I loved the samplers because they remove the constraints of feeling pressured to have a goal in mind and allow the knitter to experiment and learn and explore. This is so incredibly important, and the techniques learnt are more easily and permanently retained!

These elemental chapters lead up to a penultimate chapter which shows how to design and construct an original garment to a desired measurement. Additionally, the author gives 9 step-by-step original design tutorials with very specific directions for knitters who feel more comfortable following a pattern.

This is a very generous book. The author's warm and supportive teaching style are pleasant and well delivered. It is also one of the very best books I've ever encountered covering the history and culture of the garment and its use in the coastal communities of Great Britain over the last couple of centuries.

Sourcing materials can be challenging to some knitters, since the traditional yarns are not widely available. The author has included a good source list of e-tailers who can provide the proper yarns for the best results.

Five stars, classic, beautifully written, has withstood the test of time, and wonderfully useful and educational.

Knitting Ganseys is a book that I think belongs in any passionate knitters library.
The know-how, trips and history about Ganseys that is given in this book are simply staggering.
I like the layout, its classic yet modern feeling.
I like the photography, fonts and general feel of this gem.
However, if you looking for cool up to date Ganseys knitting patterns, I don't think I would recommend this.
The patterns are quite old fashioned IMO. And I'm talking about the Ganseys, I'm talking about the implementation and shapes. They not historical enough to be cool nor are they modern enough, for my taste.
Yet I Knitting Ganseys, has an important spot in my knitters' library because this is a book that gives you not only knowledge of the technique and insight into the history of it (which is one the favourite parts, btw) it also gives the reading the tools to apply Ganseys to patterns, to adapt the patterns in the book and with that even to help create new patterns.
A must-have for any knitting enthusiast!

Nice book with great ideas, beautiful pictures and nicely done directions that are easily understood!
Defiantly worth a look if you are in search of inspiration!

This is a great book full of beautiful ideas! What I like best about the book, besides the beautiful photography, are the very well written instructions for the projects. This book includes an interesting history of traditional gansey sweater knitting. There are detailed photos of the projects and detailed instructions. Beth Brown-Reinset has even broken down the steps of a sweater from cast-on to finishing and everything in between. For those just starting to explore the Gansey, you can knit a sampler sweater that includes all the essentials for a full size sweater, to get your feet wet. If you are adventurous, you can even create your own garment using her basic instructions and choosing your own designs.

There are 9 patterns for sweaters for men and women. I would highly recommend this book for anyone interested in knitting a beautiful detailed sweater, or just learning more about Gansey knitting.

This book has a variety of gansey patterns and instructional techniques. I received a free copy to review from Netgalley. Unfortunately, the formatting was off on my Kindle so it was hard to view the pictures.

A practical book that not only gives the historical background to this knitting craft but provides a step by step breakdown of the garment construction. Complete with lots of variations, this book can provide plenty of inspiration for a knitter with some experience to be able to create their own gansey.
Ideal for an intermediate to advanced knitter.

Great patterns! Most are not for the person hoping to knit their first sweater, but for the intermediate or advanced these are perfect.

This is a beautiful book with lots of great photos. I thought it may be a bit old fashioned, but it wasn’t. It gives you some great patterns to try out, but it also tells you how you can create your own pattern. I’m finally going to knit a jumper for my husband now as well as several for myself (over time). I would highly recommend this book for anyone who likes to knit and especially those who may want to make their own creations but haven’t yet dared to try. Excellent book.

Newly released, this is a fascinating book for all knitters. The design and history of these ganseys is an integral part of the history of fishing communities in Britain. Many updated designs are also offered for the modern knitter. Excellent.

Brown-Reinsel begins with a history of Gansey knitting, the form and construction of a Gansey sweater, and advantages of different methods. Following the overview, the author delves into each section of the sweater, including different designs and variations, and the reader may follow along by knitting a sampler sweater. Directions for how to design your own sweater to fit are included, with excellent details. Following this section are patterns which have been featured throughout the text in photos showing the different variations of components. A wide range of sizes are given in the patterns, with instructions to alter the patterns even further if necessary. The sweaters are worked in rich colors and beautifully photographed outdoors. This is an excellent addition to any knitting collection, and a true reference book for sweater knitters.

What a lovely addition to my collection of knitting books regarding sweaters. I ended up buying the book because I so enjoyed the detailed instruction and the seamless sweater patterns. I have recommended this book to my knitting friends as they love to knit sweaters.

I received an ARC of this book to read from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review, Knitting Ganseys by Beth Brown-Reinsel is a revised and updated version of a favourite knitting book of mine. One of the questions I wanted to answer while reading this book was if I own the original do I need the new one and to that I would say most definitely yes. The new version is beautiful, the yarn choices are current yarns so no trying to figure out what to substitute for yarns that have been discontinued. Ganseys are timeless and beautiful and this book will help you to create wonderful sweaters that will be treasured for many years. I especially liked the chapter on designing your own sweaters and found it very informative. The only thing that disappointed me was no patterns for young children as I am doing a lot of knitting in toddler sizes lately as all my friends are having grandchildren, but I am inspired to try designing my own unique sweaters so it’s all good. I highly recommend this book. Publishing Date July 31, 2018. #NetGalley #KnittingGanseys

This is a fantastic collection of patterns, beautifully presented and totally inspirational. A must have for any knitter who loves a challenge and to produce a garment that is that little bit different.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone who wants to start making sweaters, let alone complicated ones, but experienced clothing makers might be able to work through the sections more easily.

My thanks to Netgalley, F + W Media, and Beth Brown-Reinsel for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.


What is a gansey? A gansey is a type of knit sweater that is knit in the round so that it is seamless and has a simple square shape with dropped shoulders. Fishermen loved these roomy sweaters because they weren’t restricted when doing their jobs and they lasted longer because there was less rubbing of fabric They use a heavier yarn and the sweaters come out with a heavy and dense fabric that protect you from the elements. They are made with beautiful patterns of knit, purls and cables.

This books is beautifully shot and has gorgeous patterns. But it is not only a pattern book. Beth Brown-Reinsel has really done her homework. She offers you so much information about the history of ganseys, what kind of yarn and tools to use. Bu the major bulk of the book offers a complete, piece by piece, section by section deconstruction of the garment. For example she will take the underarm gusset. She explains the shape, the function, and how it is knit. There are always diagrams that the illustrate step by step instructions. Then she offers a sampler, a small piece that you can knit yourself so you can understand how it all works and fits together. She doesn't’ just leave it there. She then offers maybe ten different variations of gussets with charts and diagrams that will make your mind explode. By breaking down each part of the garment and offering such detailed instructions, with visual diagrams and charts, and then a wide variety of options she is offering you the tools you need to create your own gansey. It is like opening a jar of beads, big ones, small ones, shiny ones, plain ones, all ready to string up into a necklace of your own design. It stirs up your creative juices because the guesswork has been taken out of it. But, if you choose to only dream, no problem. There are nine patterns for you to follow, step by step, with charts and beautifully shot pictures of the finished garment for you to follow.

Whether as a coffee table book, or a pattern book, or a road map to making your own gansey, I don’t think you will be disappointed in this book. Knitting books are expensive and it is nice to now that this has multi purposes. I think time and effort that it takes to invest in one of these sweaters will be well worth it when it is finished. I feel inspired and I love the idea of wearing mine on coast of Ireland with the waves crashing around me, or the moors of Scotland protecting me from the high winds. More realistically, in my backyard, walking my dog in the middle of a Canadian winter.

Note: I received an Advance Reading Copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review.

Two of my hobbies are history and crafting (knitting, crochet, cross stitch, sewing). Crafting something from an old pattern, in an old technique or based on a historical object is always very cool. Even though I am intimidated by knitting an adult-sized sweater, a gansey or fisherman sweater has been on the top of my wishlist for the longest time. When the new (revised and updated) edition of Knitting Ganseys by Beth Brown-Reinsel came up for review I couldn’t help myself.

I don’t know the 1993 edition, so I can’t compare both editions. My review just focusses on this 2018 edition by itself.

This book is a combination of history and patterns. The book starts with a chapter on the rich history of ganseys. The following chapters let you knit a small sampler gansey. Each chapter explains a technique in great detail, from casting on (describing several different cast-ons, in continental and English methods) to the gusset and the neckline. After working through the first 10 chapters and finishing your sampler, you have knit your first (small) gansey and have used all needed techniques. The book then continues with instructions on how to design and knit your own gansey. This chapter includes instructions on sizing, adjusting fit, charting a pattern. It even has a worksheet and special calculations to help you with your design. The book finishes with 9 patterns for complete ganseys for men and women. I especially love “alouette”, which is a gansey dress!

All-in-all this is a very complete book, that helps even the most unexperienced knitter design and knit their own gansey, all while learning about the history of ganseys. I can’t wait to start on my own gansey. Maybe one for our boy? He’s small, I’d be done quickly. Five out of five stars from me.