Cabled Jerseys, Ganseys and Bobbins

On our travels in the UK, we came across a wonderful wool shop in Whitby.  It was called Bobbins and was brimful of all sorts of wool and handcraft products.

 

The Bobbins shop had wooden bobbins for sale and bobbins made into skipping ropes!  

It also had some boards detailing the history of Ganseys [Jerseys]. Patterned jersies were knitted for Fishermen by their ladies back home.  The jersies were thick and warm and pretty waterproof. 

 

Patterns were specific to local villages. [helping to identify the bodies of men washed up on the beach. A sobering, but practical application]

If you click on this pic you may be able to read the typewritten poem about these jersies.

 

There's a lovely article on this interesting history over here.