Contact: ganseymf@gmail.com

© Moray Firth Gansey Project June 2018

This project was part-financed by the Heritage Lottery Fund, and by the Scottish Government and The European Community Rural Aberdeenshire, Highland and Moray LEADER 2007 – 2013 Programmes.

Ganseyfest Workshops

Saturday

11.00-13.00 Beth Brown-Reinsel: Gansey Beginnings

Learn how to create a beautiful beginning to your ganseys by working samples of the classic Channel Island Cast-On with overlapped, split garter welts, the Multi-Strand Cast-On with ribbing, and the Knotted Cast-on with a circular garter welt.

11.00-14.45 Dr Elizabeth Lovick: Designing and Using Gansey Motifs

A Look at traditional gansey motifs and why they work both singly and together. We will look at how knit and purl stitches interact and then use this knowledge to produce our own motifs to be used either on their own or in conjunction with others. We will talk about how gansey motifs can be used effectively both on traditional ganseys, and in non traditional ways.

13.45-16.45 Beth Brown-Reinsel: Shoulder Treatments

Learn how to create interesting shoulder joins in your ganseys. We will discuss and knit shoulder straps, one with shoulder strap gussets, and one without. We will also cover the inverted triangular neck gusset which enlarges the neck hole, and the triangular neck gusset which is knitted in the neckband to make it more snug.

14.55-16.45 Paul Dodwell: Knitting in the Round, Following a Chart

Get to grips with the techniques of knitting in the round, and learn how to follow a chart

Sunday

09.30:12.30 Beth Brown-Reinsel:  Designing Ganseys

Learn the basics of designing a gansey. We will learn to calculate the dimensions of the new gansey three ways: by using tables, by measuring another garment, and by Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Percentage System. After deciding upon the design details of the garment, students will begin charting out the full garment. Large format graph paper will be provided in class.

10.00-13.00 Di Gilpin: Embellishments and Finishing techniques for the professional look

From choosing the right cast on and cast off; sewing up; making buttons and fasteners to shaping using needle changes and stitch.  Plus: bring your own problems to the table session. An invaluable course that will translate into all your knitting.

13.30-15.00 Beth Brown-Reinsel - Drop-In / Surgery (free to delegates)

Don’t struggle on your own with Gansey knitting dilemmas, come along and ask Beth.

14.00-15.00 Introduction from Hi-Arts/Workshop run by Maker (TBC) - Pricing your work

Introduction to the Team at HI-Arts with an overview of the work they do to support the craft sector. Followed by a workshop from one of HI-Arts Textiles Makers to advise you how to price your work.