Try, try again

I started a knitted gansey back in, oh March or April, I think. Using Plymouth Galway yarn and Beth Brown-Reinsel's gansey book, I started working. The main section was easy enough and went along pretty quickly but, as can sometimes happen, things got in the way and this got laid aside. After all, who needs a wooly gansey in the middle of summer? Not that we had much summer but you know how it goes. A few weeks ago, I pulled it out again and got moving.

I knew I wanted to do a saddle shoulder construction but it made me have to stop and think how to do it. and how to work out the sleeves so it would fit. I don't think I've ever had to take out and re-knit something as much as I had to do this. Part of it was the argyle pattern section where I kept messing up. Then I finished the shoulder section and realized I hadn't added the neckline shaping. Out it came. I bet I ripped out and re-knit the shoulder section 5 or 6 times. I finally got it finished, though. I haven't washed or blocked it yet.

I did a little something different for the collar. Instead of the regular knit 2, purl 2 ribbing, I decided to use a fisherman's rib. I didn't want the collar to draw up at all and fisherman's rib (or brioche) is the most stretchy stitch I know. I wasn't sure about it until I got it on but I think it really worked.

How long

I had seen that a local auction house had a spinning wheel up for bid this weekend and I was going to go over and have a look on Friday night. But I worked late and forgot. As I was running some errands on Saturday, I finally remembered about the wheel so went over to see if they'd gotten to it yet. Fortunately, they hadn't.

I had a look to make sure it was complete. It was. It was in pretty good shape although it looks quite old. See what you think.

I'm so pleased with it. I wish I'd thought to take a photo before I cleaned it and oiled it with Tung oil so you could see the difference but you can see how much it like the oiling.