Chibbles

“They would set out when the tide was high and they would drift with its ebb as slow as anything. They might collect cockles from the banks and they always took a fishing line and sometimes caught a dab or two.”

Threads-The delicate Life of John Craske. Julia Blackburn.

Inspired by the Norfolk Fishermen’s Gansey jumpers of the 19th and early 20th centuries, Chibbles is a nautically striped, women’s jumper.

It takes its name from Jimmy “Chibbles” Bishop, a Sheringham man who came from a long line of fishermen and whose Gansey was created by Esther Nurse, a much admired knitter.

This style has an integrally knitted funnel neck which is worn high (unfolded) to keep out the wind and the emphasized fashioning ribs around the raglan shoulders and neck line are beautifully aligned with the stripe.

It also has flared sleeves, a direct inversion of the tight cuffs and wide arm holes of the original Ganseys. It also has a stepped hem with side splits which give this garment a relaxed and more modern feel.