Middleton

“After an hour or so the upward flood of the tide held its breath for an elongated moment and then it changed direction and we were being pulled back the way we had come, down towards the meeting of river with sea…”

Threads-The delicate Life of John Craske. Julia Blackburn

*now also available in Stormy Blue/Navy*

Part of the Olive and George collection, drawing inspiration from the Norfolk fishermen’s Gansey jumpers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Middleton is a nautically striped, summer weight jumper knitted in Italy from certified British wool.

The light weight knit of this jumper makes it the perfect addition to a “seasonless” wardrobe, it is light and airy in my classic roomy silhouette, with a flatteringly curved hem, fastened at the sides with 2 buttons that can be left open to create side splits on a warmer day, or if you want to style with a billowy shirt or dress, or buttoned down for an evening stroll. The stripe chosen for this piece is a play on the classic nautical stripe that has been cleverly worked to continue over the shoulders and across the side splits with no bulky seams. The stripes create a beautiful sense of movement in the piece, a simple but considered classic.

The buttons used in our collection are all made from 100% natural corozo nut and colour match the Navy blue of the jumper.

The Middleton jumper takes its name from Sally Middleton who lived in Upper Sheringham and of whom there are some beautiful photographs taken by Olive Edis of her standing in the doorway to her cottage . Sally is the only woman known to have worn a version of a Gansey jumper that she knitted for herself. Traditionally women never wore the finished Ganseys, they only knitted them, saving the finished pieces for their menfolk. I named this jumper after Sally to celebrate both an expert Gansey knitter (who knitted for herself) and the talented female photographer who captured her image for posterity.