Mudcat Knitting Songs

Deni Couch wrote a lovely song called Fairisle about the wives of fishermen from that island knitting their spouses jumpers to wear whilst at sea, each one had a different design, so they could be recognised if disaster happened.

From Paul Davenport; I've written three as part of a song cycle. Here's the words to the one that's so far been recorded. The story is true by the way. Perhaps I should say that 'gansey' is a woollen sweater with a pattern knitted into it that is peculiar to a particular location, and often a particular family.

Davy Cross

The Widow Cross had but one son
And indeed he was his mother's pride and joy
So she knitted him a gansey
Cable stitched both fine and fancy
And it looked like royal robes upon the boy