What Fishermen Wore, Part 1: The Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic

 I am lucky to have a  brother in law who likes boats, and so I get to spend some time in them. Choosing outfits for this requires some thought. I live where it's warm, but the wind on a boat even in Savannah Georgia can still make a jacket necessary.  Hats will fly off.  As we go out when the weather is nice; I think about how the fishermen of old must have geared up well in natural fibers, in a cold climate, year round.  

I've been lucky to look at historic fisherman's gear in both Nova Scotia, and the island of Inis Oirr, or "Inisheer," one of the Aran Islands in Ireland.   A future post will address fisherman's gear that I saw there. 

Here are some photos from the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic in Lunenberg Nova Scotia where I visited with my good friend Barb in 2018.  Sadly, I was photographing through the glass.

Note the two color mittens knitted with two strand for warmth.  

Above, the ubiquitous "gansey" sweater, sailed and shared around the world especially in the North Atlantic.  This makes me wonder what color they were before commercial dyes in the later 1800's...

The above mittens look fulled. They bring to mind an article that I read with fascination in Yankee Magazine years ago in my Grandmother's home in Northfield Falls Vermont. Published in 1983. I may still have the clipping but here is a link to the article:  https://newengland.com/today/living/crafts/boiled-wool-mittens/. Knitting instructions included!

  

Above,  an example of the aforementioned cultural sharing!

I photograph old sewing machines wherever I travel, and more often as not, they are Singers. This is a heavy duty, used for sails. 

  

Indigo Dyed Linen Top

 I like the linen fabrics from Fabrics-Store.  This top is in their lightweight linen and the pattern is from their website. Patterns are downloadable with Acrobat reader if you are a registered customer. This is the Agustina Boxy Top which I have modified to not include the bands around the capped sleeves. 

I cut out the two pattern pieces for front and back after washing the linen.

Then I used an arashi technique in an iron-reduced indigo vat.  I first wrapped it around the pole and dyed it. I did three dips. Then, I  undid the wrap, and clamped as you can see on the front of the top.   I dipped twice more. 

Then, after the pieces dried, I sewed together. I like to hand stitch and finished the neckband and the sleeves by hand. I left the hem undone, maybe due to laziness! I may do some decorative stitching on the front, however. The lines just call to me!

I love the coolness and the drape of this top!