The inspiration for this jumper comes from the beautiful Island Alderney and the strong desire to maintain as much tradition and 'Island' way of life as possible. Although Alderney has always been strongly reliant on it's sister island Guernsey, it is fiercely independent and determined to keep its own identity. The Alderney jumper is a beautifully made garment with a central detailing of the Alderney's coat of arms within the knit. Our wool starts it's life upon the fells and downs of the British countryside. The garments we produce use Worsted* wool which is hand graded for the finest quality and fibre thickness. The wool is then scoured, a cleaning operation that removes excess oils, dirt and dead fibres. o remove any short fibres the wool is then combed. Removing these short fibres ensures the wool will be less likely to pill or ball-up on the finished garment. Combing also ensures the fibres are parallel and ready for spinning. The wool is then dyed in a very gentle process so as not to damage the fibres. The next step is to draw the wool. This prepares the wool for the worsted spinning frame by determining a defined weight and levelness, allowing for a very even final yarn. The yarn is then spun and twisted on semi-automatic spinning frames with a vacuum extraction system to remove contamination. The twisting process ensures the yarns are at their optimum strength and softness for knitting. Our traditional Guernsey sweaters are knitted with close stitches from tightly twisted wool and this gives it its ability to withstand sea spray and rain. The result is a strong, long lasting garment that will hold its shape better in both wear and washing. * Worsted wool gets it's name from the village of Worstead in Norfolk, one of the manufacturing centres for yarn in the 12th century. Size Guide Size XS S M L XL XXL 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 Chest (flat) – inch 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Chest (flat) – cm 43 46 48 51 53 56 58 61 64 66 69 Body length – inch 26 27 27 27 28 28 29 29 29 30 30 Body length – cm 66 69 69 69 71 71 74 74 74 76 76 Sleeve length – inch 19.5 19.5 19.5 19.5 20.5 20.5 20.5 21.5 21.5 21.5 21.5 Sleeve length – cm 49 49 49 49 52 52 52 54.5 54.5 54.5 54.5 Sizing guideline: Take a jumper that you currently own and like the fit of (some people prefer their jumpers loose, others tight) and lay it on a flat surface. Measure the width of the jumper between the two side seams on one side in inches. When you double this measurement, you will get your size. Even if you have an existing Guernsey which already has a size in it, we recommend customers still take a measurement as Guernseys can last many years and may have grown ever so slightly with use. If the current fit is how you like to wear the jumper then this is what should be measured.
