12/06/2026
18 months. 16 samples. 1 sweater.
The Anson started as a problem I couldn’t leave alone.
Simple knitwear is unforgiving. There’s no decorative detail, no oversized silhouette, nothing to pull attention away from whether the garment actually works. The neckline, the rib, the balance between the shoulder and the sleeve. Every proportion is exposed.
That’s exactly why it took as long as it did.
The yarn comes from Shepley Yarns in Saddleworth, a town on the edge of the Pennines where wool has shaped the local landscape and economy for generations. They operate from Warth Mill, a site with roots in the wool trade dating back to the 18th century.
Shepley were chosen for one reason: their merino behaves the way the Anson required at the gauge and tension we needed.
Every panel is fully fashioned, meaning each piece is knitted to its final shape from the beginning. Nothing is cut from a larger piece afterwards. The shoulders, armholes and neckline are formed during the knitting process itself. It changes how the sweater sits on the body and how it holds over time.
Once knitted, every seam is hand linked stitch by stitch by specialist makers in Nottingham. One of a handful of factories in the country still working this way. It’s slower, more exacting and it’s the reason the seams are barely noticable.
The collar is 2cm rather than the standard 2.5. That 5mm reduction sounds like nothing. But it means every linking point has to be precise because there’s nowhere for imperfect work to disappear into the fold.
The Anson is £295. Malvern Grey merino. Six units per size. No restock planned.
If you want to follow the full story of how it was made, from the yarn to the finished piece, the link in the bio will get you there.
