This Spring my Instagram feed was suddenly full of charming knitted birds winging their way to Alaska as part of the Netloft’s Birds by Hand project, an exhibit intended to raise awareness of the importance of the Copper River Delta to migratory birds.  I fell in love with the project generally, and with Evelyn A. Clark’s design for a Gansey Bird in particular. Soon my own trio of Gansey Birds were headed north to join the Netloft’s flock.

This kit features yarn from two Maine farms, Buckwheat Blossom farm in Wiscasset for a contrast color and with the main color gansey yarn coming from the Maine Island raised flock of Straw’s Farm in Newcastle, which seems fitting. I used US size 2 needles, but otherwise made no modifications to Evelyn’s wonderful pattern (written for a worsted weight yarn).  The kit contains yarn to make 6 birds, enough for a home flock, and perhaps a few to join the flock in Alaska.

For every kit sold, a donation will be made to the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network.

Evelyn’s pattern is available for free download at:
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gansey-bird

Kit contents:
From Straw’s Farm, Newcastle, Maine

• 120 yds 5-Ply Gansey: Straw’s Farm Island Sheep in Cordova (dyed with natural indigo)

• 9 yds 3-Ply Straw’s Farm Island Sheep fingering weight, in Lichen (dyed with weld)

From Buckwheat Blossom Farm, Wiscasset, Maine

• 5 yds 5-Ply Coopworth Gansey yarn, in Natural Gray (undyed)

From Two Sisters Farm, Warren, Maine

• 50 grams wool for stuffing

Happy knitting!