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Jean Long

@jeanmlong

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Hand knitter working across design, teaching and textile heritage. Advocate for Irish grown wool.
✨Knitter in Residence @knitforwildlife Vega cohort

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Sitting with my hands in Spalsau wool this morning and sitting with all the thoughts from the past two days at the Threading Europe makers gathering and symposium at the RDS. Thank you Róisín de Buitléar and all the RDS team for creating the most beautiful gathering around craft.

some of my notes….

“craft as a teller of time”
“a place where stories could be held”
“hands are living archives”
“continue an ancient connection with a place”
“heritage is not the past - it is identity in motion”
“trust my hands”
“craft is how a place keeps time” by @jeanmlong

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15 days ago

My kittiwake shawlette inspired by the Seabird Shawlette pattern designed by @sydneyraeo for @knitforwildlife.

I cast on this beautiful project right before I travelled to Bergen at the start of the month to support Sydney and Libby at the CommOcean conference in Bergen. It was such a fun travel project and I was thrilled to cast off during the final afternoon of the conference.

I used nutiden, a delicate unspun Swedish yarn to knit the shawl and took advice on colour placement from my son who is a Marine Biologist! Hence the black tips for the kittiwake’s legs and wingtips 😊

Thank you for a wonderful pattern Sydney and Knit for Wildlife. taken in Cork, Ireland by @jeanmlong

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25 days ago

I finally got to the Crane Visual in Shandon this morning to see the Saérlaith Project by Jools Gilson, Veronica Santorum and Benjamin Burns.

A 7th century female body clothed in seven different kinds of wool cloth was discovered in a bog in County Roscommon in 2005. The Saérlaith project “wonders what it means to be held for a thousand years in the black embrace of a bog”.

Working with scientists, the artists explored the insects which would be present in the bog were it re wetted. They recreated her cloak, retraced her final steps in the bog and tell her story. I cannot stop thinking about her.

It is an enchanting exhibition which drew me in with bowls of whispering moss (you have to put your ear right to the top of the bowl to hear what it has to say), a hauntingly beautiful dance film (I loved the moth) and an intriguing textile map of the bog. taken in Dance Cork Firkin Crane by @jeanmlong

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a month ago

Join us for our second annual 6 Week Hand Knitting Series with Master Hand Knitter Jean Long, every Friday morning Nov 6- Dec 11, at the Ballymaloe Organic Farm School. (10:00am-1:00pm). 🧶

Sign up for all 6 classes or check out our weekly themes and choose which mornings you would like to come. This is for people who want to work on specific skills or just come have a cup of tea, meet like minded people and knit in company. ☕️

The Six Week Programme

Week 1 — Textured Knits Discover ways of bringing texture and character to your knitting, exploring a variety of stitches and techniques.

Week 2 — Cables Learn the principles behind cable knitting and how to create beautiful, sculptural cable patterns.

Week 3 — Shaping Explore increases and decreases and learn how shaping can transform a flat piece of knitting into a beautifully formed garment or object.

Week 4 — Knitting in the Round Learn the techniques involved in seamless knitting in the round, from getting started to keeping your work even and consistent.

Week 5 — Colourwork Experiment with working in two or more colours to create pattern, rhythm and intricate designs.

Week 6 — Lace Knitting Explore the delicate and rhythmic world of lace knitting, working with yarnovers, decreases and traditional lace patterns.

Visit ballymaloecookeryschool.ie for more course information. by @jeanmlong

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a month ago

Fabulous few days in Bergen in the company of Eoin, my son who recently graduated with an MSc in Marine Biology, Libby and Sydney from the Knit for Wildlife crew, and Sydney’s wonderful Mum, Nadine.

So fun also to meet Csilla from @irishwhaleanddolphingroup whose colleague Susi @susisoulbird knit little pocket seabirds for her to take to the conference!

I absolutely love the energy that emerges when science meets the arts! So many wonderful conversations, interesting ideas and fascinating insights into new scientific research in marine wildlife and innovative ways to communicate it.

Thank you Lena for inviting me into the Vega residency and for all the opportunities it is offering. Thank you to the University of Bergen for an excellent conference. Thank you Norway for another beautiful visit 🇳🇴

#CommOcean2026
#knitforwildlife taken in Bergen Norway by @jeanmlong

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a month ago

Let’s have a look at a fab project that is currently on my needles:
The Vega Gansey by the very talented Jean Long
Yarn: Ériu Elements DK
Why this project?
1. Because I loved the design the moment I saw it.
2. The project behind the design deserves a lot of attention (have a look at @knitforwildlife )
3. I had the perfect yarn waiting for it
4. I like to be challenged and learn another knitting style; bottom up is not new to me, but a saddle shoulder in a bottom up sweater is!
Currently nearly halfway the body, working gusset increases, cabling and the eider duck egg details, and I already know that this will become a piece that I’ll be wearing for years!
I’ll keep you posted on my progress!

If you’re interested in knitting this beautiful design, you can download the pattern for free, or purchase it for the price of a coffee, so you can contribute to the Knit for Wildlife cause ☕️🪶
#frederiqueknits
#vegagansey
#farmtoyarn by @jeanmlong

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2 months ago

This might divide the knitting community. 👀

If you could only cast on one:
Sweater OR Vest
Which gets your vote?

The best part?
With Rivulet, you might not have to choose. You can knit one now... and the other later. 😉

The Rivulet Autumn Knit-along is now open.
🔗 Join us via the link in my bio.

#knitting #knittingcommunity #knitvest #knitsweater #knitters by @jeanmlong

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2 months ago

A wonderful day meeting the new flock of Galway sheep at @ballymaloeorganicfarmschool. Thanks to Blatnaid and Niall for sharing their incredible knowledge of these native Irish breed of sheep with us. I learned so much!

Love the video of John taking Seamus, the ram, for a walk 🐑

#irishwool
#galwaywool taken in Ballymaloe Cookery School by @jeanmlong

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2 months ago

Spent this afternoon skirting sheep fleece. Wouldn’t it be fun to knit with wool from some of the sheep who live on Cape?

10kg of beautiful fleece from @fastnetfarm heading to Katarina @woolstoreireland for processing. taken in Cape Clear Island by @jeanmlong

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2 months ago

Míle buíochas to everybody who joined me at Mara Farm on Oileán Chléire yesterday for the gansey workshop.

A huge thank you to Fibreshed Ireland and DCCI for supporting me to do this as part of @augustcraftmonth26 and @nationalheritageweek.

We were so wonderfully welcomed and fed by Fiona at Mara Farm. Thank you to Brett for the fabulous photos, to @eriu.ireland for your support with the wool, to Kirstie for all your knitting help and to Tograí Chléire for making it all happen. It was such a good day 🧶

#heritagecraft
#traditionalskills
#handknitting
#geansaichleire taken in Cape Clear Island: Oileán Chléire by @jeanmlong

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2 months ago

Iceland - what a privilege to spend a week with our family in your spectacular country. I feel truly humbled 🇮🇸 taken in Iceland by @jeanmlong

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2 months ago

COME KNIT WITH JEAN😊🧶

The Vega Gansey has become one of our most-loved residency patterns. And now you can meet the woman who designed it! Join Jean Long for a live online session all about the Vega Gansey.

Bring your knitting. Bring your questions. Jean will help you with the pattern, talk through techniques and details, share the stories behind the design and answer all those questions that pop up once the needles get going.

Sunday 30 August
1 PM (UK/London time)
Online · approx. 1–2 hours
Only 30 spots

🧶 FREE for Knit for Wildlife members
🎟️ €15 for non-members

Already a member? Check your inbox for your free booking code.

Not a member yet? Membership is €25 for the rest of 2026 and includes this session alongside your other member benefits.

Whether you’re already knitting the Vega Gansey, about to cast on, or simply curious about the pattern - you’re very welcome.

Come knit with Jean😊🧶

Link to book your spot in bio. by @jeanmlong

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2 months ago