An intorduction to Aran Sweaters for the uninitiated

The Aran Sweater is an item of clothing synonymous with the island of Ireland and in particular the islands off the rugged west coast. Aran sweaters are a traditional style of sweater that take their name from the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland which are often exposed to the harsh weather systems from the Atlantic Ocean. 

Otherwise known as Irish fisherman sweaters, aran sweaters are distinguished by their use of complex textured stitch patterns, several of which are combined in the creation of a single garment. Originally the sweaters were knitted using unscoured wool that retained its natural oils which ensured that the garments remained water-resistant and wearable during wet Irish conditions. However, today most of the Aran sweaters and Aran Cardigans are knit with a softer yarn called Merino in the natural bainin (bawneen) colour and in other colours reflective of the Irish countryside.

• The honeycomb is a symbol of the hard-working bee. 

• The cable is an integral part of the fisherman’s daily life, is said to be a wish for safety and good luck when fishing. 

• The diamond is a wish of success, wealth and treasure. 

• The basket stitch represents the fisherman’s basket, a hope for a plentiful catch.

Every sweater is steeped in Irish history and every stitch has a traditional interpretation, often of religious significance, but mostly of life’s experience and journey. There varies symbols include:

Most knitting patterns were never written down just handed down from generation to generation using up to 24 different aran stitches with infinite combinations. We'll be looking further into the different stitches and their meaning over the coming weeks to give you a real sense of what it means to own authentic Irish Sweaters.