Friday, March 13, 2009

Willow's Weekly Word

 
The Aran is a style of jumper, or sweater that takes its name from the Aran Islands off the West Coast of Ireland. The sweaters are distinguished by their use of complex textured stitch patterns, several of which are combined in the creation of a single garment. The word choice of "jumper" or "sweater", or indeed other options such as "pullover and "jersey", is largely determined by the regional version of English being spoken. In the case of Ireland and Britain "jumper" is the standard word with "sweater" mainly found in tourist shops. The word used in Irish is geansaí, a gaelicization of guernsey which has been re-Anglicised to gansey in Hiberno-English.

Originally the jumpers were knitted using unscoured wool which retained its natural oils or lanolin making the garments water resistant and meant they remained wearable even when wet. It was primarily the wives of Island fishermen who knitted the jumpers.

Some stitch patterns have a traditional interpretation often of religious significance. The honeycomb is a symbol of the hard working bee. The cable, an integral part of the fisherman's daily life, is said to be a wish for safety and good luck when fishing. Thediamond is a wish of success wealth and treasure. The basket stitch
represents the fisherman's basket, a hope for a plentiful catch.

Aran jumpers are often sold as a "fisherman sweater", suggesting the jumper was traditionally used by the islands' famous fishermen. It is sometimes said each fisherman (or their family) had a jumper with a unique design, so if he drowned and was found weeks later onthe beach, his body could be identified. There is no record of any such event ever taking place, nor is there any evidence to support there being a systematic tradition of family patterns.

This misconception may have originated with J.M. Synge's 1904 play Riders to the Sea, in which the body of a dead fisherman is identified by the hand-knitted stitches on one of his garments. However, even in the play there is no reference to any decorative or Aran type pattern. The garment referred to is a plain stocking and it is identified by the number of stitches, the quote being "it's the second one of the third pair I knitted, and I put up three score stitches, and I dropped four of them".

Misconception, or not, I find the romantic notion of the family patterns very charming. I'm sure some Irish wives and mothers were partial to certain patterns, and therefore particular sweaters were, indeed, associated with family groups.

I especially like this poem on the subject by Shirley GravesCochrane.


Irish Sweaters

"Ladies and gentlemen--
the sweaters of old Ireland!"
and down the runway come
Maeve and Erin and the other Dublin models
hips switching, eyes scorning
and Maurice, sheepish in his cowl.
"Each household had its special pattern--
you could tell a family sweater anywhere."

Aye--even at the bottom of the sea;
for grannies knit the shrouds of grandson
fishermen who never learned to swim
(to keep the agony of drowning short).
And long after the eyes were gone
and fish explored the geography of skull
the sweaters held and told us who they were--
Cormac and Tom and even Donovan.

See how the stitches knit the bones together.


info from Wikipedia
photo from Flickr

59 comments:

  1. Willow, that sweater looks kind of itchy.

    By the way, you look great in the most recent batch of pictures.

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  2. Hi Willow, I read some information in an old Arran pattern book, it said in the early times it was the men who did the knitting and the patterns and method were not the domain of the women,I wonder if that is true. It also said some of the designs where the pattern on the shoulder is inset as a separate bit extended from the sleeve, was so that it could be "patched" with another layer of the same pattern when it was worn out by the men carrying the boats on the shoulder.

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  3. That's interesting! I sure can't imagine WT knitting me a sweater! ;^)

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  4. In highschool it was the fashion to wear a "fisherman knit"sweater...and in Ireland the story is told that there were family patterns....made me a bit sad. But SO Irish.

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  5. Hmmph. I always accepted the story of the family patterns without question.

    As for men knitting - my children's paternal grandfather was in the British Navy. All the sailors learned to knit, so that they could make their own socks. That was during WWII, so it may have been simply a response to wartime need - but perhaps there's a tradition of men knitting in the British Isles. That would make for some interesting research.

    It also makes me want to get out my knitting!

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  6. Im a knitter and have two current projects going. My english Nan taught me how to knit and I recently began to teach myself how to do cable, and move on to Aran. My Nan knit me an aran cardigan that I hardly ever wear because its so beautiful. I know that doesnt make much sense but I never want it to look old so I can have my memories of her.

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  7. Hi Willow Its a bit like the Scottish tartans...
    Home spun jumpers are a big thing in NZ for their natural warmth and water resistance, and they have a lovely earthy smell to them, albeit somewhat like the shearing shed. They usually incorporate black wool which is really various shades of brown. I can smell them now.

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  8. I bought what is called a "fisherman's sweater"...a pullover while in Ireland...beautiful and not at all itchy.

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  9. I love the poem -- beautiful and creepy.

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  10. Yep, that sweater definitely looks itchy! Interesting history of the jumper. Hearing that reminds me of Bridget Jones Diary and Mr Darcy's Christmas jumpers.

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  11. fascinating - I had no idea - love your new header and your self portrait!

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  12. Ooh, right up my alley. Knitting. I guess there are worse obsessions.

    I have a friend who,years ago, knitted her husband a sweather out of unscoured wool that she spun herself. Let me tell you, that thing became legendary. It was the heaviest sweater known to man and seemed to grow bigger by itself. Sadly, I think he never wore it, but all of us understood!

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  13. Ha. I was going to say the same thing as Hazel/Clever Pup, from whose blog I found yours. I was just thinking in the top photo that the knitting looked like a doormat. Probably those fishermen had something on underneath, or maybe they were just tough old fellers?

    I had a college boyfriend from South Dakota who was a knitter. I don't think he was Irish.

    Interesting post! I like your new pictures and header.

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  14. These are wonderful sweaters with such charming history but the truth is they are heavy to wear. But the look of them I love and to imagine those fisherman in the mist - well there's the romance. Perfect poem, xv.

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  15. Hi Willow- sorry I didn't get around to you yesterday- but have just seen you amazing pig- what a beast!

    I had an aran hat made for me by a lady who has the pattern and sizes in her head and she can make a hat in an hour!

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  16. Hi Willow- sorry I didn't get around to you yesterday- but have just seen you amazing pig- what a beast!

    I had an aran hat made for me by a lady who has the pattern and sizes in her head and she can make a hat in an hour!

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  17. Please, don't pap me :-) (in reference to your new header, very good indeed!)

    Anther wonderful post. Here's the irony. In Cuba we call T-shirts pullovers, or as we pronounce the word 'pulove' (we tend to drop our Rs and S). You mentioned the word guernsey, that's also a region, or an island, I can't remember in GB.

    Many thanks.

    Greetings from London.

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  18. I at first thought the picture was one of a bunch of baby brown chicks, then I thought it was a floor mat, it was interesting to read the story. I cannot wear wool because I itch like crazy.

    I like the new header.

    Thanks for the history of the sweaters.

    PS...my ghost post story is up and running.

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  19. A lovely post. I like the mix of acknowledged sentiment and sensible factual research. My mother calls them ganseys, my father calls them pullovers and I call them jumpers! (She's Irish, he's from the West Midlands, I grew up on the Welsh border.)

    Interesting thing about itchy sweaters - I've found it's like dark green veg: I used to hate them as a child, but as an adult I have much greater tolerance for them. Keep in mind though that since they're haevy garments for cold weather, you don't wear them right next to your skin anyway. We had our heating set to 15 this year and turned it off 2 weeks ago, and I've been wearing jumpers I haven't had out of the drawer for several years. I wouldn't want a roasting hot house again next winter (not that this keeps me from a seat by the fire mind you!)

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  20. Dearest Willow: To the beautiful Irish lassie ever the best of friends; "you sure look Irish to me". On the theme of the Aran sweater; the patterns. The whole Celtic design patterning is very awesome. Fisherman sweaters are also known in Greece, I believe. I think I am going to get "dolled up Irish" for St Paddy's day. My tartan looks like a Christmas tree however. They could update the Aryan sweater somewhat. They are so heavy, I am sure they would have drown many a Guiness'd Irish fisherman. Time for designers to marry tradiion with fashionable sensibility in the 21st century. Love your poetic sensibilities, Willow. Keep on keep on sweet Irish rose!

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  21. I knitted an Aran sweater once - all those tricksy bits with the cable needle drove me mad

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  22. My mother was an avid knitter of Aran and I remember my grandfather James saying to her in his north east dialect, 'that's a canny gansey yer knittin' there hinny'...
    The north east of England had a great influx of Irish over 150 years ago to the shipyards and coal mines - contributing greatly to the rich cultural brew.
    A lovely blog Willow, thank you.

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  23. Hello Willow,

    I'll always leave the knitting to you!

    I found your poem rather creepy too. The idea of not learning to swim so that you might drown more quickly is an uncomforting thought.

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  24. Fascinating history of the sweater, Willow.

    And one powerful little poem.

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  25. What a beautifully composed blog. I love Aran jumpers (I never call these things sweaters!!!.. cardis maybe..but they need buttons down the front) especailly if made from unrefined wool and left in natural shades. I even knitted one once... but the tension was all squewed so it was not good to wear. But I love cabled knitting.. and its amazing what patterns you can come up with.

    Fishermen certainly did used to knit .. what else was there to do on a cold, squawly, winters evening!!!???

    Your blog brings my mind to a wonderful photograph of a fisherman in said Arran style jumper taken by Frank Sutcliffe.

    http://www.sutcliffe-gallery.co.uk/photo_3184612.html


    If you've not seen Sutcliffes work can I plead with you to take a look.

    http://www.sutcliffe-gallery.co.uk/index.html

    I think you would love them, taken around the fishing villages of Whitby etc in the late Victorian era.. he just caputures scenes of everyday life wonderfully. He has a whole series of Fisherfolk.

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  26. Treesparrow....oh-oh-oh!!! Thank you-thank you!! I am so glad you pleaded with me to take a look. Sutcliffe's photos are simply marvelous. I may just have to devote a post to these treasures!

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  27. Your posts are allways a big surprise, Willow! We never know what's coming up next! :-) Great work! Thank you!

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  28. Loving that poem, Willow!
    When Kev and I were on our honeymoon, in Ireland, we both bought Aran sweaters. His is a navy wool, but mine is the dark brown because I wanted the wool from the black sheep! They are extremely bulky and only come out on the chilly days of Autumn to wear outdoors, but I do love them.

    I think the mythology of the sweater is just all part of the mythology of Ireland - the selkies, the leprechauns etc. (All you Irish folk, shush now, I know they're real; I'm just humouring the rest of them.)

    Kat

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  29. ... well I'm most glad you enjoyed seeing them.. I look forward to reading the post...

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  30. My kind of sweater...and seeing Flying Shirley is making me giggle as if I were watching you toss her in the air....and up high! She looks pretty good considering her stay on the leafy roof, or is she the same doll?

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  31. Firelight, yep. She's the same Shirley who spent the winter on the roof!

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  32. Willow,
    I'm loving the Irish.....

    I'm Irish =O'Gwynn

    I'm British Isles = Suggs

    I'm Choctaw = the Jones who married a Choctaw

    I'm Scotch = Busby

    It's hard to know who I really am!
    I borrow a line from President Obama.....I'm A Mutt!

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  33. Good morning,
    I just love to snoop around and see what current at the Manor. I feel like a fly on the wall. But I would be a friendly fly. Not one of those in-your-face flies.

    I used to wear wool like crazy, until recently. Now I have those awful HOT FLASHES. ugh.

    Someday soon my hormones will settle down. Then I will wear my wonderful knits again!
    Bye for now.

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  34. PS
    You look like you're losing weight!

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  35. See how the stitches knit the bones together...

    I love that line... and the new pics.

    I always learn something new from you!!
    By the way, I used to knit a bit when I lived in a colder climate (Vermont)... but down here it seems - er - superfluous!

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  36. Unfortunately, I thought the photo was of a doormat as well, and the poem a bit creepy, but I learned so much, as usual, from your post. Thanks.

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  37. Love the banner and self portrait, and of course I love the pic of the flying doll. YES.

    Sweaters make me itch. Even reading about them makes me itch. I'm oversensitive, I think.

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  38. That poem is incredible - and I suspect that there is more than an element of truth in it.

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  39. Itchy .. but here's what you do when that happens .. you get some corn starch and rub it on your arms, midriff .. back .. wherever it rubs/itches .. the corn starch will 'stick' to the sweater w/o ruining it and the itch will stop ... trust me on this .. wool is my enemy

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  40. Nicely done-- I'm a big fan of this feature, & this had lots of fun information.

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  41. What an incredible poem! I'm really taken by it. Thanks so much for presenting it.
    It's so great to learn something I never would have thought about..facinating..
    Again, thanks.

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  42. I didn't know there was so much to learn about the Aran sweaters. Thank you for your informative article.
    Blessings, Star

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  43. Well I always call them all jumpers but love these. Interesting background adn...btw....love the pic of you up top. Lovely and what a nice surprise.

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  44. goodness it took a long time to get down here. Most interesting post. I didnt know this about the stitches. Also, well written and put together. love your sidebar too.

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  45. From what I can tell it really is a manor! I enjoyed your photography.

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  46. seeing your shirley temple reminded my of mine that was lost and i have never been able to find one like her. I loved her so, is she Ideal and does she have a number?
    that will give me something to go on to find a replacement on ebay.
    thanks,
    Jenni

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  47. The flying Shirley...you crack me up girl, but what a great story. I used to collect all these plastic statues of horses, my brother was always throwing them out of my bedroom window(2nd floor)saying they were Pegasus and would fly...he's still a brat today...

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  48. I just rode in on Barry's site. I was leaving a post and saw that you had a camera in your hand. I don't miss a camera!I had to see who was on the other end.

    I love your photos. I will be back, as I am in a rush.

    You should join us in our weekly shoot outs. I would love to see what you come up with.

    Yes, Clever Pup, that sweater looks itchy, but I bet it is warm. I could use that today!

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  49. So much to say! First - new camera? Love the header...

    As far as Aran sweaters go - I knit one for myself about 30 years ago and I STILL wear it and love it and yes it is itchy without a turtleneck underneath it...I promised my husband one after I made that...and he is still waiting!

    ...and I have you to thank for that link to Sutcliff's photos of Whitby...I can't express how much I love them...my husband and I stumbled upon Whitby and Robin Hoods Bay on a visit to England many years ago and that was always my favorite place...I have bookmarked that site to show him...

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  50. I've knitted quite a few Aran jumpers but not recently. They seemed to go out of fashion.

    Lovely and warm though if you do them in wool. Some of the yarns now are softer so not too prickly.

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  51. Jenni, my Shirley has this printed on the lower back of her head:

    IDEAL DOLL
    ST - 12

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  52. I'm not sure what, as no. 53, I can add to the above. An absorbing meditation on the Aran sweater and a fine poem to round it off.

    I own a fine Aran sweater, bought in Roundstone, Connemara. I checked its provenance carefully after nearly making a similar purchase in Lisdoonvarna, a mere 6 miles distance as the crow flies from Inis Oírr, the eastern-most Aran island. I was about to dig deep when I read the small print on the label: Made under licence in The Philippines.

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  53. Amazing article, Willow. I never thought a sweater coould cary so much information. This is a thorough post. Loved it.

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  54. and down the runway come
    Maeve and Erin and the other Dublin models
    hips switching, eyes scorning
    and Maurice, sheepish in his cowl.
    "Each household had its special pattern--
    you could tell a family sweater anywhere."--God, I was given a sweater that I was forced to wear when I was ten--Aran eh? My foot...

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  55. Back again, HELP PLEASE

    I knitted an Aran jumper for myself about 15 years ago and wore it quite a bit, it WAS a lovely off white ,creamy colour, BUT now is a yucky pale yellow.

    ANY ideas from all the knitters on how to get rid of the yellow tinge ?
    I have been told by some weavers the colour change is caused by exposure to the sun.
    BTW there is a lot of pure wool yarn around that is not itchy, I won't wear itchy wool myself !

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  56. i haven't been here this week .....
    so i haven't seen your new BANNER!
    I ADORE IT !!
    i hope you keep it, it exemplifies your creativity.

    as for the sweater ?
    (it is hot in boca raton)
    i am itching already.... you know i am a sensitive blogger..lol

    xx's

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  57. It was fun to see a blog post on ganseys, there's a word from my childhood. I'm not sure what wiki means by hiberno-english! I come from the NE of England and we use the word to mean a big baggy jumper. Many of the dialect words used in the NE of England have Scandinavian origins, and the Norwegian for sweater is ganser.

    http://www.ganseys.co.uk gives some more history.

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  58. Very interesting....you do choose the best words to investigate.

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)