Aran Geansaí

[Pandaros]

Regional clothes seem to get very little discussion here, and I'm looking at what some people here must surely have: an Aran jumper/sweater/geasaÍ. Having grown up not far from the Aran islands, they never appealed (my grandparents and other old farmers wore them) - but now that I'm older, they suddenly look better and damned functional.

Growing up with them being common and my grandparents talking about them has thrown up a few unexpected things when sourcing them. The most principle of these is that Aran jumpers were always knitted with unwashed wool. This made them waterproof - why they were worn so often when I was a kid. But looking online, I can't find any that do - and some even boast using Merino wool. Is it even possible to get it with unwashed wool any more?

Second is the colour. Unwashed wool is off-white. I've only just learned that all those coloured versions market themselves as Aran sweaters - and the authentic one is paraded as bright white!

Third, to get a decent pattern, you need hand-knitted. That's not too hard to find, and a bit pricier, but I can't find any sort of comparison online between hand-knitted and machine knitted jumpers and whether there's any rise in quality with hand-knitted.

 

[Spinster Jones]

Unwashed wool doesn't have to be off-white. There's black, grey, brown and white sheep.

The tale goes that every knitter(wife) knitted a unique pattern so that, God forbid, when a man washed ashore, one would know whom he belonged to.

Aransweatermarket(Aran.com) seems as good as any. I have some links to some hand-knitters stored somewhere as well, but you'll find it if you search for it.

And to answer your final question; hand knitted is always better. The wool is the same, but the love and effort ain't.

 

[Mirage-]

I have a green donegal from that website. I did not like how they charged me in USD despite being an European customer buying from an Irish brand, as that made things significantly more expensive than the listed price. They also never published my neutral (not even negative) review on the site, in fact of you read the reviews you will see they are *literally* all positives. I couldn't find a single negative review among the hundreds that are there, a huge red flag.
Regarding product itself, it is certainly tough and hard wearing, and in fact so warm I barely get to wear it here. The reason I'm not really into it is 1) the wool is *very* itchy, seemingly even scratching skin though t-shirts sometimes, and 2) it's so bulky and unwieldy, that it's not really very enjoyable to wear, and too warm for layering over other knits despite there being ample room for it.
You also can't really wear it under most overcoats or even most other somewhat fitted jackets, which makes it very non-versatile for me, and mostly for indoor wear over a long sleeved but light top. In fact, while very warm, it can't break the wind effectively by itself.
In retrospect, I'd have got a merino version instead, hopefully less coarse.

Btw, mine was clearly both washed and dyed (OP seems to conflate the two things), but my partner got one which while dyed was presumably unwashed (or not enough) as it smelled terribly of sheep.

re: hand knitting, isn't that extremely expensive?

 

[Sirguywhosmiles]

I have a green donegal from that website. I did not like how they charged me in USD despite being an European customer buying from an Irish brand, as that made things significantly more expensive than the listed price. They also never published my neutral (not even negative) review on the site, in fact of you read the reviews you will see they are *literally* all positives. I couldn't find a single negative review among the hundreds that are there, a huge red flag.
Regarding product itself, it is certainly tough and hard wearing, and in fact so warm I barely get to wear it here. The reason I'm not really into it is 1) the wool is *very* itchy, seemingly even scratching skin though t-shirts sometimes, and 2) it's so bulky and unwieldy, that it's not really very enjoyable to wear, and too warm for layering over other knits despite there being ample room for it.
You also can't really wear it under most overcoats or even most other somewhat fitted jackets, which makes it very non-versatile for me, and mostly for indoor wear over a long sleeved but light top. In fact, while very warm, it can't break the wind effectively by itself.
In retrospect, I'd have got a merino version instead, hopefully less coarse.

Btw, mine was clearly both washed and dyed (OP seems to conflate the two things), but my partner got one which while dyed was presumably unwashed (or not enough) as it smelled terribly of sheep.

re: hand knitting, isn't that extremely expensive?

If you want a more modern, comfortable jumper than a true Aran, but still made in Ireland, Fisherman out of Ireland would be my first stop, available at Blarney.com.

It's not hand-knitted, and the wool is merino, but it's spun and knitted in Donegal. I have a couple of theirs, but I am going to be adding a hand-knitted Aran soon.

 

[dieworkwear]

Is it even possible to get it with unwashed wool any more?

Inis Meain used to make a version from what they called "bull's wool," which is what you're describing. Don't know if it's still in production. The sweaters are very heavy and itchy, and thus not popular on the mainstream market.

 

[dieworkwear]

If you're interested in handknitted sweaters made from unprocessed wool, you might also want to check out Flamborough Marine. They're based in the UK and source handknitted sweaters from a network of cottage workers in the area.

The styles aren't Arans, per se. But they're a close cousin called the guernsey, which you've probably seen.

Daniel Day-Lewis wore a Flamborough Marine sweater for a W cover story

I bought one a couple of years ago. Since the wool is itchy, you can't have sensitive skin to wear it. You may also find that the high neck collar is more comfortable with something underneath. I just tie a cotton bandana around my neck.

Being that these are fully hand-knitted, they have a lot of texture. I find that handknitting can result in better texture than what's possible through machine knitting.

My sweater is based on something actor Rajiv Surendra wore. His has a pattern terminating halfway down the chest, while mine goes all the way down. I also asked for a tighter hem, so that I can pull up the sweater and adjust the length. One of my favorite sweaters to wear this time of year, although I think it works better with workwear, rather than the types of clothes discussed on this side of the forum.

 

[Pandaros]

@dieworkwear That's beautiful.

I'm getting all nostalgic for my youth, I've realised - maybe because I'm working from my grandparent's home for a week. I want the itchy jumper! The feel of raw wool (I grew up on a sheep farm). The old-fashioned patterns.

These regional woollen wares really should get much more of a mention here. Just as techniques of tailoring are dying out, so is the knowledge of regional woollens - which is passed down from generation to generation.

 

[Pandaros]

If anyone is interested, this is about the most authentic I could find.

Home - Aran Islands Sweaters

Modal Box modal- Click here to edit the “modal-box” settings. This text is only for editing and will not appear after you publish the changes. Preview modal- 10% OFF your first order when you spend €50 Use Coupon Code TENOFF at checkout LADIES Shop Now Women’s Knitted Sweaters, Aran Cardigans...

www.aranislandssweaters.com

Shop is on the Aran islands. Uses the wool from the islands. And appears to be made on the islands. Doesn't seem to be unwashed wool.

Of course it throws into question to what extent an Aran jumper is tied to the Aran islands. But it still has that nice rustic appearance.

 

[dieworkwear]

In the US, some of the old trad shops (e.g., O'Connell's, Andover, and Cable Car) also have vintage Arans, often hand knitted. Many are in uncommon sizes, so it can be difficult to find something if you wear a 38 or 40. But they're around. If you're in or around one of these shops, you can usually ask to see the vintage or deadstock.

Here is a merino-cashmere Aran from Inis Meain (left) sitting next to a Glenshee Woolens sweater (right). I bought the Glenshee from O'Connell's.

I find that handknitted sweaters are sometimes more textured than their machine-knitted or hand-loomed counterparts.

Close-ups of the Glenshee

And a photo of the mill in Scotland. Don't know if they're still operating.

 

[Pandaros]

@dieworkwear the one on the right is beautiful. Looks really good

As for the Inis Meain one, I'm not sure that cashmere suits the style. It's too fine a knit, IMO. It doesn't have that fuzzy and cozy look of an Aran. Cashmere, I think, looks best when it's woven plain. The details are too finely defined. I've no doubt that it would be more comfortable to wear, but under an Aran you'd have traditonally worn a woollen undershirt - so, the itchiness we associate with it is counteracted

 

[Sirguywhosmiles]

If anyone is interested, this is about the most authentic I could find.

Home - Aran Islands Sweaters

Modal Box modal- Click here to edit the “modal-box” settings. This text is only for editing and will not appear after you publish the changes. Preview modal- 10% OFF your first order when you spend €50 Use Coupon Code TENOFF at checkout LADIES Shop Now Women’s Knitted Sweaters, Aran Cardigans...

www.aranislandssweaters.com

Shop is on the Aran islands. Uses the wool from the islands. And appears to be made on the islands. Doesn't seem to be unwashed wool.

Of course it throws into question to what extent an Aran jumper is tied to the Aran islands. But it still has that nice rustic appearance.

The site you linked seems to be using some of the pictures from Omaille.com so may have sourced their hand knits from them. I think O'Maille in Galway is about as authentic in design as you can get; I don't know if they are made on the island but the Islands are part of Galway county, despite being nearer Clare. Some of the other pictures look like ones on sites from Blarney.com and Aran Sweater Market, so they may be selling jumpers from multiple makers, which you might expect since it is a shop's website.

Inis Meain is made on the island, but don't seem to hand knit their jumpers and a lot of their materials are finer, as you said yourself. Their designs seem more modern to me, even though they say they base a lot of their designs on vintage pieces.

 

[dieworkwear]

@dieworkwear the one on the right is beautiful. Looks really good

As for the Inis Meain one, I'm not sure that cashmere suits the style. It's too fine a knit, IMO. It doesn't have that fuzzy and cozy look of an Aran. Cashmere, I think, looks best when it's woven plain. The details are too finely defined. I've no doubt that it would be more comfortable to wear, but under an Aran you'd have traditonally worn a woollen undershirt - so, the itchiness we associate with it is counteracted

I hear what you're saying, although I think there's room for both in a wardrobe. Inis Meain uses really unique yarns. Hard to describe, but even their pure merinos don't' feel like the pure merinos that you find from fashion brands. They're really thick and plush, and just feel great in the hand. Some have a touch of cashmere, which makes them feel plusher still.

 

[bdavro23]

I hear what you're saying, although I think there's room for both in a wardrobe. Inis Meain uses really unique yarns. Hard to describe, but even their pure merinos don't' feel like the pure merinos that you find from fashion brands. They're really thick and plush, and just feel great in the hand. Some have a touch of cashmere, which makes them feel plusher still.

I spend time with the Inis Meain rep every time I go to the market shows just so I can see what knew yarns and colors they've come up with. THey also are open to doing specific make-ups, which despite my low volumes I've toyed with doing in the past. Someday...

 

[imatlas]

I spend time with the Inis Meain rep every time I go to the market shows just so I can see what knew yarns and colors they've come up with. THey also are open to doing specific make-ups, which despite my low volumes I've toyed with doing in the past. Someday...

You could probably pre-sell most or all of a custom makeup here, if you want that route.

 

[FlyingMonkey]

The best contemporary Aran-style knits I've seen, indeed some of the best knits more generally, have come from Kesennuma Knitting, a group of handknitters in the North-East of Japan, who set up a co-op after the 3/11 disasters. My father-in-law won a competition to be one of the first recipients and my wife has another of their models. Amongst other things, they do made-to-order Aran-style cardigans and sweaters: https://www.knitting.co.jp/en/mm01.html