Aran Knitting

Alice Starmore's definitive explanation of an Irish Aran sweater and its development is surprising and fascinating. Arans are not ancient, and--contrary to popular legend--they were not developed as fishermen's garments. Starmore offers fairly convincing evidence that "true" Aran sweaters were adapted in this century from Scottish fishing ganseys. They are unarguably warm, practical, and beautiful, and here they are gorgeously photographed. Starmore, one of the knitting world's living treasures, includes specific cable patterns, patterns for 14 garments (both Aran and Celtic-style), and a clear, sensible guide to designing original Aran sweaters.