Lockie Aran Jumper

While an Aran jumper is closely related to Ireland, we believe that the Scottish William Lockie does a tremendous job at creating such an intricately knit jumper. A good Aran jumper is not only comfortable due to its chunky knit but it is also interesting for its rich history. Aran jumpers were traditionally knitted from undyed and unwashed wool as the natural oils of the wool made the jumper water resistant. This water resistance was desired as these jumpers were often used by sailors, fishermen and others that were in professions that were closely involved with the sea. While most people may associate the colour navy with occupations involving the sea, the off-white colour of the unwashed and undyed wool were the jumpers that remained wearable while wet! 

There are many myths and fables surrounding the meaning of the patterns of Aran sweaters but most of them are false as they were concocted by a yarn shop owner who found a resemblance between the Aran patterns and religious Celtic knotwork! However, the usage of the same pattern on both sides of the jumper did have a function as it allowed the wearer to dress in the dark as it did not matter which side of jumper was facing the front. As you can imagine, this was rather useful in the dark quarters of a small vessel! While interesting, William Lockie’s jumper is not reversible as it has a saddle shoulder construction which offers the wearer more freedom of movement across the upper back and across the shoulder girdle. The implementation of a saddle shoulder makes the jumper more aesthetically pleasing for modern use as the more traditional Aran jumpers have a rather unconventional shoulder seam.