Cashmere and Aran Handmade Craft Woollens Knitwear

CASHMERE KNITWEAR

Cashmere wool, also known as Pashmina, is one of the finest and most luxurious in the world. This warm, soft and light wool comes from rare goats high in mainly the Kashmir region of the Himalayas. The combing of the inner coat during the annual moulting of the goats produces the wool. It takes three or four years to collect sufficient wool for only one garment!

It was a famed fabric sought after by Roman emperors, Napolean and even our Queen Victoria.

ARAN KNITWEAR

Famous around the world, it may come as a surprise to learn that the Aran sweater is little ovrer 100 years old! It is said that the women on the Aran Islands that are found off Ireland's Galway Bay knitted mainly stockings until the end of the 1800s. It was probably the influx of Scottish folk to work in the flourishing fishing industry around the time of the First World War that brought the knitting skills and styles of the Scottish fishing communities for the hand-knitting of ganseys.

As a result the initial patterns were largely Scottish, embodying patterns and styles that may have developed over a thousand years. However, as time progressed unique Aran styles developed and began to be sold all over the world.

The styles of patterns and knitting of Aran sweaters are varied indeed and are a reminder of rich local heritages from around Britain.

It seems strange that some claim that these Fishermen's sweater had its origins possibly in Brittany... but from a later time period! Today however, the practical workwear of the fishing industry is somewhat of a prized designer fashion item.