Stitches in Time
Lucy Adlington
p 289 -290
Guernsey sweaters - also known as ganseys - have
long been associated with fishermen and seamen. Fanciful writers say the
cable stitch on the gansey was invented to mimic the ropes that played
such an important part in the lives of sea
faring men. As families and communities evolved the basic pattern into
new adaptations, a myth arose that a fisherman pulled from the sea could
be identified by his individual sweater. This story was enhanced by the
1904 stage play by J.M. Synge, Riders to
the Sea, in which the jumper in question is actually in simple stocking
stitch. [gah, misreading of the play] There are no recorded instances of any such identification
being made in real life. Ganseys are traditionally dark blue and they
have no designated front, the repaired patch could
be worn at the back where it would be less noticeable.
Aran sweaters are often an unbleached natural wool
colour, patterned with honeycombs, cables and diamonds. Original Aran
knits kept the water-resistant natural lanolin, rather than washing it
out, making them more practical as outdoor wear.
Far from being an age-old pattern contemporary with the twining artwork
of the Book of Kells, as one myth suggests, it is likely that Aran
Sweaters really began life as a twentieth-century initiative to boot
dwindling household budgets.
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