Contemporary Irish Knits (eBook)

Introduction

In my mind, tradition is not like a fossil; it is not some relic of the past. Instead, it's a living thing—a heritage that each new generation takes ownership of, and then nurtures and changes through their own creativity and industry. The collection of patterns in this book are "traditional" in this sense. This book is my attempt to contribute to the rich heritage of knitting in Ireland, and to share this heritage with a wider community of knitters and yarn lovers.

Many different aspects of Irish knitting heritage inspired these patterns. These designs make use of the unmistakable texture of cabled Aran stitches. Aran knitting has long been marketed to the rest of the world as a quintessentially Irish craft. It is surrounded by a romantic mythology of “family patterns” being handed down across generations, similar to how Scottish clans handed down their unique tartan plaids from one generation to the next. However, much of what people know about the history of Aran patterns is half-truth and misconception; it is, in fact, a knitting style created out of necessity during the twentieth century. The earliest recorded appearance of an Aran sweater was from the 1930s and 1940s (a sample is on display at the National Museum in Dublin, Ireland). By the 1950s, women living on the Aran Islands were encouraged to knit on a commercial basis, because there was little other employment on the islands and their knitted sweaters sold well.

The fact that the Aran sweater is not a centuries-old creation does not make it any less important to Ireland’s knitting heritage; the innovation and expertise of the Aran women who knit these sweaters should not be undervalued. They took what was a financial necessity and created masterpieces with their knitted work, allowing their personalities and craftsmanship to shine through in their finished products. Inspired by their craft, I combined the intricate interweaving of traditional Aran cables with my own imagination to create the contemporary patterns you will find in this book.

These patterns are also called “Irish” because they are shaped by the unique characteristics of Irish yarn. Ireland has a long history of yarn milling, which was once a very large industry. Due to rising costs and reduced demand, all but a few mills are now closed. While most of the remaining Irish mills primarily produce yarn for weaving cloth, three mills continue to produce yarn for hand knitting on a commercial basis. Their yarns are featured in the first three sections of this book. Yarn from Irish sheep creates coarse but hardwearing and durable wool. Modern Irish mills know that knitting tastes have changed and that many knitters desire a finer grade of yarn. Irish mills have risen to the challenge of merging the traditional with the new by blending softer New Zealand fleeces with Irish fleeces to create a softer Irish blend. This creates a yarn that offers the best of both worlds; it’s a little softer, but still hardwearing and durable enough to create a finished product that will stand the test of time. However, the yarns that these mills produce remain distinctly Irish; they are deeply textured, multi-hued yarns that are tweedy and come in a range of lush colors.

For me, a sense of heritage and inspiration comes from the remaining Irish mills. The experience and knowledge that the millers bring to their yarn comes from several generations that have worked with textiles. Specifically, I am impressed by the ways in which they move forward—by listening to the knitting community and by innovating their manufacturing processes—while retaining the treasures of the past (like the distinctive flecks, technically called “nepps,” of Donegal tweed).

The final section of this book features patterns that use hand-dyed yarn created by a new generation of Irish yarn producers: the hand dyers. Although the wool they use may come from around the world, they are a key part of Ireland's contemporary, living tradition and the complex, vibrant yarns they create are an inspiration to me as both a designer and a knitter.

Finally, I think of this pattern collection as being part of the Irish knitting tradition because it was inspired by my own Irish heritage and my experiences of growing up and living in Ireland. I learned to knit in primary (elementary) school at age six, along with the rest of my class. I have vivid memories of double-pointed needles, lemon acrylic yarn, and fingerless gloves. After that, I knit for several years, producing vests for myself as well as a full wardrobe for my dolls. However, as the years went on I forgot about my knitting, and it wasn’t until after the birth of my fourth son that I rediscovered it. When I started knitting again as an adult, I found it to be a rewarding creative outlet with the added benefit of producing functional clothing that looked and felt beautiful. If you can’t find a wool cardigan for your baby, well, just knit your own! Although I only rediscovered knitting as an adult, my family has a strong knitting tradition. My grandmother was a wonderful knitter; in fact, every September when my mum went back to school, the nuns would examine her new jumper (sweater) carefully to see what wonder my grandmother had produced that summer. My grandmother took great pride in her knitting, but it was still primarily a functional tool to clothe her family.

My transition from knitter to designer took me quite by surprise. I have an unusual background that combines art and engineering. I attended art college, where I loved to work with textiles but, to my surprise, missed math. After completing a foundation course, I left art school and studied structural engineering at university. While I enjoyed both subjects, neither was, on its own, completely satisfying. After rediscovering knitting, I quickly recognized the similarities it had to engineering. Each stitch is like a little building block and with correct gauge and a bit of imagination (and simple math) there is nothing you can't create with a knitted fabric. This revelation opened the gates for me as a designer and I let my imagination run free, knowing that applying my engineering to my knitting could produce some very innovative results!

The patterns in this book reflect my great loves in knitting: rich colors and complex textures. This book showcases the colors and textures of the Irish landscape, of Irish wools, and of the innovative stitches of Aran knitters. Like my grandmother, I love functional yet durable garments, but the granddaughter in me loves a tailored, flattering fit. Both the engineer and the artist within have a passion for clever techniques, particularly seamless construction and careful shaping. Finally (and there is nothing specifically Irish about this), I am inspired by all those who dream up new things to do with yarn and who experiment and play with this wonderful material. In other words, the knitter in me wants to have fun.

All these aspects of Irish heritage, and of my personal passions, come together in these patterns to create a book on Irish knitting as you've never before seen.

Getting the Most Out of This Book

The unique beauty of knitting your own garment is that you can make it fit you. The shoulders can be just the right size, the waist shaping can be in exactly the right position, and you can make the length just right for your body. Most importantly, you don't need to be afraid of making a pattern uniquely your own. The pattern is just the starting point; you should feel comfortable changing it to suit your own needs.

Modifying a simple pattern is not difficult to do if the knitted fabric itself is simple. However, when you are working with designs that use more complex stitch patterns, customizing a pattern requires a bit more care and forethought. Cabled stitch patterns are beautiful to look at (and fun to knit), but oftentimes produce very bulky fabrics. By using these stitch patterns selectively and taking care with their placement, you can retain the essence of a cabled design (like an Aran design) without creating as much weight and density. With innovative combinations, cabled stitch patterns can actually flatter the wearer. If possible, the underarm section should have a...