..PRICELESS...

Aran Sweater or Irish Sweater ... 7 Miles Today; Forrest had another early morning walk. It was like yesterday, humid and damp. I've been wanting to do a story about Irish sweaters and today is the perfect time for it. Dublin is a major producer of these sweaters. When you are in Dublin one cannot miss seeing the name of "Blarney Woolen Mills" everywhere you travel. Have you ever seen people wearing these sweaters and said to yourself that sweater needs to be washed in Woolite. That's what Forrest thought for the longest time. Boy was I ever in the dark on this subject. Little did I know I was making light of one the most cherished items linked to Ireland or for that matter, the world. The most sought after Irish sweater is "The Aran Sweater" (its proper name). The Aran Sweater takes its name from a set of islands on the West coast of Ireland. The Islanders were fisherman and farmers whose lives were deeply intertwined. The Aran Sweater was born in this environment, passed down from generation to generation, and since become ultimate symbol of Irish Clan heritage. A finished sweater contains approximately 100,000 carefully constructed stitches, depending on the particular clan pattern being followed. Here are some of names of stitch patterns and what they symbolize. The Diamond & Honeycomb (for success hard work provides)~The Irish Moss Stitch (for carrogeen gathered at low tides) The Cable Stitch (for fisherman's ropes) The Zig-Zag Stitch (for shoreline cliffs) The Double Zig-Zag Stitch (for all the ins and outs of married life) note: (the double Zig-Zag sweater has Forrest's name all over it.) next we have The Trelllis Stitch (for stone-walled fields) The Basket Stitch (For cod) followed by The Tree of Life Stitch (for family strength) and finally The Tree of Life Stitch (for family strength) Today the demand for a Aran Sweater continues to grow with the shortage of skilled knitters. The result is a huge demand for these sweaters making them rare and extremely valuable. The next time Forrest sees someone wearing one of these sweaters I'll ask if I can touch it. Just one word describes the Irish sweater....PRICELESS.... Now it's time to sign off for today, because my bride, the mutt (Jessie-Marie) and I are headed for Chicago in about an hour. Tonight we will be enjoying "The Dublin City Ramblers" live from Chicago's Irish-American Heritage Center. Until Tomorrow, God Bless Walk Forrest Walk
Posted by Walk Forrest Walk