Purple Aran

Aran sweaters are rich in history. The individual stitches have specific meanings . The grouping of certain stitches and patterns identify specific Irish clans, so that if I see a center trinity stitch panel flanked by rope cables and seed stitches, I know who your family is (or whose sweater you've borrowed). For centuries these traditions have been handed down from one generation to the next. When you make an Aran, you are honoring these traditions.

The only trouble with this history is that it's wrong. A famous knitter debunked these romantic fallacies in one of her Aran sweater books, but they will still pop up from time to time, and you can still buy an "authentic" Irish clan sweater on certain websites. The stitches have no significance beyond what you give them. I like the look of blackberry or trinity stitch so I use it in my designs because I like it, not because it signifies the Holy Trinity. There are no "authentic" clan patterns, unless you designate that your design is your family's "clan Aran".

So why is this important? To me, it liberates you from having to follow certain Aran rules, so that your sweater can be uniquely yours. Here are those "rules":

Aran Rules You Can Ignore

1. Aran sweaters must be off-white/natural/bainin. Not true, although lighter colors do show off the stitch patterns better than a dark or variegated yarn. Shadows created by the 3-D aspect of the cables and textured stitches get lost in dark and multicolored yarns.
2. Aran sweaters must be wool. Wool was traditionally used, because it was the most readily available yarn. You can use whatever yarn you like, even acrylic!
3. Aran sweaters must be knitted in an heirloom appropriate yarn. The thinking is that because of all the work you've done, you're going to want to hand this sweater down, so make it in the "best" (code word for most expensive) yarn. Again, it's an option, not a rule. My best in show Aran cardigan was done in Red Heart Super Saver! (Since acrylic is virtually indestructible, I'll be able to hand it down when I'm gone.)
4. Aran sweaters are clan-specific. Not true. Use your favorites in any grouping you like.
5. Aran sweaters have a specific sleeve type. Not true. I've seen set-in sleeves touted as the Aran sleeve,  that Arans traditionally have raglan sleeves, and that most Arans feature a saddle sleeve. They all can't be true, so use the sleeve type you're most comfortable with.
6. Arans have a larger central pattern, flanked by smaller cables, with filler stitches at the sides. Again, they don't have to follow this design, but the use of filler stitches at the sides of the body and correspondingly, the underarms of the sleeves, is a good idea. Filler stitches, such as seed, moss, rice, and sand stitches are flatter and are less bulky. This allows more ease of movement in the underam area.