It's one of the most intricate Aran knitting patterns you can find anywhere on this planet. Alice Starmore rules! Man Yung loooooooves the sweater. It fits great and just look at the gorgeous pattern and colour! It took forever on tiny US#1 (I could only get gauge by going one size down from the recommended US#2) needles, but it was a very satisfying knit. The tightly spun British 5-ply wool first seemed a little rough but after a little while, I appreciated the yarn's crisp, solid texture with the sweet scent of meadow grass and lanolin. Just in case you were wondering, "Herring Girl Pink" does not at all detract from Man Yung's ability to kickass - and I quote him in a recent exchange with one whirling-dervish, spatially and navigationally-challenged bozo in Toronto: "Bump into me again and I guarantee I will break your nose."
I used Frangipani yarns to make the sweater - and it was a great experience. Firstly, the customer service from Jan and Russ of Frangipani was great - and shipping was super fast from West Cornwall, UK, to Toronto, Canada. I received the package within a week of ordering. Secondly, the yarn was amazing quality - not a single break or knot in the middle of the yarn, from beginning to end, in any of the cones of yarn I used. If you want to knit a traditional fisherman's gansey, Frangipani's 5-ply gansey yarn is a fabulous choice.
I ordered three cones of yarn and I still have about 2/3 a cone left over, more than enough to make this - the "Kittiwake" hat from Alice Starmore's "Aran Knitting":
Alice Starmore's "Aran Knitting" book had been out of print for a few years - but now it's been reissued in a new expanded paperback format with new photos and one new pattern. Back in the days when the internet (and ebay) was still in its infancy, the only way I was able to get my hands on a copy of the book was by calling knitting shops all over Canada to see whether they still had a copy in stock (I found mine in Ottawa).
If you like sweaters, or are interested in celtic culture and celtic crafts, I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of the book (it's available from Amazon).
