The Aran Heirloom Collection

Heirlooms and keepsakes are a beautiful tradition of celebrating life. The tradition of passing down cherished items from one generation to the next has been practiced for ages.

Heirloom items remind us of loved ones that have passed and make us think towards loved ones on the way.

This collection features timeless, handcrafted pieces that are carefully and thoughtfully constructed with the intention to be passed down, cherished and loved through the years.

H I S T O R Y O F A R A N K N T T I N G

The myth of Aran Cable Knitting is as romantic and mysterious as most Celtic tales are and have become the ultimate symbol of Clan Heritage.

Many believe each Clan had their own specific pattern that was unique to their family and had been passed down from generation to generation. Each pattern told a story about the wearer.

Fishing was a way of life in the Celtic Nations and it is said that if a fisherman’s body was found after being lost at sea from a ships wreckage, he could be identified by the cable details on his sweater and returned to his family.

Certain stitches would explain different characteristics about a person or their Clan. Such as intertwining cables for a fisherman who worked day and night with ropes and nets.

Others, such as the blackberry stitch, were used to remind us of nature’s riches. The honeycomb stitch, signifying the hard working honey bee, is used to represent both hard work and it’s rewards.

Braided cables were given to loved ones to represent the stages of life and ones path to Salvation.

Diamond stitches reflect the small fields on the Aran Island, where farmers grew their crops. Diamond stitches are often filled with the Irish Moss Stitch, depicting the seaweed that was used to fertilize the barren fields and produce a good harvest.

Cable work was a reflection of you, your family and your life.

When the time comes, you aren’t just passing down a sweater, you are passing down a story of life.

S T A R T   Y O U R   T R A D I T I O N

Taking roughly 3 months to hand craft, all sweaters are made with the utmost care and attention to detail locally in Nova Scotia.

As so much time and effort goes into our Heirloom pieces, the highest quality of fibres are used to ensure your sweater can be cherished through the generations. Pure sheep wool fiber and sheep wool blends are available.

Style and custom detail options are available to create as little or as much cable detailing as you wish.

Detail of cable work, style, size and fiber choice all play a part in determining price points of custom pieces. Once all details are chosen, an accurate price point can be quoted. Custom pieces are not limited to sweaters and can span from any items such as shawls, wraps, blankets, etc.

Orders will be produced in the order they are received to the Waitlist via email (info@lilylakeknits.com).

Please contact the above noted address to inqure and/or add your name to the waitlist.

Above Editorial Shoot vendors: Photography by Shaeline Faith Photography (@shaelinefaithphotography) / Wedding Planners KM Wedding Event Co (@kmweddingeventco) / Stationery by Paper Chain Stationery (@paperchain.stationery) / Florals by Freely Floral (@freelyflorals) / Jewelry by Locus Art Jewellery (@locusartjewellery) / Skirt by Miss Foxine (@missfoxine) / Makeup by Jennifer Murphy (@jennifermurphybeauty) / Models: Diana Jean Lewis (@dianajeanlewis) and Kyle Saari (@kyle_saari.citymodels) / Rentals by Glow The Event Store (@glowtheeventstore)