Harborside Aran is a 4-ply yarn spun with a mixture of Columbian and Rambouillet sheep fibers from the U.S. The weight is a bit thicker than a worsted, but thinner than a bulky weight—a true aran weight yarn.

Harborside Aran’s creation was inspired by the traditional sweater styles and knitting techniques celebrated in the Aran Islands off the coast of Ireland. The eponymous Aran sweaters worn by the fisherman who worked and lived on the islands have inspired knitters since the late 1800s. Traditional Aran sweaters were made with 100% wool. They were highly durable, hydrophobic—a necessity at sea!—warm, and, perhaps most notably, usually knit with high-relief textures and cable motifs. Incorporating textural stitch work like ribbing, plaits, bobbles, cables and Celtic Knots created a doubly warm fabric well suited to life at sea.

Harborside Aran’s soft but woolly feel and palette of 17 colors harken back to the Aran sweaters of old.