You may have read our previous “Meet the Makers” blog with our fantastic knitwear designer, Bronagh. Today, we’re continuing to celebrate the wonderful minds behind the wool by sitting down with our brilliant team member, Martina Mannion, a talented artist who brings Bronagh’s knitwear into reality. Martina is one of our Linkers, here at Aran Woollen Mills and we really can’t stress enough just how talented, skilled and focused you have to be to excel at this important step of the Aran knitwear process. We’re delighted to have had the chance to learn a little more about Martina and the linking process. We hope you enjoy getting to know her.
Martina, you’re a trusted Linker here at Aran Woollen Mills. Can you tell us what a Linker does?
Yes of course. Once the design has been programmed in and each individual piece has then been knitted, each section of the garment needs linked together. Myself and the other linkers are then responsible for linking each stitch by hand and ensuring the piece is completed with care and perfectly finished. We do this on a linking machine and link the stitches loop by loop. Linking is quite a time consuming process, but it’s fulfilling when you see the finished product ready for the next stage.
That’s amazing Martina, do you enjoy your work?
I really do and I really love the environment here at Aran Woollen Mills. There’s a great sense of togetherness and we all do help each other to get the products finished to a perfect standard. Sometimes I’ll help out with the sewing or pitch in in other places if I’m needed and we all have that same attitude of helping one another. I have always felt so welcomed by all the team and that includes Vincent the owner. Vincent’s mother started the business and I think that has always meant there’s a friendly atmosphere here at work.
Aran Knitwear has always been an industry led by lots of women. It’s the same in Aran Woollen Mills, with a huge female workforce, isn’t it?
Yes, we really do have a huge female team and I suppose with the business starting with Vincent’s mother, there’s always been a great respect for women and their work here, which is great. In our department, we actually have all men, which is great too and I think we all feel that there’s a positive atmosphere for everyone here at Aran Woollen Mills.
Aran knitwear is super long lasting but it needs to be looked after. Do you have any advice for this?
Yes, if you look after your piece of Aran you could have it for a lifetime. We would always recommend that you hand wash your garment and it’s important to reshape it afterwards as wool can lose its shape very easily. We’re always going to be bringing out our own garment wash that is made specifically for Aran Wool and that will be gentle enough for customers to use on the wool. And of course, if you can use a comb to remove the pills that’ll keep it looking like new.
Do you have a favourite piece of Aran at the moment?
I really do love lots of the pieces so it is difficult to choose, but I would have to say that I love the Tully Box Aran sweater. It has beautiful stitching and really is a perfectly traditional Aran sweater but it has the slit on each side and is a bit longer at the back than the front. I think this makes it a little more modern and easy to wear. It can be dressy but of course is still practical and warm. But I do love lots of pieces, particularly from the Supersoft Merino range, I just think it’s so lovely to wear.!
Martina is a deeply valued member of the creative team here at Aran Woollen Mills and without her skills and talent, we wouldn’t be in the place we are today. We’re so proud that every garment is linked by hand and given the care and respect each piece wholly deserves. Thanks so much to Martina for her unwavering dedication to the craft of Aran.
You can find her favourite piece at this link!
