A cotton tea towel with an historical explanation of the unique stitches associated with the wonderful Aran patterns used to knit Aran sweaters.

Featuring 11 popular Aran Stitches:

The Link - The eternal link with those who left the homestead "to sail away to lands afar".

Trinity or Blackberry Stitch - The emblem of God given life and being. A way of life and a fruitful one.

Zig-zag - "The twisting cliffs along the shore" or "The cliffs to which we return".

Basket Stitch - The fisherman's basket for catches abundant.

The Tree of Life - The limbs - offshoots of the long-lived parent trunk symbolise strong sons and family unity.

Trellis - Symbolic of the small, stone walled fields of the West.

Diamond - Success, wealth and treasure.

Irish Moss - A grateful symbol of the gifts of the sea - Carrageen Moss, which is harvested at low tide.

Double Zig-zag - The marriage lines, the up and downs that make life worthwhile.

Cable - The fisherman's rope - safety and good luck when fishing.

Honeycomb - "Work as the bee - for a just reward".

We will always strive to get your little piece of Ireland to you as soon as possible & in perfect order! 

Dispatch:

Irish Crafts will usually endeavour to dispatch goods within 1 working day of your order, we generally dispatch same working day where possible. If for some reason there is any delay to this we will contact you with updates & options.

If you need an item in a hurry please contact us for express courier rates before placing your order.

Delivery & Collection Services:

Important to Note: If you choose an accelerated check-out option such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, Amazon Pay, or PayPal, then the local delivery or local pick-up options will not be shown. Please manually enter your address details or use Shop Pay in order to avail of these options.

 

3. Delivery in Republic of Ireland 

Packages will generally be delivered by DPD, orders placed up to 12 noon Monday-Friday will be delivered next working day, orders placed after 12 noon will deliver within 1-2 days. If you supply a mobile number DPD will send you updates about your delivery.

If your cart consists of small/light items suitable to be sent by envelope, for example, greeting cards, you may be offered an alternative 'Envelope Service' this is a standard post service, delivering in 1-2 days for up to 250gm and is provided by An Post.

 4. International Delivery

Depending on the shipping destination we may use either Fedex or DPD couriers. These services are provided at (or below) cost; they offer an insured service with door-to-door internet tracking, proof of delivery & a signature is required on delivery (subject to local Covid-19 exceptions).

There has been a noticeable increase in freight & shipping costs worldwide, the reasons are broad & complex; soaring demand, a shortage of containers, saturated ports, too few ships, shortage of workers, customs complexities and of course the impact of Covid which will continue for some time. This challenge is in no way unique to us at Irish Crafts but we have been left with no option but to increase shipping prices and adjust 'free shipping' thresholds. We have opted to reflect these increases fairly and transparently - applying them to our Shipping Costs and not simply adding to our product prices which remain among the most competitive in the market.

The table below provides an overview of the shipping destinations, estimated days & rates. If your destination is not listed, we may be able to provide you with a quote via email, please contact us.

 

Covid-19 Shipping Impact:

Spring 2022 has brought along a welcome recovery from Covid restrictions, however, there are global imbalances as to the pace of recovery and it will remain a changing landscape for some time yet. While we are continuing to fulfil online orders we advise you to expect delays and irregularities as to when & how shipments may be delivered at this time.

 

Customs & Duties outside the EU*:

If you reside outside the European Union (EU VAT Area) local taxes/duties are not included in your order total & are not the responsibility of the Irish Crafts.

The delivery agent may charge the recipient local duties, taxes and processing fees, should any apply, at the time of delivery. As we have no control over such taxes or charges, they are not calculated in your online total. You should contact your local customs office for more information.

*Brexit: Note from January 1st 2021 The UK is now considered to be outside the EU VAT area, with the exception of Northern Ireland. 

 

Ukraine & Russia

Following growing unrest in the regions, from February 24th 2022, we will cease all deliveries to Ukraine & Russia until further notice.