Beanies formally resemble bobble hats, but unlike them have no pom-pom. They probably owe their name to the colloquial English term bean (bean) for the human head. Due to their shape, they can be worn in a variety of ways. Inis Meáin makes this beanie from melange yarns, which are mostly soft, warming merino wool, with some linen thrown in. The knit has a firm feel, but at the same time is pleasantly soft on the skin. A narrow ribbed cuff forms the conclusion.

The three Aran Islands lie off Galway Bay on the west coast of Ireland. They are best known to the world for the knitting skills of their inhabitants. The island in the middle of the three, Inis Meáin (pronounced Inisch Maan), is home to less than 200 inhabitants and a knitting factory of the same name. Founded in the 1960s by the dedicated Dubliner Tarlach de Blacam, the knitting mill has been producing knitwear of local character and first quality since then – in keeping with the company’s motto: “Go maire tú is go gcaithe tú é.” (May you live long to wear it.)