The Tarbert Fisherman's Jumper: The Story of the Stitch
The Tarbert. A proper heavyweight in a 5 gauge traditional fisherman's rib, knitted the way they used to knit them. Raglan sleeves for easy movement, a rolled selvage collar cut with room for a shirt collar underneath, and nothing it does not need. No logos, no fuss.
It arrives in Slate, sized S to 3XL, at £115. This is the story of why it looks the way it looks, and why that has not changed in a hundred years.
The Stitch Came First
The fisherman's rib is not a style. It is a working solution that became one. The stitch doubles the yarn over itself, which traps air, and trapped air is warmth. It stretches and recovers, which means a jumper that moves when you haul, reach and carry, then returns to shape. Men who worked on the water wore it because nothing else did the job as well.
The Tarbert keeps the stitch at a proper 5 gauge weight: substantial enough to be the outer layer on a cold morning, honest enough to show its construction. Look closely at the rib and you can read exactly how it is made. That is the point of it.
The Details
- 5 gauge traditional fisherman's rib. The heavyweight stitch, knitted the old way.
- Raglan sleeves. The seam runs to the collar, not across the shoulder, so the arm moves freely: casting, carrying, working.
- Rolled selvage collar. Cut with room for a shirt collar underneath. A Brae Flannel or Munro Shirt sits inside it the way it was designed to.
The Blend, Stated Plainly
The yarn is a working blend: 30% recycled polyester, 30% polyamide, 20% wool, 20% viscose. Each fibre is there for a reason. The recycled polyester and polyamide give the strength, so the rib keeps its shape through daily wear rather than bagging at the elbows by Christmas. The viscose softens the handle. The wool brings the warmth.
We will not dress that up as anything other than what it is. A pure wool jumper at this weight needs babying. The Tarbert is built for the other approach: worn hard, washed rarely, aired often, and still itself in years to come. Warmth, comfort and years of use.
Where It Lives
The hill, the shore, the garden, the cold commute. Over a shirt from the first cold morning of autumn. On its own at the woodpile. At the tailgate while the rods go up, and still on when the light goes and the flask comes out.
On the coldest days, it layers cleanly under the Arkle Wool Jacket. The rib sits flat under the raglan cut of the Arkle, and the two together handle any morning the winter offers.
Common Questions
What is a fisherman's rib?
A knitting stitch that doubles the yarn over itself, trapping air for warmth and giving the fabric stretch and recovery. It was knitted for men who worked on the water because it moves with hard work and holds its shape. The Tarbert uses the traditional stitch at a heavyweight 5 gauge.
Is the Tarbert a wool jumper?
It is a working blend: 30% recycled polyester, 30% polyamide, 20% wool, 20% viscose. The wool brings warmth, the synthetic fibres bring the strength that keeps the rib in shape through daily wear, and the viscose softens the handle. Each fibre is there for a reason, stated plainly on the product page.
How does the Tarbert fit?
True to size, with raglan sleeves for movement and a collar cut to take a shirt collar underneath. If you plan to wear it over a flannel through winter, your usual size is the right size. Sizes run S to 3XL.
How do I care for it?
Air it between wears and wash it rarely. Dry flat, or hang evenly, so the weight of the rib does not pull it out of shape. Knitwear worn often and washed seldom lasts longest.
Knitted the way they used to knit them. Worn the way they used to wear them.
The Tarbert Fisherman's Jumper in Slate, £115. Free UK delivery over £150. A cause we care about: giving back to our rivers.
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