Hannah Alexander
This project started as a glimpse into the life of Fishermen from the North East of Scotland as it has played a huge role in Hannah Alexander’s heritage. The focal point became about the knitted Ganseys they wore whilst out at sea and the meaning behind them.
Many fishermen could not swim as there was thought to be no point due to the North Sea’s freezing temperatures. If you went overboard then there was thought to be no hope. The gansey then became a big part of each individuals identity. Each one hand knitted by a female relative or woman from the village and when being made the women would make purposeful mistakes so that if the Fisherman was lost at sea then he could be identified by his gansey.
A tragic reality but a beautiful story of craft and what purposeful mistakes can contribute to design and story telling.
