SHOAL

An online exhibition of knitted herring gathered from all corners of Scotland and beyond during the course of the Knitting the Herring Project.

Inspired by the unique knitting heritage of coastal fishing communities of Scotland.

From when they started out in the industry as young men, most Scottish fishermen (between the late 19th and early 20th century) would have owned at least one gansey, usually dark blue (but sometimes grey, cream or even red) tightly knitted sweaters, created for them by a family member. Made of strong and water-resistant wool, ganseys were designed to be practical and comfortable, and came to play a vital role in Scotland’s fishing communities. Over time, they became fisherfolk’s distinctive knitted workwear, often worn as a source of pride.

It is, therefore, really important that gansey heritage is both preserved and celebrated for generations to come.

From 21 January 2021

The project delves into the history and mythology of the gansey, examining stitch-by-stitch selected unique examples from our collections and uncovering new insights into the techniques and themes used by their talented makers.

Through a series of workshops, exhibitions and events from June 2020 to March 2021, Knitting the Herring seeks to capture, preserve and highlight the unique knitting heritage of coastal fishing communities of Scotland. The exhibition is part-funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and has been brought to you as part of the ‘Knitting the Herring’ project, funded by Fife Leader and Outer Hebrides Leader.

See the exhibition online at SHOAL or visit the Knitting the Herring website for more information, inspiration and entertainment on the theme of ganseys and knitting.