Design Challenge! - For Gansey Project

15th January 2011

The Moray Firth Gansey Project is issuing a challenge to all budding designers in their exciting international competition to design a new gansey pattern for the Moray Firth.

Men and women down the ages have created clever, but simple, decorative knitting patterns that turned fishermens working jumpers, or ganseys, into unique works of art. Patterns represented familiar everyday objects, such as ropes, nets, flags, stars, and waves. To keep the tradition of gansey knitting alive, the Project hopes to inspire people to create a new gansey design for the Moray Firth in the 21 century.

The main aims of the Gansey Project are to record and conserve the patterns used in the area to decorate traditional fishermens ganseys, and to ensure that the traditional skills are not lost. This competition is an exciting opportunity to create a pattern in the tradition of the Gansey knitters of old, and to connect with the rich heritage of Scotland! said Beth Brown-Reinsel, author of the international selling book: Knitting Ganseys.

The competition is split into two sections, so that even those who cannot knit, as well as budding designers, can enjoy the thrill and challenge of creating a new pattern. What the judges will be looking for is originality of design that reflects aspects of maritime or fishing life around this beautiful and productive Scottish coastline.

[a] Design a gansey patterned bag

[b] Design a new adult gansey pattern

Full details of the competition, which closes on 4 April 2011, are on the web site: www.gansey-mf.co.uk. For further information, contact: Kathryn Logan, Moray Firth Gansey Project, The Moray Firth Partnership, Great Glen House, Leachkin Road, Inverness, Scotland, UK 1V3 8NW; e-mail: ganseymf[AT]gmail.com , Tel: (0044) (0)1463 725027 or if outwith office hours Tel: (0044) (0)1463 793948.

This project is one of a number being carried out through the Moray Firth Partnership (MFP), with the aim of helping to keep the Moray Firths natural, economic, cultural and
social resources in good heart, now and for future generations.

The Moray Firth Partnership (MFP) is a voluntary association promoting Integrated Coastal Zone Management with over 630 members representing a wide range of individuals and organisations that live, work and have an interest in the Firth. The MFP does not have any statutory powers and works by promoting agreement through open discussions, consensus and working in partnership. It is not a lobby group, and does not take sides on issues. The MFPs neutral status lets us bring together many diverse interest-groups and help them to develop joint actions. Membership is free and open to all those with an interest in the Firth.

For more information about the Moray Firth Partnership, contact Kathryn Logan, Manager:
Moray Firth Partnership
Great Glen House
Leachkin Road
INVERNESS. IV3 8NW
Tel: 01463 225530
Fax: 01463 225207
e-mail:info[AT]morayfirth-partnership.org
www.morayfirth-partnership.org

For Ganseys in Caithness go to http://www.caithness.org/gansey/index.htm
In Caithness examples and more information abut this topic can be found at the Wick Heritage Museum, Bank Row, Wick. Web site http://www.wickheritage.org/