Fishy Business

Regular readers of my blog may remember that I went in search of Bird-skin Shoes and Fish-skin gloves, items listed in then poem Donal Og which partly inspired The Birdskin Shoes.  I was amazed to find that a company in Canada were producing fish leather - so of course I had to order some.  It arrived yesterday. Thick, craggy suede, with a scaly pattern on it - a fish whose been around a bit I'd say - no smell though.  Its a beige colour - not my first choice, but still subtle. Gloves are out unless I want to look like Monty Don clearing out the compost heap - but a bag perhaps? I'll let you know - with pics.

Gloves of the skin of a fish...

Fish fingers anyone?

I envisaged elbow length evening gloves shimmering with golden scales not golf gloves but still they are gloves of the skin of a fish - and look at the lovely leather! I want to order some and get to work on a pair of fish finger gloves for my little lady hands. It can be made made from carp, salmon or perch and apparently does not smell in the least bit unpleasant. It's a great way to make use of the skin,which would otherwise be wasted. I see a range of fishy accessories swimming off my sewing machine - bags, mermaids' purses, slippers. There is no time to waste - its the 29th February tomorrow. Sieze the day or should that be Carpe Dyem.

Spidersilk cape? Pah! A thistledown coat is what you need...

If spider silk makes you yarn, and you think a seal-gut parka is offal (like these puns) then The Thistledown Coat by Adrian Bannon is for you. Dandelion seeds held together with fine filaments create a jacket that the fairies might have made. Now I need to find the other garment mentioned in Donal Og - the poem that was an inspiration for my book - gloves of the skin of a fish...