We are thrilled to be offering another chance to learn about fish leather tanning in February 2018. Paid registration for the  class directly supports bringing Alutiiq skill holders June and Charlie Pardue here from Alaska and Peter Ananin from Scotland so we can continue our learning. June will share the waterproof stitch for use with this incredibly strong waterproof leather and we will find out all  about the social enterprise woodland tanneries Peter has set up in Scotland.

Super keen participants made our Community Learning Circle at Skipper Otto’s in September 2017 a pleasure to lead. Some of them weren’t even there to get hands-on; just to find out what it’s all about and ask good questions.

Sonia, Co-Founder & Managing Director

Explaining the process

Workspace in Locker D

Hemlock bark from Stanley Park, used to tan the skins

Raw skins ready for scraping

Cold-smoked chum skins getting washed

Scraping & Scaling with a spoon or mussel shell

Tanned skins: out of the bark tea, rinsed, and ready for oiling

Softening

Thanks to Amy Logan for this write up in the Westender about it.