I wanted a fish, to represent water. The design was a matter of constructing a pattern out of cereal boxes and dreaming up the final look. I went through many iterations of how the scales, etc. would look, but then opted for something brighter and simpler than my first thoughts. The tail is draped so it looks fluted.

I love working with Fosshape, because I think you can make any shape you like and don’t have to depend on someone else’s wooden block design. The curves were a bit tricky to fit to a simple head block and still look good. I also wanted a vintage look, since I was using vintage fabrics and trim (except for the bright blue fake gem, the eye, of course).

Loving millinery in the US, I often feel like a fish out of water. In my grandmother’s day there were millinery shops all over the place, springing up like pizza shops. Two great aunts had such a shop. My grandmother was a milliner. But these days, unless it’s a sun hat, no one understands the passion for the fashion. “I don’t look good in hats,” is a common thought. Everyone looks good in a hat.

Note: Entries have been not been edited or proofread to protect the integrity of the maker's original meaning.