Gallery – Selkie Pouch and Travel Altar Cloth

Selkie Pouch Scottish Irish Welsh Mythology Folklore Sea Creature - Selkie Pouch - Blue and Silver Convertible Travel Altar Cloth and Pouch with Hand Carved Lino Stamp - Hand Printed with Hand Carved Lino Stamp

Selkie Pouch Scottish Irish Welsh Mythology Folklore Sea Creature - Mint Coloured Cotton Pouch with Gold Spray and Ribbons - Hand Printed with Hand Carved Lino Stamp

Selkie Pouch Scottish Irish Welsh Mythology Folklore Sea Creature - Black and White Cotton Pouch with Sea Inspired Blue Purple and Green Ribbons - Hand Printed with Hand Carved Lino Stamp

Selkie Pouch Scottish Irish Welsh Mythology Folklore Sea Creature - Circular Blue and Silver Convertible Travel Altar Cloth and Pouch - Hand Printed with Hand Carved Lino Stamp

Selkie Pouch Scottish Irish Welsh Mythology Folklore Sea Creature - Purple Satin Pouch with Copper Coloured Details - Hand Printed with Hand Carved Lino Stamp

Selkie Pouch Scottish Irish Welsh Mythology Folklore Sea Creature - Cream Coloured Taffeta Pouch with Mint Spray and Gold and Teal Detailing - Hand Printed with Hand Carved Lino Stamp

Selkie Pouch Scottish Irish Welsh Mythology Folklore Sea Creature - Red Taffeta Pouch with Silver and Teal Details - Hand Printed with Hand Carved Lino Stamp

Selkie Pouch and Travel Altar Cloth

Selkies are sea creatures from Scottish mythology, although they also appear in Irish and Welsh mythology. When they are in the water they have the appearance of seals.
Male Selkies cause storms and shipwrecks in revenge for the hunting of seals.
Female selkies can take of their seal skin to walk the earth in human form. But they must always make sure they hide their skin well for if any human man should find it, she would be forced to stay as his wife. On land, female Selkies live sad lives and are forever in search of their skins so that they can return to the sea.
Here I have portrayed the Selkie in it’s full seal form. Is she preparing to remove her skin and walk the Earth? Or has she just found her skin so that she finally return to her watery home?

I have made a wide colour range of pouches with this stamp but my favourite creation was for a commission for a convertible travel altar cloth and pouch. The circular cloth had ribbons running around the outer edge so when pulled tight it would form a pouch in which a few small altar pieces and tools could be stored. I was a little concerned at first having been asked to put a rectagular print on a circular cloth and whether this would turn out looking right or not. However, by tiling the print and rotating the stamp by 180 degrees per row it made the image look more like it was continuing on than just being repeated. I ended up really loving the result! You can see this piece above together with the hand carved lino stamp.