Fleece and Fibre: Textile Producers of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands by Francine McCabe (Heritage House) is a beautiful, large-format book showcasing the wide variety of animal fibres available along the Salish Sea, in an attempt to bridge the gap between the farmers who produce them and the makers who want them. The book discusses the idea of building a Vancouver Island “fibreshed,” a regional fibre system that breaks from the global textile framework to construct sustainable agricultural practices and connect products to local markets. McCabe began by interviewing regional farmers to discover what kinds of animals they raised, and what they do with their fibre. I was surprised to learn that, due to processing costs and a lack of local fibre mills, most fleeces are not turned into yarn, but instead sit in barns for years, or end up as compost or mulch. The book’s main section classifies the animal breeds and fibre types (sheep, alpaca, angora, goat, etc.), and profiles the farms where they are raised, illustrated with lush, full-page colour images of frolicking animals, sunlit meadows and heaps of raw fibre. McCabe also describes what could be made from each type of fibre, and lists any products sold by the farm. There is a section on plant-based fibres, exploring the potential for growing these locally, or leveraging invasive plant species as a fibre source. As a Vancouver-area knitter, I was interested to learn about the concept of a fibreshed, and where to look for locally-produced yarn. I understand McCabe’s aim to promote local fibres, but the book’s focus on the many breeds of sheep feels too specialized for the casual reader. I also wondered how to access this wealth of local fibre, short of visiting these farms myself. To some extent this is McCabe’s point: it is frustrating to know that these products are available and not be able to obtain them. Fleece and Fibre opened my eyes to what I’ve been missing out on and inspired me to seek it out for myself. —Kelsea O’Connor