On 2007-04-26, Tonto Goldstein wrote:

>> I used to know someone whose wife did indeed knit stuff from the
>> combings of their samoyeds. And, no, the items did not smell like
>> dogs.
>>
>> Hell's bells, man, people make clothing from goat hair--pashmina, for
>> example.
>
> I've heard tell that there are some crazy folk who make clothes from the
> wool off'n a sheep's back!!1!
>
> They is weird, I tells ya!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...OGR5O4LII1.DTL

--> artist Betty Burian Kirk, who enjoys a thriving trade
--> spinning 100 percent dog hair into yarn. The idea came to
--> her 19 years ago when, as an ambitious spinner, she realized
--> that dog hair might stand out as unique from the usual
--> fibers found in stores. It's not a new concept. Spinning dog
--> hair is part of American Indian history.
-->
--> Kirk only accepts hair that has been brushed off the dog
--> because clipped hair makes the yarn too prickly. When an
--> order arrives, she washes the hair and then prepares it for
--> spinning. It requires at least 4 ounces to spin enough yarn
--> for a hat and 8 ounces for a scarf. (Although cat hair is
--> feasible for spinning, she's never used it because of family
--> allergies.)
....
--> When asked about odor, she replied, "Does your wool sweater
--> smell like sheep in the barnyard? No! Does it have an odor
--> when you wash it? Yes, but it's the smell of wool, not the
--> barnyard. Same with dog hair. When wet it has a slight odor,
--> but it's a fiber odor, not a doggy odor."
-->
--> Dog hair lacks the elasticity found in sheep's wool but it
--> happens to be much warmer, making it ideal for cold-weather
--> accessories, such as hats, scarves and shawls. Prices range
--> from the cost of spinning the yarn or, for those who don't
--> knit, the price of spinning plus Kirk's fee to make the
--> desired item. Intrigued? Then grab a brush and start
--> collecting your dog's hair now -- brushing a deceased pet
--> will not garner enough hair.


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