I have a question?

[Lynn]

Hello All,

 

I have a question about spinning. First off, I have to tell you that I have NEVER spun anything in my life but have always been intrigued by it. I do not own a spinning wheel or anything. I do have a huge bag of fur that was, over the years, brushed and clipped from my now gone beloved GOlden Retriever. I cannot bear to just throw it away so it sits in my laundry room in a plastic bag. A few years back I attempted to find someone to spin it for me - after looking into spinning it myself, and could find no one that was willing to do it except for more than I could afford to pay.

 

Now, my question is, how hard would it be to learn to spin with one of thoses hand held things? Can this dog fur be spun with that type of thing? Also, should I wash it and if so how do I go about doing that and what do I wash it with? Just regular shampoo? How much GOlden hair would I need to make a regular sized couch throw?

 

See, I'm full of questions!

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Lynn

[RebeccaVelasquez]

let's see if i can help a bit:

 

how hard would it be to learn to spin with one of thoses hand held things?

using a spindle is not hard at all and quite fun

Can this dog fur be spun with that type of thing?

i'm sure that it could, as long as you have a length of 2" or more - and i'd practice practice practice with wool before i tried anything of sentimental value.

Also, should I wash it and if so how do I go about doing that and what do I wash it with? yes, you'll need to wash it. you'd need to do that in your machine and put the fluff in a mesh laundry bag

Just regular shampoo? dishwashing soap - just a dab

How much GOlden hair would I need to make a regular sized couch throw? a LOT! what you could do is have your precious fluff combed/carded with lincoln or merino - both are very soft and will probably be the best match to a golden's texture and softness. so, although, you most likely do not have enough for a throw that is purely your golden, having it blended would be a great way to still make what you'd like from it.

 

[natalie058]

I have doing some research on spinning dog hair lately, too, and I did read at several sites that hair kept in a plastic bag is just foul to work with, and many places will refuse it. They recommend instead that you keep it in a paper bag, so it can be aired out.

 

I've also seen it recommended to wash the fiber with dog shampoo, or an enzyme-based odor remover. Now, Rebecca, hopefully you can answer this - is it better to wash the raw fiber or the spun yarn? I've seen places with conflicting info - one said it was easier to spin the fiber before washing, with no mats, and another said all the fiber was washed before spinning.

[RebeccaVelasquez]

hmmm, not sure about the enzyme wash -

 

but about washing before or after spinning, i guess that's a personal preference and/or what is going to be done with the fiber. i suppose if you were spinning the dog fiber alone, washing before or after spinning wouldn't matter....

if the fiber is to be carded(combined) with other fiber, i'd absolutely want it clean before blending it.....

 

so, either way, i guess

 

how's that for help

[Lynn]

Thanks! That does clarify a few things for me.

 

 

Ok - if I put the dog fur in a mesh bag and use gentle wash on my machine, can I put it in the dryer on low or would it be best to just air dry?

 

Lynn

[jacqui]

I have to say that i have spun dog hair and i have had some pretty stinky stuff. I wash by hand in a sink or bucket and use shampoo or dishwashing detergent with a splash of vinegar to help kill the odour. then i leave it till the water cools without agitating it cause it can felt. Do the process a couple of times then rinse in warm water with a little conditioner in. If its not to smelly tho i sort thru it and then comb it and spin it then i wash it in skeins using the same method. If you lived closer i would offer to spin it for you darl but i think there might be a problem with customs about sending untreated animal fibre overseas. See if you can find a local spinning group to show you how to drop spindle but i agree that you should try wool first till you learn. Oh i recommend you air dry the fiber myself.

[Lynn]

Thank you for the info and for your kind offer. Yes, I do think customs would have a problem with that. I think I will try to learn on some wool as you suggested, then maybe my beloved Golden's fur can finally become something.

 

Lynn

[Chain3turn]

Hello All,

 

I do have a huge bag of fur that was, over the years, brushed and clipped

 

If you have clippings in it, they will have to be removed. The only part of a long hair dog that can be spun is the undercoat...the stuff that looks like dustbunnies. This is a mix of dog and merino that I'm currently spinning.

 

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v478/SamplerLady/Two/SugarRovingsJan06.jpg

[Amy]

I want to learn to spin cat hair (specifically Maine Coon hair). I found a pretty good book at the library called Knitting with Dog Hair. A better title might be Spinning and Knitting, because they give all sorts of great information about how to collect, clean, and store the dog hair, how to spin it up, and there's even a section that lists dogs by breed and the qualities of that particular hair and whether or not it's good for spinning. It's a small paperback book, and it's relatively new, so it should be available on amazon. I just checked, and you can get it for $11.16 at amazon!

[Lynn]

Thanks for the info. I think most of the dog hair I have is brushed from her undercoat along with most of my male's undercoat for the past 13 years! They both had heavy undercoats and I don't remember throwing many "clippings" in as it didn't make much sense to since they were so short. Where would you purchase merino to spin along with the dog hair?

 

 

I am going to certainly check out the book! Thanks so much

 

Lynn