Now before you can say "Dog Hair?" For hundreds of years people have been turning their dog's fur into warm snuggly yarns to keep the chill at bay. The practice of utilizing a dog's downy undercoat is little known here in the United States. We hope to be able to introduce this product to you, a luxury fiber as close as your own backyard.
Today we call this fiber "Chiengora". "Chien" from the French word for dog, "gora" from the Angora rabbit, a fiber it most resembles. The shed hair we brush from our pets no longer has to be a chore producing useless waste, but it can be spun into a yarn that is soft, warm and full of memories.
Over time, your dog hair yarn will fluff and develop a beautiful Halo, much like those Angora sweaters we love to wear. It is 8 times warmer than wool, it's structure simular to that of Alpaca, another medullated fiber. Dog hair is being used in Therapeutic garments for relief of Arthritis and pain, resists soiling, insulates even when wet, and has a lovely drape and softness.
OUR CHIENGORA BLENDS
The qualities that dog hair lacks, such as memory and elasticity, can be compensated by blending it with fine wool. Dog hair yarns can be EXTREMELY warm; sometimes limiting it's use to a more open stitch. For these reasons we blend it with our Shetland wool. This blend makes a much more versatile yarn making it possible to create any garment in any pattern desired.
Your pet hair will be blended 50/50 by weight with our Shetland wool. Shetland is very fine and a wonderful compliment to the dog hair, allowing you to create next to the skin garments.
COLLECTING AND STORING YOUR PET HAIR
Grooming your pet is a wonderful time for you and your pet to bond. While grooming your pet begin by discarding any debris or matts. Then just groom your pet as you normally would, removing the pet hair from the brush or comb and depositing it into a paper bag. Just be sure that it is dry.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO PET RESCUE
We call this spinning service "Pet Hugs" this was created to benefit the plight of the lost, homeless and abused animals. One dollar of every ounce of your pet hair spun will be donated to animal rescue organizations in your and your pet's name. We hope this little bit will help these wonderful organizations continue their valuable work.
Just What Can Be Spun?
The double-coated breeds soft downy undercoats is the best candidate for a soft next-to-the-skin yarn. Fibers should be at least 1 1/2 inches long.
Single coated breeds whose fiber is at least 2 1/2 to 3 inches long can be spun as well. This fiber is a bit coaser than the undercoat of the double coated breeds but has much more luster. It may be better suited to outerwear than next-to-the-skin applications.
WHAT ABOUT PET ALLERGIES
Most people who are allergic to cats and dogs suffer from the animal's dander and saliva. Once the animal fiber is washed after spinning it into yarn, the offending properties that cause the allergic reaction are washed away.
