Yarn From Dog Hair

 Just over a year ago, I was at a festival with some friends. Over a few drinks and amidst stories about keeping turkeys and peacock impersonations, one friend mentioned that when she brushes her Samoyed dog she gets enough hair off him to make another dog. 

There were a few laughs and the suggestion of spinning it.

I had mostly relegated that entire conversation into a 'fun times with friends' file and forgotten about it. 

Then in February, the friend I travelled to this festival with passed away. It was devastating for me. Totally unexpected and I was lost.

A parcel arrived on my doorstep from the friend who has the dog. It contained a lot of lovely white fibre. It was fine, soft and strong. I'd forgotten about our conversation and it was a bit painful to poke at the memories so it took me a few guesses before I realised what I had. 

Hubby was disgusted at first. He couldn't understand why someone would send me dog hair. But it made me laugh. It lightened my days and gave me something fun to do. 

I started spinning. At first it was lovely and clean, it spun a beautiful fine thread easily. Then as I got down through the bag, I reached the stuff with lots of dander.

By the time I finished, I was needing to stop every 10 minutes to wash my hands and blow my nose. I had a pile of doggy dandruff an inch deep beneath my spinning wheel. 

I did a lot of thinking while I was spinning. This tends to happen anyway. I wondered why yarn is always assumed to be sheep's wool, or lately alpaca or possum. Why aren't other fibres considered? I'm guessing it's mostly tradition. 

The yarn was plyed and washed. What am I going to do with this? I wanted to make something for the friend who'd given it to me and finally settled on gumboot socks. She's a dairy farmer and I'm sure good, warm gumboot socks would always be welcome. 

I worked on them while I was at the market. They made a great conversation starter, especially when crafters are comparing notes about some of the strange and wonderful things they've made. They knitted up so nicely, I'm currently working on a pair for myself and considering some mitts too. 

The knitted yarn feels so soft and warm that I'm excited to get mine finished.