You may be surprised to learn that many types of pet hair can be spun into beautiful soft yarn (although some cat hair doesn't seem to work well for me.)  Hand spinning most kinds of dog hair, on the other hand is quite easy and yields excellent results.  Malamute (Alaskan husky), Great Pyrenees, and Samoyed are especially nice, and I've had very good results with poodle and chow hair as well.  Most people's first question is "What about the smell??"  Fortunately there's an easy solution: baking soda rinse!  Soaking the yarn overnight in a baking soda solution completely eliminates all odor.  Hats made from dog hair are especially warm and quite water repellant.  So if you have a dog with a nice coat, and the hair is at least an inch and a half in length, I can probably make you a lovely warm handspun doggy hair hat for around $60.  I'll need at least a regular sized plastic grocery bag full.  Email me for details.  (See How to Order Page.) The hats below are examples. 

** I now take back all the bad things I've said about spinning cat hair.  My own cat is shedding like crazy, so I brushed her and saved the hair.  Whaddya know - it spun up just fine.  So I guess spinning cat hair is definitely possible, as long as it's combed and not cut!  This actually applied to other fibers, too.  Cut hair spins up prickly, so combings are always preferable.

A. Malamute hair cap (my hat!)

C.  Beige Afghan hound hair, white malamute husky hair, llama wool, and gray Corriedale wool lumpy knit hat.  (Sold)

D. Long round cap in beige chow hair with wool & alpaca trim. (Custom order)

E.  Lumpy knit round cap with turned up ribbed brim.  Wool, beige afghan hound hair & fluffy looking llama/malamute hair blend extra long knit round cap made with lumpy yarn. (Sold)

F. The gray in this cap is a blend of black Merino wool and malamute hair cap.  The rest is loose knit, bulky weight wool, mohair, cotton & silk with beads, lace & lots of sparkly angelina. $75 (Click image for more details)

 G. The brown stripe in this tam is poodle hair. It's very soft & provides a nice contrast with the alpaca trim and surrounding blue wool. (Sold)

 H. This ski cap is made from wool & a blend of white malaumte hair & variegated beige llama wool.  (Sold)

I.  Wool, malamute hair, afghan hound hair, akita hair, alpaca & tencel.  Soft, warm & cozy!  Size medium to large.  (Sold)

 J.  This tam is made from wool, afghan hound hair, malamute hair & mohair with silk trim.  Size large. $65  (Sold)

K.  Great Pyrenees large tam. (Custom Order)

L.  Proud owner of a great dog & two very nice tams.  One of them is on the left (K), and she's wearing the other.

M. Owner of the fine husky dog that provided the fiber for many of my blended wool/malamute yarns.  He also had a very nice husky hair ski cap made.

N. Wool, silk & wool/malamute hair blend. One size fits all $65 (Click image for more details)

O.  Lumpy knit watch cap made from Afghan hound hair.  Incredibly soft & silky.  (Custom order)

P.  This is a very long knitted round cap made from a blend of llama wool & malamute hair on top & the rest wool, llama wool & silk.  (Sold)

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