If you’ve been around the knitting world as long as I have (or even longer!) you might remember the book Knitting with Dog Hair. First published in 1994, the book by Kendall Crolius is being reissued for its 30th anniversary, calling on knitters to collect their canine friends’ fur and spin it into yarn to make a variety of projects.
As the subtitle says, “better a sweater from a dog you know and love than from a sheep you’ll never meet.”
Full disclosure, I have cats. I don’t think I could ever collect enough hair to spin into enough yarn to make much of anything, though I did have a friend with a few long-haired cats who tried it once. I don’t know if she ever made anything out of the resulting yarn. (The book does say you can do this with cat hair, too, and I’d love to hear if someone tries it!)
The idea for the book came from the author collecting hair from a friend’s Great Pyrenees, which yielded enough spun yarn to make a sweater and a vest. The book was meant to be a comprehensive guide to collecting, caring for, spinning and knitting dog hair.
The updated edition talks a bit about the reception to the book and people who now spin dog hair professionally, inspired by reading about it in the book.
It covers the best ways to collect and store hair; how to wash, condition and card it before spinning; and how to spin dog hair using a drop spindle or a spinning wheel. There are photos and written instructions, but of course it’s great to learn in person if you can (and if you already know how to spin wool or other fibers you’re already ahead of the game). There’s also a discussion of plying, measuring yardage and dyeing your dog yarn.
While just making yarn out of dog hair is a lot of fun, you might also want to use that yarn in crafts like knitting, crochet, embroidery or weaving. The book covers some considerations and project ideas, and there are instructions for knitting a few scarves, hats, mittens, a sweater with a dog on it, a pair of sweater cuffs and a sweater for a dog made out of dog. There’s also a crocheted heart, which is great to make if you have just a little bit of yarn from a cherished pet. You’ll also learn how to care for your garments made out of dog hair.
A guide to dog breeds gives some advice on which pets make the best yarn, and a few finished objects using particular breed yarns are shown. This should give you some ideas of whether your dog’s hair is good for making yarn and what you might use it for.
If you know a spinner who likes dogs, or a dog lover who might like to get into spinning, this book is a great resource. It just might inspire you to think of all the hair removal you have to do in a totally new way!
About the book: 112 pages, paperback, 10 patterns. Published 2024 by Liveright. Suggested retail price $19.99.
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