Spinning pet fur to knit keepsakes: creepy or creative?

It’s unconventional, but not entirely unheard of.

Dog hair, called chiengora, has been spun into yarn for hundreds of years, and one North Texas woman has made it her business.

While some knitters might have trouble understanding why anyone would want to knit something made of their pet’s fur, others think it’s a great way to remember a beloved pet.

For almost 13 years, Christine O’Hara has made spinning fibers into yarn her business. She owns and operates Spinning Straw Into Gold, an online business that specializes in creating hand spun yarn from pet fur.

O’Hara says she first became interested in spinning pet fur when her cat of more than 13 years, Onyx passed away.

“It was only after she was gone did I realize that I could have spun her brushings into yarn and kept a part of her with us,” O’Hara says.

The practice of creating yarn from a beloved pet is not very common because it’s a daunting task that even experienced spinners find difficult. Spinning pet hair is harder than spinning more conventional fibers such as wool or alpaca. Some pet’s fur spins easier than others.

O’Hara encourages potential clients to send in a sample of their pet’s hair. At no charge to the customer, she will spin it into yarn and make recommendations.

“Shorter fibers benefit from blending with wool to help hold them together,” O’Hara says, adding that the best results are from hair that is at least two inches long.

She also says it’s important to remember that pet fiber can be up to six times warmer than wool.
Custom spinning pet fur can cost upwards of $9 per ounce. O’Hara has a minimum order charge of $25 and says her clients are charged based on the final weight of the yarn, not the initial, unprocessed fiber.
Because several states have laws prohibiting the commercial sale of pet hair, O’Hara does not sell pet hair or pet yarn. It is legal, however, for her to offer her services as a hand spinner for pet hair.
Spinning pet hair into yarn is not only an unusual way to create a keepsake of a lost pet; it’s a creative, resourceful way to recycle.

O’Hara recognizes that pet fiber is not for everyone, so she also offers more traditional fibers such as wool, angora and cashmere.

Spinning Straw Into Gold, LLC is owned by Christine O’Hara of Southlake, Texas. All information provided is courtesy of her website.