It is time to start thinking about cold weather. This time the warmth comes from a very special source: the soft undercoat of our dog Ally. I collected it, rather inconsistently, over 16 years. Although Ally has already gone to the dogs’ heaven, she can still give something warm and comforting. Her fur has found a new life as yarn.
Ally and her best friend Bim
To make the yarn I mixed the dog hair with sheep’s wool. I bought unwashed fleece, washed it, dried it and teased it apart myself. I could not spin it, my attempt turned into something resembling rope. I knew the mixture should be roughly 50:50, but how to achieve that exactly was less clear. I asked around and discovered that spinning cost the same everywhere: €20 per 100 g. I sent the fibre to Hiiumaa and waited nearly three months in the queue. Eventually I received 600 grams of dog-and-sheep wool yarn. My expectations were high, but the plying was uneven, sometimes very tight, sometimes loose. The knitted fabric came out bumpy. Perhaps washing will smooth it a little.
The first thing I knitted was a pair of socks for Ally’s owner. The yarn is thick overall, so I used 3 mm needles. The “bonus” of knitting with dog hair, hairs floating everywhere and clothes becoming furry in no time, came with the territory. But the feeling that every stitch carries a memory makes up for it.
I reinforced the heel and sole: knit one stitch, slip the next without knitting itOn the heel the pattern repeats on the same stitch, while under the ball of the foot I made a checked pattern: stitches slipped on the previous row were knitted on the next and vice versa. This makes the heel and sole more durable. Those tiny details give the sock character and longevity.
One sock is finished and fits a size 43 foot. You can also see the uneven plying in the photo. And naturally Bim came to inspect it. It is made from the fur of his best friend, after all! Whether he recognised Ally’s scent or was simply curious I do not know, but with that look of his he gave the work his approval.
Bim inspects the sock
Maimu smiled: “I expect Ally can see it from the edge of the clouds and is proud. A warm sock and honest work.” Bim purred in agreement. These socks are more than handicraft: they are memory, warmth and loyalty that remain even after a friend is gone.
A dedication to the memory:
Ally watches from the edge of the clouds as Maimu and Bim admire the sock knitted from her fur.
Maimu and Bim send their greetings! 🐾🧶
If Ally’s warmth made you think of your own pet or a warm memory, stay a while in this little corner. There are more stories here where yarn carries feelings and memories. And if you feel drawn to wear or create something similar, step into my handicraft shop where socks, shawls and little purring stories made in the same room with Maimu and Bim are waiting.
And watch the video too and knit the socks along with me 🙂