Call it Puppy Love

Dogs, rabbits and sheep don’t always get along in real life, but I think they combined nicely in this yarn I’m calling “Puppy Love.”

I blended together soft brown wool, angora rabbit that I had dyed pink, and white samoyed dog fur on  my drum carder.  I made rather thin batts and rolled them into rolags (to make one, start at the narrow end and roll up the length).  When spinning from a rolag, you work from the end, where the fibers are rolled around in a spiral.  This produced “woolen” spun yarn, know for being soft and lofty because the spiral arrangement of the fibers contains a lot of air.  So the yarn is extra soft and light!  More pictures:

 

Both angora and wool are reputed to be several times warmer than wool, as well as exceptionally soft and fluffy.  I can believe it — my hands warm up just handling the skein!  This yarn will also develop a pronounced halo as it is knit and worn. 

A word on the dog hair: Samoyeds have a double coat, and the soft, fluffy underdown is desirable for spinning.  It is harvested in the spring by combing as the dog sheds its winter coat.  This samoyed fiber came from my friend Cynthia Mora, who breeds and shows her dogs (and pampers them like crazy!).  She bathes them so frequently that, ever before I washed it, the fiber didn’t smell at all like dog!  I’ve been very impressed with the yarn she has spun and the things she has made from samoyed, and was excited to experience this fiber for myself by creating this yarn!