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Review by Ann Shayne
It finally dawned on us, why Knitting with Dog Hair is such a weird book: if man's best friend is the dog, then this book is suggesting that you knit with your best friend's hair. Does this seem like a normal thing to do?
Kendall Crolius and Anne Montgomery think so. They're into this "woof-to-warp" art, and they're quite aware that they're up to something unusual -- "When we began Knitting with Dog Hair, most people thought we were a few puppies short of a litter, if not downright crazy. The exceptions were experienced spinners (for whom dog hair was merely another nifty fiber to experiment with) and people of exceptional vision and imagination (nearly all of whom owned beloved dogs who shed exasperating quantities of fuzz)."
Once you get past the notion that you're knitting with the stuff you find in the cracks of your sofa, it actually makes sense. Which would you prefer: a cozy cardigan made from your beloved amateur pooch, or some anonymous professional sheep?
Included are chapters on harvesting ("your fur can get real nasty if it mildews"), preparing, and spinning fur. There's a great spinner's guide to dog breeds -- the Golden Retriever has a "deluxe undercoat," the Old English Sheepdog provides "lots of shaggy stuff to work with here."
The authors say that dog fur isn't any smellier than wool, once it's cleaned. But we can't help but wonder what happens when you go for a walk wearing Bandito's fur. Does it work like camouflage? Are you magically transported into the fraternity of neighborhood dogginess?
We like the idea that for once, you can shed on your pet.
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