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sinkingfeeling

(51,279 posts)
Sat Mar 9, 2019, 04:00 PM Mar 2019

I'm looking for spinners. Does anybody have an electric carding

machine? And what do you spin on? How did you learn to spin?
I have over 5 pounds of beautiful, washed, white Samoyed dog hair. I have had a lady price carding and spinning it into 2 ply yarn at $20 per ounce. I saved the hair from my dogs' undercoats for 30 years. I always wanted to learn to spin it and then knit it into scarves and hats and such. However, I think $1600 is a tad too expensive.
Has anyone worked with dog hair?

6 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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I'm looking for spinners. Does anybody have an electric carding (Original Post) sinkingfeeling Mar 2019 OP
Are you on Ravelry? Stargazer09 Mar 2019 #1
I wish I could find someone to card wool I've purchased for needlefelting eleny Mar 2019 #2
I have a set of antique paddles and have been playing with it a sinkingfeeling Mar 2019 #3
Me too! eleny Mar 2019 #4
Not an electric one shanti Apr 2019 #5
I'm like you. Taught myself to knit and crochet and paint and quilt, etc. sinkingfeeling Apr 2019 #6

Stargazer09

(2,131 posts)
1. Are you on Ravelry?
Sat Mar 9, 2019, 04:21 PM
Mar 2019

If not, that should be your first place to go.
www.ravelry.com

With that much hair, it would be worth learning how to do it yourself.

This group is pretty quiet, but they seem to have good resources that might help you:
https://www.ravelry.com/groups/spinning-dog-fiber-aka---spinnin-chien

In addition, I highly recommend searching Ravelry for groups dedicated to spinning in general. It’s not hard to do, but it might be helpful to try using commercially available wool first. Learn the techniques, then spin your dog’s fur with confidence.

eleny

(46,166 posts)
2. I wish I could find someone to card wool I've purchased for needlefelting
Mon Mar 11, 2019, 04:40 PM
Mar 2019

There are a number of sheepherders here in Colorado. And everything yarn related is so popular here. But I couldn't find a carding service nearby. So I got a set of carding paddles and slowly work on the wool a little at a time. But you have so much more at 5 pounds. It sounds beautiful coming from Samoyeds!

sinkingfeeling

(51,279 posts)
3. I have a set of antique paddles and have been playing with it a
Mon Mar 11, 2019, 05:19 PM
Mar 2019

bit. But the teeth on my carders have a few bends. I watched a video on YouTube of a woman using an electric carding machine. So, I checked them out on Ebay....way expensive.

eleny

(46,166 posts)
4. Me too!
Mon Mar 11, 2019, 10:39 PM
Mar 2019

They're a fortune. My needs just aren't that great. I use small amounts of fleece with a felting machine now and then. And sometimes for hand felting. I wish I didn't buy the raw fleece but some of it was dyed such gorgeous colors and I succumbed.

shanti

(21,670 posts)
5. Not an electric one
Mon Apr 15, 2019, 06:09 PM
Apr 2019

but I do have an Ashford drum carder. Before my CMC arthritis (non-dominant thumb), I used to knit, spin, weave, all of that, but it's just too painful now.

I used to purchase raw wool to spin, which is why I bought the carder. My wheel is a Kromski Sonata and I was taught by an 80 year old woman who still kept her own Shetland sheep in the Nor Cal foothills. I'm kind of a person who is mostly self-taught, but I really needed a teacher to spin properly. I've spun lots of different material, but never dog hair, although I've heard it can be done. Have you thought of combining the dog hair with something else to extend it?

Hope you find someone to spin for you at a reasonable price!

sinkingfeeling

(51,279 posts)
6. I'm like you. Taught myself to knit and crochet and paint and quilt, etc.
Mon Apr 15, 2019, 07:23 PM
Apr 2019

I've kind of shelved the project for now as I will be traveling the next couple of months. I got it all washed and took it to the post office. It weights 5 pounds 4 1/2 ounces. I doubt if I'll need to extend it!

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