How should brushings be stored?
A cardboard box, paper bag or pillowcase. It's important to protect your fiber from moisture and pests.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO GET MY YARN?
Current lead times are on the home page
WILL THE YARN HAVE AN ODOR?
No. During processing, the yarn is washed free of chemicals three times. Yarn is air dried outside and UV rays neutralize andy residual odors.
does my pet need to be a specific breed to have yarn made?
No. Any animal with a double coat and hair at least 1.5 inches long is suitable.
hoe do I know how much I have? what does an ounce of pet hair look like?
A kitchen scale is useful and a good estimate is a lunch sized paper bag usually holds 2 ounces and a grocery sized paper bag holds about 8 ounces.
I only have a few handfuls of brushings and my pet has passed away. Can I still have something made?
Absolutely! I will spin any amount and some of the keepsake items need only a small amount of yarn.
do you dye the yarn?
I do not offer dying services. I feel that the natural beauty of the yarn is wonderful and prefer to keep all dyes and chemicals out of the process.
can you spin clippings?
If your pet has passed on and you only have clips email me directly. In some instances clips can be used by results greatly vary as clips are not ideal for yarn. The processing cost is higher and clips must be blended with another fiber.
how do I care for my keepsake or wash what I've made with my yarn?
Treat as you would any fine wool. Cool water hand washing or spot cleaning and laying flat to dry is ideal. Use a gentle soap for delicates.
can I send hair from more than one pet mixed together?
Yes! This is a wonderful idea and depending on the colors you may end up with a very unique color pattern.
what will the yarn look like?
Check out my gallery for examples. The color of the yarn will be the same as the undercoat - and remember the undercoat does not always look like the outer coat. The yarn will have a soft halo (fuzz) and like any hand spun yarn will have the presence of hand (mine). Because the lengths of fiber vary with pet hair , there will be some thicker and thinner areas of yarn and some neps throughout. This lends itself to the hand spun style and nature of the fiber.
will allergens be removed from the yarn?
The dander is removed through the finishing process- however, my studio is full of pet hair in all stages of processing so it is not possible to avoid cross contamination from air born dander or residual dander on equipment (including me!)
what will the yarn feel like?
The level of softness will depend on the brushings. If there are guard hairs from the outer coat mixed in with the undercoat they will create a "scratchy" quality to the yarn. This usually isn't very noticeable if the majority of the hair is undercoat.
where are you located?
Pittsburgh, Pa - United States
do you accept international orders?
Yes, I have worked with clients all over the world. Any tariff fees or taxes imposed are the responsibility of the client.
How do you ship?
I ship priority mail flat rate and international first class. Shipping is added to your invoice. If you require a signature upon delivery you must request that.
what are payment options?
Payment can me made in one or two installments. When the work on your project begins and the balance upon completion - or at once when the project begins. You will receive an invoice via paypal and you can pay through that link or send a personal check.
How long does the hair need to be?
At lease 1.5 inches long
Do you offer discounts for large orders?
I do not. You are charged for my skill and my time and neither of these goes on sale. I have every efficiency possible built into my process but this is a hand made item and extremely labor intensive.