About
FurEver Keepsakes hand spins pet fur into yarn.
From there, you can use it to knit or crochet.
We can also work with you to create a treasured keepsake or a soft and warm clothing accessory.
When you brush your dog, cat or rabbit simply save the fur in a paper bag (storing in plastic can cause it to felt together).
Once you have the amount of fur needed for the end result you are looking for, just fill out the order form and we will give you instructions on where to ship it.
The amount of pet hair needed will vary, most keepsakes require at least 25 grams of brushings. Please see the individual products for the required amounts.
Filling a sandwich sized ziploc bag very full will give you an idea of what 25 grams looks like, however please try to weigh the fiber before shipping to ensure you have enough.
Fur collected from brushing is best.
For the best quality of yarn the pet's hair should be over 1 inch long or the soft fluffy undercoat from double coated dog breeds.
If you have fur that has been shaved off of your pet it needs to be as long as possible and not include second cuts or shorter fur from legs.
Please contact me if you have questions
about whether your pet's hair can be spun.
Collecting Your Pets Brushings
The Process:
Once the pet fiber is received, it will be weighed, we will then determine if it needs to be carded.
Carding is the process of disentangling, cleaning and intermixing fibers. It aligns the individual fibers to be parallel with each other to prepare it for spinning.
Depending on fur type, color and length it can be carded with hand carders or put through a drum carder.
Sometimes spinning directly from your brushings will produce the best results to show off your pets colors.
The pet fiber can also be blended with wool during carding to give you more volume if you do not have enough for the project you would like.
Blending with wool also reduces the 'halo' effect (the fuzziness around the finished product), will give a garment more elasticity and will keep a garment from retaining too much heat if you want something a little less warm.
Hand Carders
Drum Carder
The fiber is then spun by hand with a spinning wheel and 2 strands will be spun together making a 2-ply yarn.
The yarn is washed, rinsed and hung to dry. It will no longer have the pet smell again even if it gets wet.
If you wish to keep your yarn/product unwashed to have your pet's smell remain with the keepsake you will need to request this.
Once the fiber has been spun into yarn, it can also be dyed to the color of your choosing or it can be kept the natural color of your pet.
Finished skeins of yarn will be wound into a center pull ball for you to use or you can have a finished product made from your pet's yarn.
About Me
My first dog, Keno, was a very furry Great Pyrenese mixed breed, his fur was very white, extremely soft and was begging to be spun. After he passed away I was grateful to have some of his saved up brushings and this was my inspiration for FurEver Keepsakes.
Being an animal lover and Veterinary Technician I know first hand the attachment we have with our furry family members.
I hope I can help others memorialize their pets in this way.
Michelle
