There are two main ways to create a coat from dog hair that has been shed. The first is to knit or crochet the garment from yarn made from the pet's fur. The other is to make pieces of felt from the fur and to sew the garment from these pieces.
Things You'll Need
- Dog fiber, minimum 2-inch length, approximately 5 pounds
- Pattern for knitted, crocheted or felted coat
- Spinning wheel (method 1)
- Knitting needles or crochet hooks (method 1)
- Felting device--felting machine, wet felting screens, or backing and dryer (method 2)
- Scissors (method 2)
- Thread and needle (method 2)
- Trim or other embellishments (optional)
Instructions
The Yarn Method
Gather about 5 pounds of loose shed fur from your dog. This will work best if the length of the fibers are at least 2 inches or longer. Gently wash the fiber, using a good deodorizing detergent to remove any dirt or odor. Remove any debris such as burrs and sticks.
Spin the cleaned, dried fiber into a worsted weight yarn. If you don't have the ability to do this yourself, check with a local yarn shop for a spinner who can do this for you. Select a garment pattern and determine about how many yards of finished yarn you will need for your project. Spin at least 10 yards more than you expect to need.
Knit or crochet a test sample from your dog yarn to get a feel for gauge. Follow the pattern directions to complete the garment.
The Felting Method
Select a simple pattern that can be constructed of flat pieces with minimal give. Determine how many feet or yards of felt you will need and also what the maximum width of the widest piece will need to be. It is best to view each section of the garment as a separate piece of felt, however it is possible to group pieces into three main sections: front, back and sleeves.
Make a test sample of your cleaned fiber to determine the degree of shrinkage that will occur to achieve the desired thickness and density of the felt. This felt can be made through machine felting, traditional wet felting or dryer felting methods.
Measure the sizes and shapes of the pieces you need to construct your garment. Lay out the fiber to be felted, remembering to add extra to allow for the degree of shrinkage you discovered with your test. Pieces will decrease in size proportionally to the amount of agitation used in creating the felt. Use your preferred method and felt the fiber sheets to the desired thickness and density.
Cut out the shapes needed and sew the side, top and sleeve seams. Felt edges that are cut are self-healing and do not need to be hemmed. You can add decorative trim in complementary colors or integrate a variety of decorative buttons or other embellishments to finish your garment.