Thursday 19 June 2014

My furs and Shetland sheep furs



Over by the cottage in Torridon last weekend, I spotted that the local residents - the ones I am not allowed to chase, and must wear a lead when near to - had recently been to the hairdressers.


At least some of them had.


The neatly shorn Shetland sheep belong to our neighbour Julia, a very clever and creative lady. I know several of my readers are into knitting and stuff, and they might like to visit Julia's lovely blog, where you can learn about the wonderful things she makes with her sheep's wool.
The Red Roof Croft House, by Julia Marsh

Seeing the sheep gave Gail the idea it was time to 'strip' me of some of my furs too.



I suggested that surely my furs are at least as valuable as a sheep's and maybe Julia would appreciate them as a gift and use them to create something special?

Gail just gave me a 'look'.

And put the ball of precious Bertie fluff straight in the bin.

I ask you.

24 comments:

  1. Hey Berts. We once felted a large handful of Horatio's hair into a ball the size of a Ping pong ball. It was an amusing diversion for Harris who got v excited....
    Btw, tell Gail to check out Kate Davies Designs, the Scottish knitter I mentioned when we met up.
    http://katedaviesdesigns.com

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  2. Bertie,

    Your post reminded my human of a book she once saw on Amazon called "Knitting With Dog Hair: Better A Sweater From A Dog You Know and Love Than From A Sheep You'll Never Meet" by Kendall Crolius.

    Surely Gail can't argue with the logic of that title!

    Woofs,
    Riley

    PS So far our human hasn't done anything with the massive amount of fine furs that we two Golden Retrievers produce, but she does joke there are at least a few good winter scarfs waiting to be knitted one day spread around our property and inside the vacuum - if only she could remember how to knit :)

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  3. Bertie - That bundle of hair is a big as you !

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  4. Momma says she could knit a sweater wif my furs, BOL BOL!

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  5. Hari Om
    Oh Bertie!!! Run tell Gail right now that your furs are perfect for fabric...my very own carding, spinning, weaving and knitting mother has used many different hairy stuffs...including shorn coat of Sheltie...and yours is a lot closer to the wooly stuffs than some others. Go on go on go go go tell her... (oops that was the terrier coming out in me). Ahem;hugs and wags, YAM-aunty xxx

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  6. We think WFT furs....especially BERTIE furs would be a treat for Julia. She could knit a little Bertie for that cute house. Gail has no creativity.

    XXXOOO Bella Roxy & Dui

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  7. LOL that is some bundle of furs Bertie. We think there is enough there for a mini you. Well at least you didn't get a Brazilian, big sigh. Have a tremendous Thursday.
    Best wishes Molly

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  8. Mine get chucked in the bins too Bertie. Pawfectly good furs too!

    Tail Wuggles, Rubie xxx

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  9. Hi Bertie, I love your photos and thank you so much for the mention. It's true as one of your other readers already mentioned that dog hair can be spun into yarn, though I have not tried this myself. I confess I don't even spin the sheep fleeces, I send these off to someone else. But maybe Gail could try spinning your fur and then knit or crochet you a lovely blanket. It's a shame she already put it in the bin!

    I look forward to seeing you next time you are at the cottage. Best regards Julia

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  10. We'll that just wasn't right....you know dog fur can be used be spinning. Mom has been collecting ours for ours for a year. It is really simple, just place the fur in a mesh bag and then soak in boiling waiter for half and hour with a third a cup of wish washing liquid. Repeat three times and the fur looses the small and oil and is perfect for I using. You must let it just soak, no swishing it around as that will cause it to mat.

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  11. Oh Bertie that fluff could surely have been used moms are so silly! That knitted cottage is adorable, mom knits a little bit, badly, but its been almost a year since she tried

    retro rover

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  12. We think she should get it made into wool and knit something. Our Lady likes to brush us outside and just throw it on the grass. So little appreciation for our fur.

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  13. Bertie and Mum...we have friends with multiple corgies who make things out of the corgi furs. Surely WFT fluff and furs are AT LEAST as fine and desirable as the leavings from a Corgi! No matter what her Majesty might think.

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  14. Bertie I do believe their hairdresser was a former Marine. MOL MOL MOL the first pictures like a Marine buzz for sure. The one picture looks like my mom got a hold of the shears!!
    Oh yest have your furs spun!!
    Hugs to you , Gail and Gma madi your bfff

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  15. PS mom bookmarked Ms. Julia's blog

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  16. I like your neighbor Julia's creations, wish we could live in such a fabulous house :o) I read that Misaki has a scarf made from her own hair, so I think it's a great idea to get a Bertie-sweater :o) I sadly have not the perfect knitting-furl, think I had to collect my hairs for 108 years to get a shawl for a dwarf.

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  17. She just THREW all your furs away?! Good GRIEF. Humans.

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  18. We know people who have made blankets out of our WFT furs, but when I get stripped ... and my brother before me... the whole batch just goes in the bin like yours Bertie. What a lack of creativity, eh?

    Wirey love,

    Just Harry

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  19. We can't believe you are forbidden to herd the sheeps, the bald sheeps. Since your hairs are much more precious, we are sure Ms Julia will appreciate ever last strand
    Lily & Edward

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  20. The trouble with using your furs to make something is.....if it gets wet at some point...it's gonna smell like wet dog! That's not everyone's favorite scent. LOL!

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  21. Threw the furs away?! What I would do for some soft fur. This hair of mine gets itchy.

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  22. Hi Bertie;
    Our mum takes all our spare furs and stuffs dem into a mesh basket and then sets it out near da birdfeeders. Then da birds takes away our furs by the beak fulls and makes beeuteeful nests with the stuff. It looks like lots and lots of birds could make a giant nest with all da furs you lost today! BOL.
    Arrrrroooo!
    Buzzy McDuff and the Pip

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  23. Howdy Bertie. Your mum put your furs in the bin??? Is she insane? She could have made a Bertie Pillow for her head at night. I, Stella, have to wear the lead when passing sheep cause I like to think I am a sheep dog and chase them around and around. It's such fun.
    The little red roof house is amazing. We love it. Have a good weekend mate. No worries, and love, Stella and Rory

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