Paw Paw's Yarn

On today’s television program, I will show a very special skein of yarn. It’s special because it was spun from Paw Paw’s fur! Victoria Pettigrew runs a business called VIP Fibers www.vipfibers.com located in Morgan Hill, CA. Victoria started spinning wool because she just hated the idea of throwing away the fluffy hair that came from her own chow chows after brushing and grooming. So instead, she kept storing it away and explained to her questioning husband that she wanted to spin it into soft yarn and knit something as a keepsake. He went right out and bought her a spinning wheel. Victoria became totally hooked on spinning and that’s how her business was born. And VIP Fibers would be very happy to spin yarn collected from the fur of your beloved pet.

The big question now is what special keepsake shall I knit from Paw Paw’s lovely yarn? Any suggestions?

This is Paw Paw yesterday after his grooming, doesn't he look great!

Paw Paw's Hair collected from brushing and the groomer

Here is the step by step process as taken from VIPfibers.com

1.    Collect your pet hair How to Collect Fur
2.    Complete our on-line Work Order Request Form Work Order Request Form
3.   Send your pet hair to VIP Fibers  Shipping to VIP Fibers
4.    When VIP Fibers receives your fur we:

         4.1   Weigh raw fiber
         4.2   Assess the fiber
         4.3   Assign a Fiber #
         4.5   Log it in our system
         4.6   Each Fiber goes into it's own labeled box
         4.6   Prepare a Work Order Form
         4.7   Scan the photo of your pet
         4.8   Post your invoice on our website
         4.9   Mail you a copy of the Work Order
         4.10 Email you a copy of the Work Order

5.     Upon receipt of payment in full, fiber is assigned a Lot # and goes in queue for 
        processing.
6.     Fiber is carded in preparation of spinning
            

7.  Fiber is spun & plied into yarn













8.   Each skein is measured and weighed, data is entered into computer
9.   Yarn is the put through our washing process.            

        9.1   Washing
         9.2   De-Enzyming Odor & Allergies
         9.3   Conditioned
10

.   Yarn is hung to dry and set the twist in our special drying room
            

11. Yarn is then re-skeined or ball wound and custom labels (with your pet's photo) are
      applied
            

12. If a custom keepsake is ordered, the yarn then goes into queue for creation.
            

13. Yarn or keepsake is packaged for shipment
14. A shipping notice is emailed to you with the tracking number. Shipping

Comments

[Purli]

How about Paw Paw's picture cross stitch?

[Linda Gail]

Martha:)
How absolutely fantastic. I've seen this before but didn't know that there was anyone still doing this. I think a lovely throw or small blanket would be great as something you could knit from Paw Paw's yarn. Or maybe you could do some beautiful Christmas ornaments with the yarn. Of course it all depends on how much yarn you have as to the exact type of keepsake you knit. But what ever you knit will be beautiful. Please share it with us when you have finished.
Much Love and Happy Thoughts
Linda Gail

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Martha, What a fascinating blog about handsome Paw Paw! He looks absolutely fantastic after his grooming. How about doing something like a needlepoint portrait of Paw Paw using his fur and framing the portrait to hang in your office or above a fireplace. I would love to see whatever you decide to do with his beautiful fur. Good luck on your project. Jan

[Angelica]

Hi Martha,

I think you should knitt it into something you can take with you when you travel and cannot take Paw Paw with you. Something nice and soft that you can hold onto when your lonely for him. Take care,
Angelica

[Sue B]

Definitely a scarf if you have enough yarn.

[Sarah]

What a neat idea! I would have appreciated having yarn made of my late Stella's fur! I think Paw Paw's beloved friend Sharkey would really appreciate a sweater made from his Buddie's warm coat for them cold winter months. I also wonder if a pair of warm house slippers/socks for yourself might be fun. I know I love to tuck my feet under my dogs to warm them up. :) Whatever you make I'm sure it will be special to you. TY for sharing.

[Sue Russell Glover]

I too have knitted with my dog's hair. I have an Old English Sheepdog, Noah. What to do with all of that hair after grooming? Knit a sweater. I was explained how to prepare the hair but I was told after the long process of cleaning the hair, it then had to go to leprechuns in Jersey. I found out that was not true and followed the correct process. Anyway, I knitted a sweater and if you would like to see it I would be happy to send a picture. Geez, I'm sorry I didn't know about this show. I love to knit. I'll be in Manhattan next Thursday and Friday and hoped to get tickets to your show. I haven't heard from anyone yet if I am accepted. Oh, well, next dog hair show.....

[deezie]

That is just so darn cool!!! I think you should have a little sweater made for Paw Paw, what do you think? how fun, all the possibilites, your blog is so fun to read Martha
deezie

[Dianne Gavula]

How about making coats for Sharky and Francesca. What could keep them warmer than Paw Paw's own fur!

[Kathy]

Hi, Martha,
What a wonderful idea! I would have loved to have been able to make a warm sweater out of the fur of my first dog.
Whatever you decide to make will be a extra special keepsake.
Paw Paw is so handsome!
Thanks for letting us know about Victoria Pettigrew's VIP Fibers.
Kathy

[Jane M]

I'd knit a blanket I could cozy under while watching tv, knitting, or reading! I LOVE MY DOG TOO!

[Shannon]

Hi Martha,
How wonderful for you to have this marvelous keepsake. Several years ago my dad took brushed fur from my Godmother's dog, spun it, and knit a tam for her that she still wears to this day! She loves the fact that she has a rememberance from one of her favorite pets.

[Carol]

How interesting.
I've knitted with my dog's hair too, but not intentionally

[sally]

Incredible!!! Finally, a reward for the pet owners who have to clean up tons of hair every day!!!!

[Eileen]

My best friend has a Malamute and spins yarn from his fur. A nice keepsake. LOVE your Frenchies. See my Pipi on Living Tastefully/Passions to Pastry.

Eileen

[PAULINE MUCCIACCIO]

Hi Martha,
My suggestion would be a scraf.
Something that you could wrap around you to take the chill away, easy to travel with on all those plane rides, and best of all Paw Paw would always be close to your heart.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Pauline Mucciaccio

[olga]

Oh,knit a hat and gloves! Maybe with a little chowchow doggie on them. Then when you take the dogs walking you can be toasty warm too!

[Erica Woronko]

I would make a large, decorative wall hanging out of it, with other materials included, like bamboo for the frame. People will wonder where it came from!

[Sid Simpson]

I have yarn from my beloved departed dog Ute. I have not yet done anything with it, but it is very comforting to me that I can still have her near in an appropriate way.

I think you should make a scarf that can always be with you when you need a special snuggle.

[Trish]

I don't think I have ever seen Paw Paw after a fresh hair cut. He is gorgeous either way, with long or short fur but now he looks cold! I think you should make him his very own blanket with his own fur. Maybe after his next clipping you could have twin sweaters made for Sharky and Fransceca. I wish I had known about this process when our poodles were getting their hair cuts. Thanks for a most interesting blog! Trish

[Rhea]

Now, you are making me think. I have a Lhasa apso. He has gorgeous hair and he gets it cut every six weeks....

[Joan]

I am really enjoying your blogs, thank you so much for sharing your life and ideas with us!

I would knit a lap blanket, even if it's a very small one. Then I would display it by folding it over the back of a chair or draped on an ottoman so all your guests (and of course yourself) can enjoy it.

Happy Valentine's Day, Joan

[Heather]

Hi Martha,
How about a cozy hat from the yarn?

I was just checking out your pictures from last weekend at your farm, and I was SO surprised to see NO SNOW? Wow! I am in Vermont ( not far away) and I have 3 feet in the front yard! You are so lucky! I like winter, but sometimes up here it IS too long! But spring is around the corner!

Have a good day!

[Margie]

I like the idea of a scarf as well. A tam would also be very nice on you. The colors are your colors. You would look so smashing riding your horses or walking the farm.
As always thank you for the interested blog.

[Cheryl Russell-Miller]

Martha,

I loved the piece and your groomer seems to be on top of it. I would reccomend you do some research on the effects of brushing dirty dogs and also using those "mat breakers" The issue is damage to teh top coat leading to FUTURE more mats. Many of us (groomers) were trained to do alot of prebath brushing but have really changed our ways. I speak at grooming seminars and we talk alot mroe now about maintaing coat integrity so that you don't get damaged coat and MORE mats later.

COnsider FELTING the remaining hair into a 'model' of Paw Paw...you will find alot about Felt 'dolls' online.

I am glad you have such a well-mannered chow chow! Kudos to you!