The Fuzzy Farm™

Custom yarn from your pet's fur!™

Collecting Your Fur

For Pets With an Undercoat: Brush your pet as you normally would. Some tips to help you get the best results from your skein:

· A long, wire brush is best.

· The bigger the brush is, the better the results will be.

· Brush your pet with the head of the brush pointing in the same direction each time, so that all the fur on the brush is aligned in the same direction.

· Completely fill the brush before pulling the fur off and storing it in a collection bag.

· Brush only the back, sides, and stomach of your pet when you are collecting, which is where the long fur is. Remember that the longer the fur is, the better the yarn will be. Fur on your pet’s legs and head tends to be shorter, which will make the quality of the yarn lower. Tails can be brushed, based on whether the fur is short or long there.

· Do not include fur mats in your collected fur. These cannot be spun, and actually hamper the spinning process. They must be removed prior to spinning.

· The fur doesn’t have to be clean, but it does have to be free of foreign debris, such as leaves, twigs, and mud. These cannot be spun and hamper the spinning process. They must be removed prior to spinning.

14119 Lillian Circle

Omaha, NE 68138

To contact us:

Phone: 402-896-1797

E-mail: FurgetMeNot@cox.net

There are 2 ways to collect your fur, based on what breed of pet you have. For example, dogs who have an undercoat can be brushed to collect their fur. Dogs who do not have an undercoat can be sheered at the groomers, and the fur collected there.

Fur-get Me Not

For best results, use the long, wire brush to brush your pet, not the short nylon bristle brush.

For Pets Without an Undercoat: Let your pet’s fur grow long before taking your pet to the groomers. Your pet’s fur must be at least 2 inches long in order to make a good yarn. Keep in mind that the longer the fur, the better the yarn will be. When you take your pet to the groomers, tell your groomer that you wish to save the fur for spinning. They should be more attentive to making sure they sheer your pet to give you the longest possible clippings. You need to collect all the long fur that comes off your pet’s back, sides, and stomach. Remember that the longer the fur is, the better the yarn will be. Fur on your pet’s legs and head tends to be shorter, which will make the quality of the yarn lower. Collect only the fur that falls on the groomer’s table: not the stuff on the floor. The fur on the floor may or may not be your pet’s fur, plus the floor is dirty.

Storing Your Pet’s Fur: It may take several weeks (or months) to collect enough fur for your project, regardless of which method you use.  While you are collecting, keep this in mind:

· You should collect your fur in a breathable bag, such as a paper grocery bag or a cotton pillowcase.  Do not store your fur in a plastic bag!

· Store your bag in an area that gets light. This discourages moths, which will destroy your fur. (These are the same moths that attack wool clothing.) Do not store your bag in a dark closet!

· Add a piece of cedar or a few mothballs to your bag. This further discourages moths, fleas, and other critters who might want to make your bag of fur their home.

· It is imperative that all fur sent to us for spinning be free of moths, fleas, and/or other unfavorable critters. Any fur sent to us containing these undesirables will be immediately disposed of.

· You will need a small scale (like a kitchen or postal scale) to weigh your fur. Keep in mind that there is up to an 18% loss ratio when going through the spinning process. Therefore, if you wish to have a 6 oz skein, you will need to collect 7 oz of fur to ensure that you do get 6 oz of yarn.

· When you have collected enough fur, pack it in a cardboard box and send it to us at:

 

Fur-get Me Not

14119 Lillian Circle

Omaha, NE 68138

Fill the brush completely before removing the fur for collection. This leads to more even tension when spinning.