String? OOoohhhhhh Stri-i-i-i-i-i-nnnnggggg

**BoldHighlander** · 27th January 08, 11:46 PM

Originally Posted by Nighthawk

Second... who the heck keeps sheep as a hobby?!?!

"'Baaaa' means 'NO!!'"

Actually there is such a thing as Hobby or "Gentleman" farmers who might keep a handful of sheep or (in a few cases I've seen) 2 or 3 Highland cows for nothing more than the pleasure of raising them & connecting to their rural past without the fulltime farm commitment.

However the ones I know that keep sheep use them as training aids for their herding dogs (these are the very serious trail dog competitors). As matter of fact the lady I got our Smooth Collie from was just such a competitor. Had I the room to keep a few sheep I would, as "Sassy" showed some ability at her old home in herding.

**BoldHighlander** · 27th January 08, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by Nighthawk

First of all, between you and I, I would bet we have enough cat hair to make an entire tabby kilt. I have four of the little blighters!!

Don't know about cats

but I've known of owners of Alaskan Malamutes who collect the shed hair, spin it & make sweaters out of it.

**Drillagent** · 28th January 08, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by Ted Crocker

Um, String... I have fifty pounds of cat hair. Do you think that would work for yarn?

Don't laugh. I actually saw a woman spinning rabbit hair at the state fair. It was so funny. The rabbit was sitting next to her and as she spun, she would reach down and gently pull a few hairs off the rabbit, and spin the hair into thread.

**string** · 28th January 08, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by Drillagent

Don't laugh. I actually saw a woman spinning rabbit hair at the state fair. It was so funny. The rabbit was sitting next to her and as she spun, she would reach down and gently pull a few hairs off the rabbit, and spin the hair into thread.

What do you think angora is? And it's easier to get off the bun than it is to get it off the couch when it sheds.

**Tommie** · 28th January 08, 05:43 AM

Come spring I'll have a good size pick-up load of Siberian husky hair.
Can you use that?

**Brian F** · 28th January 08, 10:38 AM

Alan, String did just fine with the shock...I reckon. I hadn't gotten to this post until yesterday, but I am now understanding as to why she was wandering about all weekend, staring blankly into space, muttering "fleece...sheeps...fleece...WOOL!"

As for the other random animal fiber...all I foresee is a large amount of strange feeling sweaters and hats in my future... O_o

**string** · 28th January 08, 12:10 PM

No cat hair, tis a rule, I don't care for cats even when they don't shed.

I am just worried about having tons of raw wool when I don't even have much of a sink around here, not to mention the smell of wet wool for my roommates to enjoy.

**Alan H** · 28th January 08, 12:55 PM

Actually, come to think of it, I might have access to a mess of alpaca wool.
*blink*

**mbhandy** · 28th January 08, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by Alan H

Actually, come to think of it, I might have access to a mess of alpaca wool.
*blink*

Damn Alan I didn't know you were so rural.

MrBill

**Bugbear** · 28th January 08, 01:29 PM

I grew a bunny rabbit for a while. It must have been when I was in highschool because I still lived with my parents. I didn't have enough room for bunny because I was squeezed into a tiny room that wasn't big enough for me... I found a nice home for bunny though. I also had an iguana at the same time, but had him all the way up through college. Good luck with your wool, String.

** Now that I think about it, I ended up with the bunny because someone else was going to take him, but wasn't able, so I offered to take him or something like that. He was a nice bunny, but I wanted more room for him to hop around and my parents had four big rabbit eating dogs.