Ok this is a shaggy dog story from Science Daily.
In Scientists Unlock the Mystery Surrounding a Tale of Shaggy Dogs, researchers have clear evidence that textiles made by the Coast Salish weavers before contact with Europeans contain dog hair.
Apparently there is a debate about it. As I read the article and after just making fabric using my scrap orts thread fabric the other day, I thought to myself of course they would have used dog hair!
Anyway the interesting tit bit of textile history for me was that they bred a type of long haired dog, in order to use their hair, and kept them separate from short hair varieties.
This is a fascinating article – THANKS for posting about the woollies! I live out in the San Juan islands where the woolly dog *controversy* is well known. It has always seemed entirely plausible to me. I'm going to pass this info along, if you don't mind…
Thanks again!
I have a bag of my dog's hair that I have thought I might spin if I ever get my spinning wheel fixed. He has longish, soft fur, white with a bit of buff in it. I doubt I have enough for anything more than a bit of embroidery. (No knitting or crocheting a "dog" sweater.) Perhaps I should have the groomer save and give me his trimmings/combings, too.