Weird & Whacky Fibers
Our first love was, and probably always will be, wool, but every once and a while, we find something that’s just too whacky to not try. Hopefully, you find something that whets your fiber appetite and gets those creative juices flowing!
Samoyed Dog Wool
Samoyed dogs originated in Siberia and their amazingly warm wool was effective against sometimes -60 degrees, brr! Samoyed wool is hollow, which makes it both light and extremely warm–about 50% warmer than sheep’s wool. It’s so warm in fact, that I reserve most of my Sammy spinning for the winter because it makes my hands sweat. If you’ve seen or pet a Samoyed, you can imagine how incredibly soft and fuzzy it is to spin up.
Camel Wool
Camels are part of the Camelid family (along with Alpacas, Llamas, Vicuna, and Guanacos). Their wool can be combed or picked up after shedding from both one and two-humped camels. Wool from the two-humped camel, or Bactrian camel, is typically the most sought-after for spinning. After being de-haired, it has a down-like texture, that is warmer than sheep’s wool.
Milkweed Fiber
Milkweed fiber, or floss, comes from the milkweed plant, which is a primary food source for Monarch Butterfly larvae. It is a bast fiber, meaning it is a soft, yet woody fiber, similar to hemp or flax. Milkweed is incredibly water-resistant, so much that it was once used to stuff life jackets! In spinning, we have found it imperative to blend with wool as milkweed is very brittle on its own, and also has amazing abilities to fly everywhere without being locked into a wool sandwich.
