How-Tuesday: Crafting With Cat Hair

Such a cute idea!

Nice work cute kitties.

interesting

Interesting thing to do with all the cat hair I seem to collect when going over to a friends house. It would make a fun gift I think. Not sure if I could stand playing with the cat hair...

NO NO NO NO!!! im sorry but this is gross...

This is very interesting...

Lol I would've never thought of this! Too cute

I have plenty of cat hair around, but I am enough of a cat lady as it is!

that cat is so cute.

An opinion: I'm a cat person, and this is just gross.

no no no! this is sooo icky! I'm all for freedom of the craft... but this is unhygienic.

Interesting.... but not so sure I want to make these kitties.

wowzers

Love the diversity of blogs on Etsy. Definitely worth blogging about, but this idea totally got stuck in my throat.

My cat would tear it to shreds.

Very cute... too bad for me, my cats hardly shed at all.

Love this! I would do this with my cat's hair (but just keep it for myself! Others I don't think would appreciate!)

> It would make a fun gift I think just keep in mind that a lot of people are allergic to cat hair!

LOL! This is great if you can get past the eww factor! And I just brushed my kitty....

Very interesting article.

I laughed, but I've actually seen and felt dog-hair yarn, and it was lovely: soft and fuzzy with a gentle halo, silky as cashmere but warm and fluffy. It's typically made from the shed hair of a certain type of dog--Samoyeds I think?--that are known for being low-odor. I've seen services offering to make yarn from cat hair, too, and I've definitely petted my friend's Abyssinian and wondered aloud why they aren't bred for fiber farming (maybe it's the herding cats thing... haha). That said, even knowing objectively that cat hair isn't that much separated from sheep hair, logically speaking, I don't know if I can past the "lol" factor!

This is so disgusting. And there is an entire book??

Adorable!

I find it funny that folks find this disgusting. Ever visit a sheep in the field? Let me tell you.. any cat is far cleaner than a sheep ever thought of being. There is no reason why any hair or fur etc can't be washed and used.

Ummm, I'm usually a big fan of all things using felt. But sorry, I just can't get over how icky this is. . .

Kinda weird but how cute is that box?! AWESOME!

My first reaction was shock/awe/disgust... but I guess I'm just more shocked the instructions don't tell you to wash the cat hair first! My cat is curled up next to me licking herself right now and all I can do is laugh lol

Like RavenNJ said, sheep are rather filthy creatures and we use their wool without a thought. Still, I can't embrace the idea of using my cat's fur to make fun little crafts. It's just not appealing to me.

This is really creative and cute, a little unsanitary though. I would love to try it, but I can't needle felt, nor do I have a cat!

And to think of all my cat's fur & hair balls I have thrown away......

I admit, I did a bit of a Sweet Dee gag at the thought of this project, but look how CUTE! I think this is a unique little remembrance for cat owners - a tribute if you will, to their beloved kitty. Remember, before Ken Pave hair extensions, women used to keep their own hair in specially made containers and then use the hair to create old school Bump Its and such. Dead hair is dead hair.

I just got that book for Christmas!

Makes me want to gag up a fur ball! We sure do have A LOT of fur after we shave the cat in the summer though.....

The thought of that big clump of cat hair makes me feel ill I could never work with that.

I am all for crafting with unusual materials......but this is just.....not ok.

We need one for dog hair now! :)

Everyone saying it's interesting is just too wimpy to be honest and say it's gross.

yeah, they hang out in a box filled with feces, lets use their fur to make finger puppets! I LOVE my cats, but this creeps me out...sorry... :(

Wonderful tutorial! Cute

How is this grossing so many people out? weird. I hope you all know where the milk you drink/eggs or meat you eat come from? is that a leather shoe you are wearing? GROSS!!! cow skin!

you know, if you throw cat hair out the window, birds use it to make nests.

This is a great tutorial! But I have a dog... :(

After washing wool straight from a sheep (with the poop still hanging off of it), this is nothing. I've collected fur from my Scottie, and I'm going to spin it and perhaps crochet it into a nice little basket to hold his biscuits. It's nothing to be grossed out about. What's gross is when people kill animals and use their pelts, bones, and organs for crafts without a care to the welfare of the creature or its population.

I'm an upcycler and all for the reusing of materials. I applaud anyone who takes this on. Honestly, though, after spending most of my years on this earth removing cat hair from my clothing, my furniture and my flooring, I just can't bear to add it anything! I'm with VeraVague - I'll donate it to the birds :)

oh, my cat hair allergy! :)

But ... it's REAL FUR! *gasp*

werid at first, but the little miniature cat puppets are adorable..A+ for creativity

I think it's very clever.

Thats funny, I somehow wound up on Regretsy when I clicked on a How-Tuesday blog. Crazy!

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only cat-lover who is creeped out by this! As much as I love my fur-ball, I couldn't imagine crafting with his shedded fur! Having said that, though - kudos to innovative use of this abundant material! Isn't that what Etsy is all about? And if anyone wants some ginger-colored Persian cat fur, just let me know where to mail it!

My sister walked by and said: "Ewwww! They're using CAT HAIR?!" She was wearing a wool coat. :)

love it

Moxie -- author of "I Felt Awesome" -- taught me how to needle felt a cat hair mouse last year. Get it? A mouse made out of cat hair? I can report that my tabby cat's fur, stripes and all, felts up into a perfect smooth mousey gray.

Totally gross & awesome <3 When I used to brush my pomeranian I always thought of saving her hair, it was SO SOFT. Wish I had!! I could have made a teeny tiny Miko!

Tee Hee, Love this discussion. The supplies photo with the clump of dirty cat hair just created the yuck factor. I wonder what the response would have been if they would have showed a nice clean pile of cat hair. Too late to find out now.

this can be adapted for bellybutton lint, right?

I am a lover of Victorian mourning jewelry made of human hair and a collector of anything made of vintage fur, especially if it has a face, so this was nothing but adorable to me! Love it!

I think this has the makings of a Portlandia episode.

My mother just gave me this book for xmas. I am looking forward to using it! Lord knows I have tons of cat hair to work with! :)

Wow. But I think that I'll stick with yarn :)

I dont get why some people think its gross? Is it gross to wear wool?

who would think? i wonder if my dog's hair would work just as well? thanks for showing me how!

I LOVE it!! SOOOO Cute!!! ~Krista

All the previous comments are so so funny!! "REAL FUR??" LOL!! Yes, Cats do have REAL fur!! What did you think it was?? (No answer required...

I find this idea a very interesting one. At first I was a bit taken back by the idea of felting with cat fur, not because it is "gross" or "unhygienic" just because well, its my cats hair/fur! I honestly think that this is a BRILLIANT idea and concept for taking felting to a whole new level of being green.

This is amazing, really amazing.

Wow...this is great. I have 6 six cats so plenty of cat hair to make the boxes! Thank you so much for sharing.

Great idea, but I'm a little concerned there were no washing instructions for the cat hair before use. You wouldn't dream of using unwashed sheep's wool & although cats are relatively clean they're still covered in cat spit! :-) The fur from my own animals doesn't gross me out at all, but I'm not sure what someone else's reaction would be to it...

Cats - yes! Reusing - yes! Crafts - yes! All three together - not so sure.

Ha ha ha! This is both gross and hilarious at the same time!

For the crafter who's ready to make the leap from cat lady to crazy cat lady

Then of course there's knitting with cat hair: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSOh34982Vo

I love this project - so cute! Cat fur seemed kinda icky at first, but then I thought about what the back ends of my sheep look like..and then it didn't seem so gross. I think I might make this for my hubby's grandma. She IS the cat lady!

So cute! Great idea!

My hand is holding my head up to keep it from smacking the table. What?! I get the whole Wool is to Sheep as Hair is to Cat, but for some reason this strikes me as really, really odd. Oh well. I learned something new today.

If anyone would like to buy cat hair, please contact me! Two cats, one very long haired one...always shedding! I'll list it for you!!

Not so sure about this... I know my dad has used cat hair when tying flies for fly fishing though.

p.s. you might want to mention washing the fur...

Just wanted to point out that for needle felting onto felt you will want a wool felt base.

why do you insist on it being a dairy carton? some people don't want to abuse cows, and orange juice boxes are made of the same material =~=

I think this is just an awesome idea! I love my tortie kitty and have always thought that the undercoat that comes out when I brush her with the Furminator is so very soft and lovely. I would love to (and will definitely) do this in the near future - cant wait to get my hands on that book! My cat might be the cleanest creature on earth; far cleaner than most humans (including my wife, lol). Can't fathom where people are getting the notion that this car fur idea is gross...any idea where that honey you're slathering your toast or biscuits with comes from? Or what it's made of? I guess different things gross out different people ;)

Okay yeah its gross, whatever, blah blah but for the cat ladies out there this is a craft calling your name. Not for me tho!

oh.my

Lol! Its hilarious and disgusting at the same time! :P Cheers!

Hmm......is all I can say!!!! Puppet is cute... but really... cat hair?!?!?

Adorable--I love it!!

Kaori's pieces are really sweet. I like the fact she has found a super creative way to use an abundant natural resource obtained without harm to an animal. Heck, it's free too!

That kitty smelling the puppet has a curious look on his face.

I vote for faces on these kitties. Collar, but no face...really? Kinda creep.

Edie Beale would have loved this

wow!

I think this is hilariously ridiculous - but for those who are creeped out, where do you think wool comes from? Is the idea not similar?

omg........so cute!

Wonderful! I love this!! I have 3 cats so I could do this wholesale! LOL

As mentioned above... "yeah, they hang out in a box filled with feces, lets use their fur to make finger puppets!" Holy moly...

Oh no, kryptonyte for an allergic like me! But I think it's cute and original, sharing this with my cat friends.

It is not the cat, or the hair, or the dairy carton, I just don't see the beauty in it. Maybe if I were in pre school?

Ewww. My pomeranian sheds hair similar to a cats and it drives me crazy. I could never ever ever use that hair for crafting. Sorry!

It looks like a nice fun project to do with the kids. http://www.etsy.com/listing/88464702/set-of-four-colorful-lanterns-scented

Awwww kitten wool! Too bad most of the company I keep is allergic to my kitty so having his fur trinkets around the house would be bad news. Never would have thought of this!

oh my! now THIS is something else!

This is distributing. It's like watching someone pick their neighbor's boogers, then their family's, and then their own boogers and made a giant grotesque mural. And somehow found it within themselves to call it ”art”. ....Seriously, I LOVE cats, but if I was a cat I'd run across the room slap my owner silly while telling them, ”What the f*ck!?!?” and yank all fur back. Its just a little weird, thats all I have to say. Ps- other knitting or crafting materials such as wool or alpaca are cleansed and usually died before being used not picked up off a dirty floor and used immediately. That is why it is gross.

We've been making jokes at home about felting our cat's hair, because it is on EVERYTHING and she wont let us brush her! And she's been shedding a lot! I'm so desperate. I never thought people were actually crafting with it, I like the idea of making something from her own hair, to keep.And as was said before, cats are among the cleanest animals, if not the most. It might be weird, but gross? I don't think so.

its definitely different...and unique. i love cats and its so cute.

So wonderful items!.. With cats :) My daughter has serious allergy for cats fur, so we even cant visit friends who has cats at there homes, but still these little cuties on boxes are stunning! Thank you for great tutorial!

SO CUTE^^

I don't see why people find it so gross. We wear animal skin, animal fur, use animal hair paintbrushes, wear wool which is a fur... There's wool yarn even. How about a violin bow? Sheep, llama, alpaca, rabbit, boar, camel, ox. The list goes on. This is just another type of fur. As long as it's clean I find it rather intriguing. :)

hahaha love it! What a great idea :D My partner and I were discussing last night if we could make a length of rope out of everything our little one is shedding at the moment :D

I spend too much time cleaning the hair off my couches, and black clothing. I just want it to be gone! It gets everywhere! I like the a fore mentioned idea of giving to birds, or my favorite...the vacuum.

If you think about it, it's no different that Victorian mourning/hair jewelry - or, like many people here have said, wool from sheep, which can be positively disgusting before being washed! That being said, if all of the fur my kitty leaves behind on my clothes was deep-cleaned, I COULD probably go into business selling cat-wool crafts....I'm just not sure I WOULD.

oh hell no.

Worst moth infestation I ever had came from trying to collect cat fur for a project. Be VERY, VERY careful with cat fur -- cat saliva from grooming and all the other good stuff cats get into make their fur tasty to moths, just like the spots of food that moths love to eat off of sweaters and other clothes. Cute project, but polyester batting might be a safer bet.

Funny... but ew.

Wow, such a furor over cat hair! While the directions don't tell you to wash the hair first, most projects assume you are working with clean materials and that you have enough common sense to launder prior to crafting! Yes, people have cat allergies but they can also have allergies to all sorts of materials......Just because you haven't seen it before doesn't make it wrong or gross. You would be better off to examine your own reaction to the concept rather than lash out at the artist. It's just different than what you are culturally exposed to. If you were a cat owner in Japan you might feel very differently about using your beloved cat's hair. It may not be your cup of tea but it is hardly gross. Personally, I love the idea! What a wonderful way to reuse readily available materials.

ok, look, i know people wear wool... but i have a cat, i know what cats do... my issue is potential flea eggs and cat litter dust all over that stuff, etc. i am assuming they wash wool before it gets to the store... maybe i missed it but i see no way to clean this stuff before use... so if i made this it would always be that looming little gross ball in my room. no thanks. but way to "think out side of the box" kudos

any tips on what to do with hair balls

I didn't know that cat hair would felt. And on that note... since it can felt, why couldn't you just wash it exactly how you do wool? If I did get some cat hair to felt I would wash it first. There's directions all over the internet on how to was wool, I'd just follow those. You wouldn't use wool before washing it (or any other type of fur for that matter), so why wouldn't you wash the cat fur?

alright then everyone... enjoy your cat hair sculptures.. count me out..

the cutest thing ever!!!!

I agree with Copach, I'd definitely want to wash it first. Surely whatever you make will smell of cat otherwise?

Interesting!

I think this is very cute and original, I can understand being a little grossed out by the idea at first, but put it in this perspective; would you be just as disgusted by a real fur coat? What about leather shoes? I think this is a nifty animal friendly idea.

most people eat, drink, and wear some sort of animal parts everyday, but a little bit of kitty cat fur is deemed gross... aahhhh, ignorance is surely bliss, isn't it? LOL!

This is very interesting ^^

So cute!!

Regretsy here we come!

Good tutorial. Very nicely done. And lovely kittens of course too! :) I am working now on a dog soft sculpture using excellent hair of a Belgian Shepherd Dog. It is different from the sheep wool and i am excited to see teh results soon. Good luck and thanks for the article.:)

So cute cat looking at the miniature puppet kitty..see that a bit confused and amazed look...to felt cat hair is a fun idea, if and of course done with cleaned cat hair;-)

it is not ignorant to think cat hair is gross... i honestly think people just paste positivity on these blogs no matter what the blogs are about in hopes that people will visit there store.. but this is pushing it... IT...IS... GROSS...

This is THE BEST!!!!!

When I worked at B&N many years ago, there was a book titled "Knitting with Dog Hair." Most everyone was completely grossed out, but there were a few that put up the, "How is it different than sheep hair...etc. argument." This cat hair thing seems to be generating the same response. The difference is because in most cases, the sheep hair is processed and cleaned, prepared for use. Also, for better or worse, there's a sense of anonymity--a distance from the particular originating animal. That could be seen as positive or negative, and I'm not really making an argument for either, but suggesting that familiarity with the animal as pet is what makes it seem gross. Dogs and cats are so domesticated and anthropomorphised that there is something just off about 'using' parts of them to make finger puppets.

OMG, i was just brushing my cat the other day, and my niece was collecting the fur, saying we should make a sweater with it!

I got this book for Christmas, it's lovely!

Wonderful!

Touching the stuff to craft it isn't gonna be much difference germ-wise than petting your cat, and I'm guessing most of you guys don't furiously wash your hands for ten minutes or be disgusted by your gross infected hand after every time you scratch Fluffy's cheek. Also, fur can be washed. Weird, +squick factor for being a pet? Sure. I personally would never, ever do this. But gross? Nah.

Strange but interesting too.

Cute!!! ;) Love cats!

My mum used to cut our hair as kids and leave it outside for the birds to make nests with. Then the cat would bring the nests back...and you could see our hair woven into them. The cat must have been able to smell us in the nests:p

I just don't know. I am torn between "yuck" and "good for you" ... HMMMM. I knew a girl who had a hat she knit from dog hair and I thought that was gross. It may be soft and it may be good upcycling ... but who wants dog hair on their head???? Hmmm. I just don't know.

I have heard of doing this before. While it definitely is not for me, my step daughter would love this!

Great idea! Greeting from my 20years old cat !

This was very interesting. They turned out very cute, but knowing that it is cat hair would probably turn me off a little even though I have six cats.

that's adorable! will send this on to my friend!!

Hmm... I love cats (don't have any), but I am not sure that this would be something that I would do. I admire the waste not concept though.

No one's explained exactly WHY it is that they get grossed out by this... the hygeine/cleanliness issue is surely something no reasonable human being couldn't get over with a little soap & water. What's the differnce between using hair combed out of a cat's pelt & that acquired from sheep, goats, chinchillas, rabbits, llamas, yaks, camels except that usually the consumer/crafter doesn't usually get to see/smell it in its unwashed state? I can only assume that none of these sensitive folks own anything made from any kind of natural fibre, feather pillows, leather goods, bees wax, etc. Sad to think so many live in entirely artificial surroundings...

To the person that was wondering why we dont farm cats for their fur...Really?! I mean...Really?! You obviously aren't a cat person or you would never speak such words! Do you know what goes on when animals are used for fur, meat or any industry where money is to be made. Do you think they would all be laying around like prine people sit brushing them all day? No they would be in filthy cages with no room to move and their have would be either shaved off, and if you have a cat you would know he wouldn't just sit still for this. Or his skin would be ripped off just like other fur animals. Don't make such stupid comments without knowing what you are saying.

ok..that was actually typed to say: Sit around like princesses while people sit brushing them all day...oops

I don't think this is gross so much as a little off-putting. It's not because of hygiene, but more because we aren't used to seeing where our natural things come from. Telling us that leather is cows and sheep's are wool is all fine and dandy, but most of us don't keep them in our backyards. It's one of those "out of sight, out of mind" things. I do think this is an interesting idea. I wonder if cat or dog hair products affect people with allergies to the animals?

unique !!

Wow my kitty, appropriately named 'Kitty Bob' passed away a few years ago at the age of 22 and my oldest dog misses him dearly. This would have been a nice rememberance for the dog as she still to this day sleeps with Kitty Bob's window cushion. Interesting story. I bought a coat once and the fur lined hood turned out to be dog hair (my sister the scientist had it analyzed because she was suspiciously curious that it resembled her own dog's hair). I guess Asian countries have used domestic animal hair for ages.

Love the box, but not sure about the cat hair.

i think that ...ACK...oh sorry! Hairball! ;)

Oh my goodness... I'm speechless.

That is very unique and creative !

Dido on the Hairball

I am sooooo passing this on to a friend who wades through piles of persian cat hair every day (ok, exaggeration). She will definitely get a kick out of it as she's been looking for a craft idea she could do that: a. doesn't cost much and b. is easy to do with poor coordination. She also has a great sense of humor and will laugh as hard as I did when she reads it. Thanks for my smile of the day!

That is just so whacky!! Very cool!

NO NO NO NO!!! i'm sorry but this is gross... and a bit disturbing. Each to his/her own though with their craft!

I love my cats, but I too will stick with yarn for my crocheting! very interesting article thou!

My kitties are going to love this!

Great idea!

I can hear my husband sneezing at the thought of this...

This is so funny and yet ingenious! I have two cats and a dog, wow and to think all this time I've been loading up the trashcans with their fur!! :)

Many times of have fantasized about a myriad of things one could make out of the all too numerous balls of cat hair my "fur children" produce. Thanks for bringing a cat hair project into reality!

This is quite amazing and the epitome of craftiness! Love it... if I wasn't so allergic to cats.

hmmm , not for me either, but I can see the other side.

why are people so grossed out by it? Its the same as using wool from sheep.. its just washed.. you wash the cat fur too.. well for wet felting.. which I prefer. humans are funny creatures... hah.

I am all about reusing, recycling, and upcycling so why not use cat's hair. Just as long as you wash the hair prior to using I find nothing wrong with it.

I love cats, but i don't know if i could do this... good idea nonetheless, but without the cat fur...

Interesting idea. Many people make hats and sweaters out of cat hair, sheep, etc. However, I would twist it into threads, wash it, and then apply the directions.

Crafting with cat hair is a great example of making lemonade when you have lemons!

I purchased this book "Crafting With Cat Hair" just last week. It is full of wonderful ideas about how to make use of the kitty-fur around your house. You should see the amount of fur that I collect each week in my Dyson Vacuum just from my two feline companions "Morris and Kenji". If anyone who doesn't have cats at home and wants to try making some really cool cat-fur stuff, I will gladly send you a handful or two so you can get started! Julie Frisch

Yuck

I WILL be doing this! With 4 cats, I have enough cat hair on a daily basis to make a sweater.

Sounds like fun :) love cats

I just agree with everyone else and this seems unsanitary. There is a reason that cat has its own bed and does not sleep in mine.

Cat hair is no different from wool, really? How many people do you know who are allergic to SHEEP? (And yes, I realize that if you have a cat yourself, it isn't an issue. But I wouldn't go making gifts with it for other people.)

again: fur can be washed and otherwise this is just like wool. and lol everblue i find that unusual, me and every person with a cat or dog i know has loved them sleeping in their bed

And I think that one big reason a lot of people are getting icked out by it is that the instructions do not call for washing the cat hair. Which should be an absolutely critical first step that shouldn't be left out of any discussion of this sort.

Actually, many,. many people are allergic to wool. It's just strange to me. Like the question--why is it ok to drink cow's milk but not dog's milk? It's just gross. who knows why. But it is. And I realize to some ppl it's not ok to drink cow's milk. Please don't take offense. That was not the point of my comment. :)

Some people may be allergic to wool if they come in direct, prolonged contact with it, but how many do you know who can't tolerate being in the same room as a sheep?

"every person with a cat or dog i know has loved them sleeping in their bed" I've had cats almost all my life, and I spent exactly ONE night with one in my room. And that was the end of that.

Hmm, none :) lol Good point! I wonder if there are any?

While I respect that this is grossing many people out, cats are far cleaner than many people expect. If you are that worried, I'm sure you can clean and treat the cat hair a similar fashion so it is more hygenic. Its natural, just like wool, and can be cleaned and treated like wool, so what makes it so incredibly different? Its not like you are harvesting your cat (or dog's) fur to mass produce something. I'm sure pet owners can understand that there is enough extra fur, that this is something fun and playful to turn something annoying into something useful! And as to a previous comment that just made me laugh, I'm not posting this so people visit my store. The community on here is so creative, that its fun to share what other views are on a project or to see what others opinions or suggestions are before trying it yourself! Regardless, I think this is an adorable, fun project for anyone who loves kitties! I hope to try it out soon!

I have heard (and I own 2 cats) that cat hair has a lot of bacteria because they wash themselves ... Now, this doesn't bother me. Heck my cats sleep in my bed, and I kiss them on the head, etc. Just not sure I'd want to making something with their hair. Again, I'm on the fence! :) Certainly makes an interesting topic.

oh boy. we talk all the time about how the cat sheds so much, we could actually use the hair to build a whole new cat. we are *joking.*

Hilarious. The article, the book, the comments here. Hilarious.

The cat sniffing the little cat finger puppet is thinking, ” Wow, this smells familiar.... Is this my butt fur?”

Wow ,you learn something new every day! This isnt something I would try, I have allergies. I even got itchy when I made a wool scarf.Not sure if thats normal? lol But I have to say , Fur -IS- fur no matter which animal it came from AND at least its --cruilty free--

haha this is funny- i love it! what a good idea. my cat would be shocked and amazed.

SO GROSS. I love my cats but I want to barf every time I pick up a blanket/sweater/pillow that my cat has been sitting on all day, licking herself and making weird pig noises. I want to hear what Regretsy has to say about this.

LOL! Right now, I'm looking at the cat hair on my floor and thinking that's just a little too out there for me. I think I'll get out the vacuum instead! :O)

Love it !!!! Considering that I have 6 cats I would get all my supplies for free . . .

I have a 45 lb goldendoodle that did not have a hair cut for the first year of her life. When we finally broke down and took her to a groomer, she had to be shaved almost to the skin. When I picked her up, the groomer came out with a large garbage bag full of hair and asked me if I would like it. She suggested that I could spin it into yarn. Given that I don't have that skill or any desire to make anything with my dog's fur, I told the lady she could throw it away. Now I know, I should have kept it because I had enough supplies to make thousands of felted critters. lol

I don't know why so many people find this gross... everybody seems to like felt... and it's made of sheep's hair, as the wool.

... I might try this... when no one is looking. Haha.

Wow! Reading the comments to this wonderful post is quite interesting. Cats are the cleanest animals - and you can always wash the fur. Why exactly is this 'gross' to people? Unless you are 100% vegan both in eating and in lifestyle - where do you think your wool sweater, leather belts and shoes, and a myriad of other everyday items comes from? Why are we grossed out whenever its a 'domestic' animal yet so many people have no problem eating a chicken? This is a great tutorial and something that demonstrates a good use of an available resource that is not harmful to anyone.

Y'all have heard of angora right?

The finished product is kind of cute, but this is really gross, I'm sorry. I'm sure there is a good reason people normally don't use cat hair for this kind of thing.

I prefer the fleece of sheep, but once I used the hair of my dog for the face of Holy Child :)

absolutely genious! :D

great idea! oh no, another fiber thing i must do...

There's no limit to creativity! Next level is to write a book about creating with navel lint.

There's no limit to creativity! Next level is to make a book about creating with navel lint.

her he, not only is it cute, but very clever;-)

So cool! I have two cats and their hair gets everywhere! What an excellent idea! Thanks for sharing!

I have to go with the folks who are reminding us of the many uses for other kinds of animal hair. Umm paint brushes..hog bristles for hair brushes..alpacas, camels llamas,deer. Y'all are being silly. Don't get me started on the uses of feathers! Or skin! I would think the cats would love a cozy bed made out of their own hair. Yum! Smells like me mom!

Kind of strange.... the people that are grossed out about putting cat hair in their hands to craft with..may be the same people that put pig feet, hog brains, chicken livers or intestines (chitterlings) in their MOUTH....!

I don't understand why so many people think this is gross. I mena ok there are those woh don't like or have cats or are allergic, that's one thing. But if you have cats, you have cat hair floating around you all the time. They shed it, maybe not noticeably but it is there. You pick it up off their brush, you touch it when you pet them! As a unknown author wrote: "Cat hair on the bed spread, Cat hair on the chair. Cat hair in the casserole, Cat hair everywhere. Cat hair on my best coat, even on the mouse! You live and eat and breathe cat hair when cat's live in your house." And no one is saying you can't wash it before using it! I mean this isn't a tutorial on using actual cat spewed hair balls, just the fur you pick up off the brush after grooming them.

i think ive seen it all. i would have to agree that one would have to like cats to make art out of there fur, but dont go shaving one, it may look like animal cruelity to others, thats a violation in some places. new Etsy.Mini(6692035,'gallery',4,3,0,'http://www.etsy.com');

I became interested in learning to create tiny felted critters a few months back, so I downloaded instructions from internet, bought a couple felting needles and a bit of cream-colored wool roving, and started felting. As the tiny critter began to take shape I was increasingly bothered by its lack of color. However I quickly realized that the solution for that problem was purring away right next to me. I started saving some of the fur that comes off when I brush my long-haired orange kitty. His fur worked great to add some color to the felt creature. Cat fur that 's washed prior to using for crafts probably wouldn't be very allergenic - cat fur allergens mostly consist of cat saliva, which aerosolizes in the environment when the cats wash themselves.

Like Victorian hair sculptures! 19th century ladies kept mementos of loved ones using locks of hair!

I've often joked that I could make a blanket out of all the dog hair I sweep up from my Great Dane. Now I know it's true.

i haven´t words... sorry ;)

so whats so gross about this how about it lying around your house for the day until you get around to vacumn? anybody hear of wool, alpaca,its because we live in a society where this is unacceptable just like other countries would eat what we think is gross you think this is gross. open up your minds a bit and think outside the box

People have long spun Angora rabbit hair into yarn and many cats with long hair an incredibly soft texture, similar to Angora. I'd venture to guess that most cats are cleaner than most other animals; that includes quite a few human variety, too. Sheep's wool is washed before using so simply wash the cat hair.

What an idea!

"Crafting with Cat Hair" is the quintessential passive-aggressive gift for that relative / friend / coworker who is always covered in pet hair....

This is sooo funny! I thought about this yesterday after brushing my cat! too cute!

I'm not gonna lie..I totally bought this book for my mom for xmas who has 7 cats..well my boyfriend's mother. I hope she uses it..I think it's genius!

Very interesting. Wast not, want not. Kitty can pay rent with trinkets made from it's hair. Genius!

Anyone ever seen the show oddities? For some reason the first thing I thought of was the girl who makes tiny sculptures out of belly button lint...

I have to admit. I had this book on hold at the library. I think the idea is a good one. Recycle and all that. However the finished products just did not look - finished. They give better example here.

What.

This might just be the most talked about How-Tuesday so far! It was so much fun reading all the comments. They were diverse, honest and creative, too. For anyone who is serious about creating with dog hair, it occurred to me that if you got real chummy with your neighborhood groomer, you could probably get all the hair you need....

How fab! I absolutely love it! Thank you. Love the How-Tuesday and love up-cycling, revamping and homespun, that's what I do!! Keep up the good work everyone

My mom took some of my cat's fur and spun it in with sheeps wool (cat fur is too slippery to spin on its own) and then knit the wool into a design on mittens for me. That cat passed away; I just treasure the mittens I have. She also has spun a lot of dog fur (Husky or Samoi), and that works very well; you get crazy super fluffy wool that makes dogs go crazy when they smell it (Your mittens do smell a bit doggy in the rain; but that's part of the fun). I think dog fur also has to be blended with a little sheeps wool to be spun. To comment on another comment; you get the fur from brushing, not shaving the animal! You mostly want the fine undercoat anyway

I love this idea! Y is it gross? Whoever said cats "hang out in a litter box filled with feces" obviously doesn't have a cat! Nor should they. Cats hate a dirty litter box and no respectable cat owner would not keep it clean anyways! I would soak the fur with woolite and then rinse it well-no different than how wool is prepared for working with. A great way to re use something we have a lot of!

What fun. Being new to etsy, I am always amazed at the creativity and talent 'out there'. In this case, the discussion is just as intriguing as the craft! Like some other commenters, I am surprised at how many people, even cat people find the idea gross. But keep in mind, we are all different, and what a good thing that is! I couldn't create 0.1% of the things sold on etsy, but here I am profiting from all this talent! ( And maybe I'll just start collecting all that cat fur of my two kitties, and see where it takes me...) At the very least, I've made a mental note to read the blogs more - thank you!

I've thought about carding Romeow's cottony ragdoll fur in with alpaca, with my antique carders, and spinning it with my drop spindle, into a lovely soft yarn!! A wonderful way to remember our beloved pets when they leave us!! Not so weird if you think of it that way!!

ok gross factor aside... unless you want to shave your cat it is time inefficient to collect cat hair for craft purposes... they shave sheep and rabbits for their hair. and they have many animals and tools and facilities which make harvesting the hair a cost efficient practice. a cat lady with 50 cats might be able to get some sort of workable supply. so i do not only think it is gross, but i think collecting a dirty ball of cat hair then trying to wash it and keep all the strand from going down the drain while i try to get all the other stuff that is trapped in it out is not worth the tiny little ball of hair i will have when i go through this process... i am sorry. i do not want to down grade anyones hard work on making a book or this article. i just think trying to use everything you can get your hands on for a craft is not always worth it..

Who says a cat isn't useful? But forget the hair! What an Awesome box tutorial! Thanks!

I think this is a wonderful idea. I made a small puffy heart out of my two kitties' fur 3 years ago. No felting, just shaped it with my fingers. Now that one of them has passed away, it's even more of a sentimental treasure.

Absolutely hysterical!! When it's too cold outside for me to cut metal... I can sit by the fire and create cat fur creatures!!! I love it!!!

Although I'm not into cats, but I think this project is cute!

Love this. What a creative way to stay green. So cute.

This almost makes me want to bring my barn kitties in my house so I can brush them! It does make me very excited for spring - because now I know what to do with the bags of horse fuzz I pull out! I have a Haflinger, a pony, a burro and a mustang!

Ok now I don't feel so nuts for felting a wad of my cats fur into a little pendant! It totally reminds me of the victorian mourning brooches you see in antique shops. I'm reading a lot of odd responses to this little article tho...icky? You can only claim icky-ness if you're also disgusted by wool coats and leather goods. Those animals are WAY more dirty than cats! And OBVIOUSLY you'd wash the hair before making anything with it! Does that REALLY have to be included in the directions?? They're probably the people who really pay attention to the seat-belt demonstration bit they do on the plane before the flight.

This article made me sneeze!

What a great tutorial. When my cat was alive I thought about making felted objects from the profuse amount of hair that always ended up in his brush but never got around to it.

This is a very interesting idea, one interesting thing is the mourning jewelry, I know a couple of people who kept ashes of their beloved pets or paid for plots, this would be a great idea for any sort of memorial for kitty!

Soooo cute !!! Great idea!

very creative!

I think this is absolutely wild, out of the box, and off the chain! I love it! Finally a use for all that fluff! I don't have any cats at the moment but i sure have big fluffy dogs. A nice bath and presto! Craft material! It gives me another use for dog hair other than the compost bin. Yea that's right... pet hair is compost usable.

What a fun post and as a fellow cat lover I totally get it!

Im shocked at the people that say this is gross! How uncool to say that to a fellow crafter! What makes this any worse than sheeps wool? Has anyone seen wool while its still on the animal? Pretty funky! I've seen car hair woven into yarn - they do have a way of cleaning it, though I dont know how thats done. I think this idea is unique, which in this life, is refreshing! Thanks for sharing - and yes, if you are wondering I am a cat person.

I have to admit, my first thought was...Cat WHAT??? But how silly is that, I needle felt with wool every day and that's sheep hair...what is the differrence...if anything cats are cleaner! Thanks for helping me be a little more open minded. V

Creative ! Very fascinating!! Love love the cat design!!!

This is absolutely weird and insane!! I like it. :D

Awesome and creative!

Our Boris - that's him as my avatar - is terminally ill and I have actually been collecting his shed fur when I brush him as a lovely seller on Etsy has offered to spin it in to yarn for me. I think it's a lovely idea...a nice way to remember him.

Hilarious and ingenious! LOVE this!

Well I thought this was a lovely idea when I came across the lady's book last year and no I don't understand the 'gross' comments particularly from people that say their cats live in boxes with their faeces (isn't it 'gross' to allow/make your poor cats do that? - v abnormal and not what a cat that was loved and cared for would do) and, incidentally, has ANYone ever shared a room with a sheep?!(ie to know if you are allergic to one) - not just gross but some people are much much weirder than those that DO felt with cats' hair! Perspective please!

meant to say great love to Boris too - my Jimmy-James sends Respect x

Wow this is awesome! What a fun project!

I think it is greatest!!!

This is awesome! I have needle felted before but I would have never thought of using cat or dog hair!!! Great idea!

this is so funny! every time i comb my cat, i 'felt' his fur into a ball by just rubbing and rolling it between my hands. he plays with it for a while and then i put it into a jar to save for whenever and whatever. the book looks awesome. that cat on the cover makes me giggle!

I don't see how this is gross....I think it's adorable! When I brush my kitty, a lot of super soft fur comes out and I don't see it as being dirty...it would make a great felting project. I love this idea. I love the cat on the book cover too!

I guess its creepy because you don't really see this kind of thing normally and its a shocker at first. lol (only on the internet!) I applaud this for such a nice way to recycle kitty fur. I know some peoples allergies are breaking out just looking at the photos! :p I have a mild allergy but with pills its tolerable. :p kittys are awesome! <3

Thank you for sharing! Such a cute and unique idea!!! Love it ~

Does anyone know where to ship cat hair or fur? I have ten 1-gallon plastic bags of cat hair that I've collected over the last ten years. I would like to ship it somewhere. Thank you.

It was quite a surprise to find an article on how to recycle kitty fur! Then again, all that fur should be good for something! Thanks for the how- to!

Now I finally have something to do with my cat's hair other than be annoyed when it's in photos....I thought this article was odd, but neat. haha