Knitting with Dog Hair: New Edition!

In 1997, the first edition of Knitting with Dog Hair by Kendall Crolius made its way onto shelves. I remember my horrified fascination (a misplaced psychological reaction) the first time I picked it up with all my preconceived notions about what could and should be spun. This book was an absolute eye-opener for me, and it has helped me cope with the loss of some of my furry family members!

Now on its third revision and printing, you can get the updated book just in time for the giving season. To celebrate its latest release on December 3, I had the thrilling opportunity to interview Kendall.

Thank you for taking the time to share a little bit about yourself and your book. There are many in the PLY community who have benefited from your work.

Q: Before you were the world’s leading authority on dog hair knitting, how did you first start spinning?

A: My beloved husband gave me a spinning workshop for my birthday – at a fiber arts store in our neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY. My spinning teacher mentioned “you don’t have to limit yourself to sheep wool – you can spin anything, even dog hair.” I had a sheddy Golden Retriever at the time and started spinning her fuzz.

Q: What drove you to write about working with dog hair?

A: Writing about it wasn’t my idea! I had dear friends, Barbara Binswanger and Jim Charlton, who were book packagers. They had a Great Pyrenees, Ollie, and brought me Ollie fuzz every time we got together. One weekend, I decided to spin it to make them mittens and ended up with enough yarn to make a sweater for Barbara and a vest for Jim. Jim said, “This would be a great book.” And great visionary that I am, I said, “No it wouldn’t – that’s ridiculous.” Jim and Barb wrote it up as a book proposal and pitched it for TEN YEARS before St. Martins decided to publish the original edition.

Q: What are the benefits of working with dog hair and which breeds are the easiest to spin?

A: The most important benefit is having a garment from a beloved pet. For many breeds, the yarn itself is superior to wool. Any dog that sheds is an ideal candidate. My preferred breeds are Samoyed, Great Pyrenees, and Golden Retriever but that’s because I have specific dogs I love.

Q: Before you were a writer, you had an incredible career leading the G100 Leadership Network, and before that, in businesses like Forbes and McCann-Erickson. Can you tell me a little bit about your career and how that impacted your choices when writing Knitting with Dog Hair?

A: This is great question! My career and my interest in dog knitting don’t have a lot of intersections. I can say that writing this book has solidified my reputation as an eccentric and a creative thinker. I spent the last 15 years of my business career running a program that helped prepare very senior executives to be the next CEO of their company. When the participants googled me, of course the first thing that popped up was Knitting with Dog Hair – it was a great icebreaker when I onboarded new participants. The leadership lesson is be who you are and bring all of you to your business career.

Q: What is your favorite part of the book to write?

A: I have loved writing about the people who have created cottage industries focused on spinning yarn from beloved pets. With this edition, it was much easier to connect with artisans simply because of the internet. I have formed real friendships with the fabulous people who have adopted this craft.

Q: You are now on the third revision of your book. What has the journey through this all looked like for you?

A: I am so gratified to have connected with people who have embraced this craft. There are so many people who have created businesses spinning dog yarn for dog lovers who want to create a memento of a beloved pet.

For those who have read the book before, what updates should readers keep their eyes out for?

I have updated the list of “Spinners Guide to Dog Breeds” with data on breeds that were not recognized in the nineties, including the “designer dogs” like LabraDoodles that were not included in the original edition.

For more than twenty-five years, Kendall Crolius has inspired us to boldly experiment with pet fiber. Her unique insights have expanded the domain of fiber artists everywhere and helped create a niche community of spinners who help dog lovers celebrate their furry family members.

The revised copy of Knitting with Dog Hair is now available. If you don’t already have a copy, now is a great time to pick one up!