Pepita

I thought I posted in the right spot but I guess not. Do you like the way your dog smells when they are wet? If not, think twice about using his hair. Some animals hair don't have the odor that others carry. If you have ever spun wool, a great deal goes into the process. After it is shaved off, it needs to be washed, dried, and combed. It is then put into a kind of roll that can be spun. Our ancestors spent all parts of the year spinning cotton/wool into fiber. At one time in America's past as a colony to England we were required to spin a lot of wool into yarn for our tax. (England had just started the industrial revolution and had looms that were mechanical) The term spinster came from this time. Usually a family had a woman who was not under a husband or father's care and protection. Family members would 'employ' that woman to spin wool for the tax.

Well, I got a bit off subject--but anyway the odor that is on the fiber (like dog) doesn't wash out.

Lots of folks make yarn from their pets hair, folks with rabbits pull a little out at a time and spin it into yarn. Many of the animals that have longer fur have an odor that goes with the animal. That is why you don't see many dog hair sweaters. By they way, I understand that washing won't rid the fur of the smell.

Writing is something most of us think of as a means to express yourself. You have taken it to a level of art. You are truly a gifted writer. It is such a pleasure reading your story of 8th grade Halloween. I can fully place myself right in that room with you!

Thank you for sharing not only my gift of 'crafts', but of writing.
Pepita

I have a quilt from that is machine quilted, I checked at the local quilt shop, and they thought it was Civil War or just after. Is that possible? I did read something about somekind of contraption that could be put on an old machine long ago. What do you think would be the oldest American machine quilted quilts? (Home Made of course)

Anything that will make the handle soft and larger (and stay on) will work. Old foam curlers...probably on ebay as antiques, work pretty well. They have larger holes so I end up with the purchased kind for the little ones.

I wonder if you could spray that expanding foam stuff in a straw... You can see I can get myself into all sorts of messes.