• Jane Crewe, 57, from Corstohpine, Edinburgh, collects the hair from pooches
• She uses a spinning wheel to turn Artemis and Phaidra's hair into yarn
• The process involves washing the wool, leaving it to dry and then spinning it 
• Learnt to spin fur during lockdown after she was sent fur from Samoyed owners

A knitter has told how she makes clothes from hair belonging to her pet dogs.

Jane Crewe, 57,  from Corstohpine, Edinburgh, has seven-year-old pet Samoyeds- a Siberian breed which are known for their thick white fur.

The 57-year-old collects the hair from pooches Artemis and Phaidra and uses a spinning wheel to turn it into yarn. 

Her process involves washing the wool, leaving it to dry which takes two to three days and then spinning it into yarn, making around 50g an hour.

The mother-of-four then turns the yarn into fluffy hats and scarves.  

Jane Crewe, 57, (left and right) from Corstohpine, Edinburgh, has seven-year-old pet Samoyeds- a Siberian breed which are known for their thick white fur and collects their hair, using a spinning wheel to turn it into yarn

During lockdown, she was sent fur from 100 Samoyed owners to see if she could learn to spin it and she then sent the yarn back to people.

Ms Crewe, who works in the gift shop at Edinburgh Zoo, said: 'It's a little bit of magic.

'I like the spinning but knitting takes a lot longer, I'm usually quite happy to pass it back to the owner.

'It is quite like angora, the fluff is called 'the halo. 'Alpaca wool is quite like that.

'It is quite hardwearing. You can do so much with it - using it for knitting, yarn or felt.'

Her process involves washing the wool, leaving it to dry which takes two to three days and then spinning it into yarn, making around 50g an hour. Pictured: The 57-year-old knits next to a basket of wool

During lockdown, she was sent fur from 100 Samoyed owners to see if she could learn to spin it and she then sent the yarn back to people. Pictured: Ms Crewe next to her wool and spinning wheel

The 57-year-old is currently knitting a jumper. She is using single ply yarn as double ply would be too warm to wear and also has plans to make a blanket. 

Samoyeds are sometimes referred to as 'land clouds' because of their luminous white fur tinged with silver. 

The undercoat on the pooches is called 'the halo'. 

The 57-year-old is currently knitting a jumper. She is using single ply yarn as double ply would be too warm to wear. Ms Crewe also has plans to make a blanket. Pictured: Her balls of wool from Samoyed dogs 

Ms Crewe said: 'You wouldn't be able to spin Labrador or spaniel hair as there's no undercoat.

'I learnt to spin a year before lockdown but wasn't really practicing enough.  I knew if I wanted to get better I would need to do it every day.

'I've made all sorts of things - hats, scarves, teddies.'  

The 57-year-old has made a number of items using the wool including hats, scarves and teddies (pictured)

The trend for 'chiengora'- Samoyed knitwear- originated in America in the 1970s.

Ms Crewe said the term 'chiengora' was coined as an American woman would spin and sell things made from Samoyed fur in her local market.  

She put the French word for dog 'chien' and 'gora' together and called her knitwear 'chiengora.' 

The 57-year-old said: 'It's so much nicer than sheep wool. You could crochet with it, or do house insulation with it, or make a duvet from it.'  

Ms Crewe said the term 'chiengora' was coined as a woman in the country would spin and sell things made from Samoyed fur in her local market. Pictured: The Samoyed wool

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10457547/Knitter-makes-clothes-hair-belonging-seven-year-old-pet-Samoyeds.html