Pittsburgh Woman Crafts Blankets, Scarves From Pet Fur

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Theresa Furrer can "spin a yarn" with the best of them. But she has no use for cotton or wool.

"I'm making a two-ply yarn from the hair of a Golden Retriever named Bailey," she says, as her spinning wheel turns.

Her Morningside home is filled with creations made from the fur of cats and dogs. In the past four years, her homespun "Nine Lives Twine" business has produced four hundred such objects for pet owners.

"I'll get requests for anything from yarn made from cat or dog hair, to Teddy bears that I'll crochet," she explains. "Blankets, scarves."

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It's merely coincidental that her last name begins with F-U-R. Theresa and her husband have three cats of their own. Ironically, two of them are Sphinx cats, who have no hair at all.

"For many people, this is the last part of their cat or dog that they'll have," the crafter adds. "So I'm creating something for them that will outlast them."

She's well aware that there are some who consider her pursuit to be a bit off the wall.

"To me, it's not weird or gross at all to wear something made of an animal that you know," she responds, "that you love. So, to each his own."

Spinning from fur is more difficult than spinning from traditional fiber. But Theresa Furrer says it's worth it.

"The most rewarding part of what I do is knowing that I'm helping someone's heart to heal."

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