Hair of the dog: Animal lovers turn dead pets' coats........
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Hair of the dog: Animal lovers turn dead pets' coats into woolly jumpers
When dog lovers Beth and Brian Willis's beloved pets died they found a way to remember them that left them feeling warm all over.
They combed their carpets for hair left by their pedigree pets then had it spun into yarn, which Beth knitted into his 'n' hers winter warmers.
And twelve years later, their hair of the dog memorials are still in use.
Hair of the dog: Beth and Brian Willis in their his'n'hers jumpers made from their dead dogs' hair
Brian, who worked for a removals firm for 27 years, wears his doggy jumper every Saturday into town to do the weekly shop.
The 73-year-old said: "They are extremely warm and pretty much waterproof.
"Unless it is banging it down it is fine. I've always got a sweat on by the time I get from the bus to the shops."
Mother-of-three, Beth, of Newcastle, first used the fur of their white Samoyed, called Kara, knitting Brian's sweater in 1990.
Kara died 12 years ago but the sweater looks like going on forever.
Beth, 71, said: "It is not actually a hair but a wool, which is why it is so good for clothes.
"It would just fall off the dogs and I would run a wet hand over the carpet and pick it up.
"We found out from the breeders we got the pups from that it was possible to use their coat for clothes.
"Apparently it is quite popular with lots of the people who breed long-haired dogs."
The Samoyed is native to north Russia, where they were used to keep children warm. Its fur is almost waterproof and softer than alpaca.
Much loved pets: Swedish Lapphund Penny and white Samoyed Kara
Having proved a dog is not just for life once, Beth did it again with their next pet Swedish Lapphund, Penny.
She died six years ago but not before the retired St John ambulance telephonist had got weaving on a new garment.
Beth even, has enough wool left over to make a new jumper.
She sends the fur to Malise Macguire in Derby to be spun.
Malise, 60, has been spinning dog wool since 1977. "She said: "It takes about 30oz to make a jumper, but you would need 40oz at the start as you lose some in the spinning.
"Brian and Beth have had more than 5lb spun, wrapped, pre-shrunk and ready to be knitted."
The couple who celebrated their gold wedding last year, have three children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren and Beth said her next dog fur creation will have to wait.
She is too busy knitting jumpers for the youngsters - using wool.
Source: Daily Mail UK, Mar. 18, 2008 -
Wht wud happen if one of them die,the other would use their hair/skin as well?