Build Your Own Cairn Kit

[bradl]

Some assembly required.

For reference, that's a normal sized doormat and the pile looked to be at least 8" high.  In other terms that's four Cairns, five hours, and $200 worth of grooming (well worth it). 

[Hillscreek]

How gorgeous they all look. So trim and beautiful and neat and tidy......... for long we wonder..........

All you have to do now with the pile is spin, and card, and knit into a neat little hat for winter for you or whoever

Edited May 17, 2016 by Hillscreek

[Sam I Am]

Here you go Brad. 

https://www.thedodo.com/these-people-are-wearing-sweat-453318420.html

[bradl]

It rains a lot here. Wonder what a wet Cairn sweater would smell like

[sanford]

Hey Bradl... Can anyone join your doggie nudist colony, or is it exclusively for cairns only??

Edited May 18, 2016 by sanford

[Lynn in TN]

11 hours ago, bradl said:

It rains a lot here. Wonder what a wet Cairn sweater would smell like

I can't imagine what it would smell like. I have thought several times about learning to spin so I could make a sweater from Kelly's fur.  I have often wondered if you were using the course outer coat only ( Would it smell? ). Would it be comfortable? haha How water proof would it be? I know it would dry quickly that would be a plus. I would have to figure out how to spin, knit or crochet  it to give a shaggy look to the sweater and would defiantly have to have a matching toboggan. (a toboggan in the South is a knit or crochet hat, thought I would clarify that. Several people have moved here from the North, thought when we said toboggan we were talking about a sled.)

 

[hheldorfer]

Impressive!  Bet that hair would make nice stuffing for a pillow.

Hmmmm . . . what would be the washing instructions for a Cairn hair sweater?

[sanford]

23 minutes ago, hheldorfer said:

Hmmmm . . . what would be the washing instructions for a Cairn hair sweater?

Shampoo, rinse, repeat.

[Idaho Cairns]

We have seen similar "Cairn kits" around here but not the same size or color.  I'm always at a quandary about what to do with the hair.  In the Spring I take it out in the junipers that surround the hill we live on and just hang it, hoping the birds and small mammals make good use of it for nesting purposes.  Somehow I find it difficult just to throw away that hair.  Fortunately, the wind blows around here and the hair all disappears in a day or two and I am allowed to have my fantasy that some chickadee or field mouse is snuggling up in Bonnie and Sammi fluff.

[hheldorfer]

32 minutes ago, Idaho Cairns said:

 I take it out in the junipers that surround the hill we live on and just hang it, hoping the birds and small mammals make good use of it for nesting purposes.  

That's an excellent idea Chuck!  I'll start doing the same.  I'm sure some nice warm Cairn hair would be a bonus in a bird's nest.

[Hillscreek]

Once it gets warm I work on Angus on a table outside. Let wind blow the hairs away. I think birds use it.

[bradl]

I definitely prefer letting nature reuse the coat.  

[Autumn & Lola]

They all look great, Brad.

I used to put Lola's hair outside after she is groomed, but I forgot all about it the last few times. I'll have to remember to do it next time, for our birdie friends.

 

[Lupinegirl]

Funny that you should title this "build your own cairn kit" because that is precisely what I did. In a way. XD

This is what I think of when I think of shed fur: needle felting! I made this mini with some black and beige wool, with Nikki's ear trimmings and fur I brushed out used for accents and markings. Nikki jumped and tried to steal Mini Cairn from my hand while I was taking the picture so this is the only one I have of him with it. 

 

 

[Sam I Am]

Wow...the birth of a cottage industry! I am impressed. now all you have to do is ask all the Newly stripped Cairn terrier  owners to hand over the goods. I think you might have to pry it out of some of their hands. 

[Dempsy's Mom]

Wow!  Love the mini cairn!  Needle felting - never heard of it. You did a great job!

[bradl]

Very cool.

[Autumn & Lola]

Wow! That is amazing (and adorable), Lupinegirl! You did a wonderful job.

[kjwarnold]

That is SO cool, LupineGirl!  If you agreed, I bet you'd start getting bags of Cairn coat in the mail for transformation to a mini Cairn!  My bag would probably be one of the first to arrive!  Better start planning out your pricing!

[sanford]

Wow, Lupinegirl... You did such an incredible job that I think it's time to get out the Mars Coat King and give Mini Cairn a trim!?

Edited May 20, 2016 by sanford

[Lupinegirl]

58 minutes ago, sanford said:

Wow, Lupinegirl... You did such an incredible job that I think it's time to get out the Mars Coat King and give Mini Cairn a trim!?

 He is pretty yakkish, but I felted him loosely (since I lose patience once the piece looks "finished enough"). If I punched him 200 more times with the felting tool, he'd be a lean mean non-shedding machine. But then I would have to individually punch tufts of hair onto his face to give him the "cairn" look, and then I would probably have to figure out how to add bead eyes to make them visible under the eyebrows. 

 Nikki's hair is very long, soft, and thin so his hair was not easy attach to his portrait.  I guess a typical cairn's hair would have more "tooth" to it and stick to itself or a wool base better? I don't know. I haven't petted any other cairns besides my guy. I taught myself how to make sculptures just by looking at finished pieces online so there is a lot I don't know about the craft yet. I just bought a book on needle felting recently and it has some tips and information I haven't seen before.  Cool! 

You can message me if you would like more information, but I don't want to spam this thread any further.  I just thought it would be fun to say "There's more that you can do with that hair!"   

If any of you are artsy, you could probably make your own Cairn knick knacks like brooches, ornaments, decorative pillows, etc. Felting is a very fun craft! Just keep it away from your pets and anything that likes to tear up small soft things! I made a moose for a friend and her cat loves to steal it, walk around the house with it, and hide it. 

[Hillscreek]

Fabulous! I had to look up needle felting as never heard of it. What a wonderful job you did!

[sanford]

4 hours ago, Hillscreek said:

I had to look up needle felting as never heard of it. 

Me too! Out of curiosity, I watched a demo on YouTube and I can't believe you created the mini cairn without accidentally stabbing yourself a zillion times with that lethal looking felting needle.?

Edited May 21, 2016 by sanford