WOW! The fur fell right off!

[GBov]

So I didnt have time - and kept forgetting I had them - to stretch and shave my three rabbit hides from my last butchering so I wrapped them in a plastic bag and put them in the fridge.

TWO WEEKS later.............

I remembered they were there and pulled them out and gave them a smell.

They smelled just fine so I popped them into a sinkful of cool water and a dash of dawn to give them a good clean before I tried to shave them.

Imagine my surprise when the hair just fell right off the hides! Not all but most of it wound up in the water.

Job done :lol: !

So I took the now naked hides, cut them into strips and set them in a slow oven to dry as dog treats and the hair is all ready for my trying to make felt. Only problem is that all the colors are mixed up together instead of in a pattern. Never mind, its going to look nice all mixed up.

 

[Miss M]

COOL!! :razz: Glad that went so easy for you!

 

[ZRabbits]

Congratulations on the easy shaving! Dogs are going to love the treats and I think the hair all mixed up will just be fine.

Please post pics on your felt project.

Karen

 

[GBov]

Congratulations on the easy shaving! Dogs are going to love the treats and I think the hair all mixed up will just be fine.

Please post pics on your felt project.

Karen

I gave a half done piece of skin, all chewy and warm from the oven and she looked like I had given her bubble gum. Chew, chew, chew, chew, chew..... :lol:

And yep, I shall be taking lots of pickies!

 

[MaggieJ]

Super! I'm thinking... bunny felt slippers! How cozy would that be???

 

[Secuono]

I've read that is how deer hide is done, they leave it hanging or sitting in a river for several weeks so the hair comes right out. Guess you will be doing it this way more often?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

What a lucky accident! Procrastination and forgetfulness aren't such bad character traits after all. That is a relief to me, Queen of Procrastination.

 

[GBov]

What a lucky accident! Procrastination and forgetfulness aren't such bad character traits after all. That is a relief to me, Queen of Procrastination.

I always mean well but time is just sooooo slippery! :lol:<br /><br />__________ Mon Aug 20, 2012 8:35 pm __________<br /><br />I had no idea what on earth I would do with my felt when its done but due to my Mum getting so many catalogs I now know EXACTLY what I am going to do with it!

Have any of you seen tie quilts?

They are made of squares of felt with a fringe cut along each side and then the sides are just knotted together.

I dont have a picture but I am all fired up to get my first felt square made.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

I've never seen a tie quilt from felt. I always see them from fleece fabric. I will be interested in seeing the finished product for sure.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I've never seen a tie quilt from felt. I always see them from fleece fabric. I will be interested in seeing the finished product for sure.

Same here. I dont think i want to use one from felt.
If i was tanning. I would be very upset if the fur came of the hide like that.

 

[GBov]

Now that you mention it, it may have been fleese instead of felt.............

Never mind, shall use my very much underutlized sewing machine and make a quilt from felt squares instead.

THat should work, shouldnt it?

 

[Therian]

Congratulations on the easy shaving! Dogs are going to love the treats and I think the hair all mixed up will just be fine.

Please post pics on your felt project.

Karen

I gave a half done piece of skin, all chewy and warm from the oven and she looked like I had given her bubble gum. Chew, chew, chew, chew, chew..... :lol:

And yep, I shall be taking lots of pickies!

Random question.....have you tried replicating and see if it works again? I have two dogs and NEVER thought to do something like that for them....and they love special treats from their "buddies"

 

[OneAcreFarm]

THat should work, shouldnt it?

Well, only if it is very tightly felted...otherwise it might not hold up....can't hurt to try!

 

[Tegan]

My husband has an old, old, old quilt with a layer of horse hair felt in the middle. Super warm and comfy.

 

[GBov]

Congratulations on the easy shaving! Dogs are going to love the treats and I think the hair all mixed up will just be fine.

Please post pics on your felt project.

Karen

I gave a half done piece of skin, all chewy and warm from the oven and she looked like I had given her bubble gum. Chew, chew, chew, chew, chew..... :lol:

And yep, I shall be taking lots of pickies!

Random question.....have you tried replicating and see if it works again? I have two dogs and NEVER thought to do something like that for them....and they love special treats from their "buddies"

I havnt done it yet but with 7 mutts to go to freezer camp, I will be trying it again. My first plan was to stretch the hides and dry them and then shave the hair off for felt and give the dried hide to the dog but it worked out so well that I will be trying it again. This way I dont have to worry about flies spoiling the skin.

 

[Therian]

I havnt done it yet but with 7 mutts to go to freezer camp, I will be trying it again. My first plan was to stretch the hides and dry them and then shave the hair off for felt and give the dried hide to the dog but it worked out so well that I will be trying it again. This way I dont have to worry about flies spoiling the skin.

I am 4 weeks from harvest so let me know if you find a easy way that works like that. Id LOVE to spoil my dogs with such a treat considering I leave the fur to the vulchers atm (I know bad but at least it doesn't go to waste). I'm deeply thinking of making a nice rabbit skin blanket for winter though as I never tried the process and I would love to learn

 

[GBov]

I have five hides in the fridge right now and am going to test for fur slip at the end of each week. That way I will know exactly how long to leave them in there and no more guess work.

8 rabbits worth of fur should give me a nice amount for felt making.

 

[cnichols]

GBov - Hope you don't mind me bumping an older thread like this, but I've been wondering how your "felting" experiment went? Did you felt the rest of the furs? Did the process succeed the second time?

What did you make with the felt you made?

This inquiring mind would like to know?

 

[GBov]

GBov - Hope you don't mind me bumping an older thread like this, but I've been wondering how your "felting" experiment went? Did you felt the rest of the furs? Did the process succeed the second time?

What did you make with the felt you made?

This inquiring mind would like to know?

I was hoping inquiring minds might just forget about it like I did the five hides in the fridge

Can you say stink?

NEXT time I shall be marking on the calandar when I put hides in. :roll:

But the fur from the first time is still in the fridge smelling just fine and I might just have a few moments free to rub together so might a chance to give it a try this week.

 

[cnichols]

Oh my

Well ... keep us informed? I'd love to know how things work out.

Have you decided yet what to use the felt for/in?