Fiber Arts Friday: Collecting Tibetan Mastiff Fur, part 3

I think it's safe to say that Nobu is done shedding for 2017.

 

I may get a little more chiengora off of her neck, but we're well into the point of diminishing returns.

So to answer the initial question that got this series started:  How much yarn can one expect to get from a good-sized female Tibetan Mastiff?

First, it depends on how much fiber you collect:

Nobu:  7 1/8 oz of fur collected
Nobu's Mother: 12 3/4 oz, so far
Nobu's Sister:  18 7/8 oz, so far

Second, it depends on how thick the yarn is spun.

For reference, a pair of socks requires about 4 oz, and this scarf used about 7 oz.

In the case of Nobu, I suspect this is less than half of what she shed out.  Much of it went with the wind and I binned the undercoat from the tail and britches.  There's a short explanation for why is at the end of the first post in this series.

In the cases of Nobu's Mother and Sister, I was able to start collecting earlier in their shedding process and both are nearly finished.

Once the rest of our dogs have finished shedding and the weather is a bit nicer, I will start washing the chiengora and may start spinning it by fall.

How are your fibery pursuits going?

Happy Fiber Arts Friday!