Yep, a scarf made out of possum yarn! It’s ok . . don’t worry about me . . yet! When I try using armadillo shells for something, then you need to worry.
When I went down to Happy Ewe to take spinning lessons, the first thing in the store that caught my attention was the softest scarf ever. It was truly unbelievably soft. The lady showed me the yarn. It doesn’t feel so soft on the skein and if I hadn’t felt this scarf, I wouldn’t have looked twice at this yarn. But after the scarf is made, it’s soaked in warm water and then I think they put it in the dryer. She wrote it all down for me. I need to go back and make sure I know how to do it.
Possum Yarn
The pattern they had used was quite simple – Forever Ribbed. The yarn is 60% fine NZ Merino and 40% Brushtail Possum. After buying the yarn, I googled it and there’s some controversy about the harvesting of the possum fiber so please don’t go off on me about that. I have no idea whether the possums are sweet, snuggly little critters or whether they’re similar to our local possums and I won’t even tell you what I’d like to see happen to all of them.
Anyway, I got possum yarn to make a scarf and I got yarn for Nicole to make a scarf. I’m sure hers will be finished before I ever start mine.
wanda j says
Well what will be next that they make into something we just have to have?We have gorillia glue and now possum yard. Just goes to show you that you can recycle just about everything I guess into something useful. I can’t wait to see it and hear how well it works. Your color isn’t what I thought it would be. I figured it would be a gray color of some kind. Wonder how they get it a pretty blue?
sao in Midlothian (Shirley Albertson Owens) says
Hi Judy,
I always like to learn something new. I never KNEW that possum hair could be used to knit. BEFORE NOW!
Thanks for sharing! I am sure that this will make my days “MOST UNIQUE” discovery list!
Happy Thursday
sao in Midlothian, VA
Jeanie in MO says
I have a pair of socks that I knit from possum yarn, they are sooo soft.
Vivian Oaks says
I couldn’t imagine possum yarn being soft! Those critters are nasty, and the hair looks very coarse. I’d just as soon they all disappeared off the face of the earth!!!
Pat says
The NZ possum looks more like a raccoon but is very destructive as it is killing many forests but the yarn is incredible. I have socks and gloves we brought back and love them. Have fun!
Jill of Apple Avenue Quilts says
I have a scarf and hat made from possum and wool that my son brought to me from New Zealand. It wonderfully soft and wonderfully warm. Nicole will love it.
Alison says
I live in NZ and the possums are a terrible pest. One of our native birds, the kiwi, is flightless and in places is endangerd from the possums. They also strip vegetation till trees die.
Go girl knit a quilt if you like, just use as much as you can.
It is different in Australia where it is protected.
swooze says
Speaking of spinning…what was the outcome of the UPS claim process? Repair or replace?
Amy (Waunaknit) says
I got some yarn with possum in it too this year, but mine only has 10% but it is very soft. Hubby wrinkled his nose when I told him what the yarn was made with.
Glen in Louisiana says
We get lots of opossums and we are in the city of Baton Rouge. None have been nice creatures yet……..just sayin’.
And being from Louisiana don’t you have a taste for armadillo andouille? And we do use those shells in armadillo étouffée.
Judy S says
Who’d have thought?
Mary Jo says
I made a scarf several years ago with that same yarn. I love it!
Rose says
Tautoko (support) Alisons comments above – possums are destructive pests and the faster you lovely ladies knit, the better for our native wildlife and vegetation! So go Judy go … you’re doing NZ a favour from afar!
Barbara Gardner says
I just read an article about possums. They eat bugs and rodents, so they are helpful here in the states. They are ugly, but have a short lifetime. On average, they only live 2-3 years.