Scottish highlander

In November 2010 I made spinning trials with Scottish highlander cattle.

It is thought that cattle hair was used quite a lot in the past. The hair can be spun as readily as any other wool and the garments made from cattle hair are very warm but somewhat itchy. Spinners have suggested that a blend of sheep or goats wool with the cattle hair would produce a more serviceable yarn. Cattle wool felts very easily although no history of a felt industry has been discovered. There are indications that long hair was used in rope making. Some rope was discovered in 1934 in the remains of an old boat in the Highlands and has been identified as hair from Highland cattle and has been dated pre 1500. Cattle hair has also been discovered in old buildings where it was mixed with mud and cattle dung to make daub (an early form of plaster). Cattle hair was wound round the frame of milk whisks to make 'frosticks'. It was said that if you found a piece of hair in your dish of 'broken milk' it was a sign of good luck! (Chisholm, 2010)

A small amount of Scottish higlander cattle hair was kindly sent to me by Matti Siitari. The hair was badly felted already when it arrived and I had to cut off most of the overcoat from the felted undercoat. In this way I got very little softer undercoat to spin. A very small amount I managed to get but not enough to make a knitted trial patch.

I gently washed the hair and wool. It have a very good felting ability. It was also very easy to card and spin the wool. I used a drop spindle in spinning.

Curl of Scottish highlander cattle

Carded wool and hair of Scottish highlander cattle.

Although it is very harsh it has a nice glance, the fiber feels smooth in the hands. The knitted patch get a very original outlook as the overcoat is sticking out. As Chisholm also write it seems to be a good thing to make different kinds of brushes as well as ropes from highlander cattle. I made two small brushes, or more correctly they were done on the back of the animal and I had only to form them a little bit and they were ready.

Yarn of Scottish highlander cattle (spun by drop spindle)

Up: Curl, overcoat yarn (coars), undercoat yarn (softer), 4-spun yarn felted

Down: felted wool, knitted wool.

Felt of Scottish highlander cattle.

Knitted patch of Scottish highlander wool

Brushes of Scottish highlander cattle.