Felting from dog hair: master class for beginners, dry felting, video lessons for decorative dogs. Felting a dog hair belt with your own hands

Many of us have dogs that we brush from time to time. Those who do not throw away combed dog hair are doing more than wisely. You can use it to make a dog hair belt with your own hands.

It's not difficult at all and quite fast. Felting one product takes about an hour with all the preparatory steps. After drying, all that remains is to sew the fabric and attach the fasteners.

True, it should be noted that only hair that has been combed from a dog can be felted well; hair that has been cut cannot be felted, no matter how hard you try. Our task is to obtain a very dense felt blank, to which you can sew ribbons or attach fasteners for ease of use.

We will now tell you how to felt a dog hair belt with your own hands with a photo and description of the felting process based on personal experience.

What are the benefits of dog hair?

Dog hair has a healing effect on the human body. Both our grandfathers and our grandfathers’ grandfathers knew about this. It is used to treat radiculitis, osteochondrosis, arthrosis and arthritis, and various muscle pains. Colds and kidney diseases, pain in the knees and wrists can also be treated with dog hair.

A felt bandage made from dog hair soaked in a saline solution, dries on the body, helps get rid of bronchitis cough, relieves inflammation in the cervical region, knees and elbows. Moreover, the more prickly the belt or bandage is, the more effective its therapeutic effect. Of all the products, a dog hair belt is the most famous and popular remedy for getting rid of all kinds of back pain.

In addition, combed dog hair can be spun and knitted into socks, mittens, sweaters and vests. Even a small amount of dog hair can be used to felt or (will help get rid of headaches) knee pads and cuffs for wrists and ankles. Needless to say, everything that you can make with your own hands from dog hair is extremely useful. Throwing away combed dog hair is a sin.

On a note

Felted dog insoles perfectly warm your feet and prevent them from sweating. If you put such insoles in house slippers and walk barefoot in them, then calluses on the soles will go away quite quickly. Even very old ones.

How to quickly and easily felt dog hair

First, prepare everything you might need:

combed dog hair (we had more than half a store bag)
film (best of all, bubble wrap, which is used for packaging electronics), but if this is not available, you can take a mosquito net or, as in our case, plastic vegetable packaging from the supermarket;
a bowl for hot soapy water;
laundry soap (only the simplest one will do, without any fragrances or softening additives);
a grater on which this soap will need to be cut;
a wooden rolling pin for dough or any wooden stick (even a shovel handle, only shortened);
spray bottle for spraying.

Wet felting

First, we take a piece of film with a margin of approximately 15 cm on each side of the expected belt size. This is necessary so that you can tuck the edges of the dog hair “layer cake” (this will create a smoother rectangular shape, and you will not need to cut off precious pieces of the felt mat).

Now we take the dog’s hair itself and begin to “ruffle” it. We will do this with our hands, but carefully. How to do it? Rinse and gut a small ball of dog hair until fine and fluffy.

With such scraps we lay out the entire first layer of the workpiece in one direction. We put our disheveled scraps so that they overlap one another. This way we avoid bald spots and voids in the rug.

The next step is to apply a second layer, but in the opposite direction. We do not allow omissions and do not forget about overlaps. So we lay at least 4 layers. If it is possible and there is a lot of raw material available, more layers are possible.

The felt will be denser and stronger. The result was a fluffy “layer cake” of scraps of dog hair stacked one on top of the other.

Now we need to thoroughly moisten all this with hot soapy water. Why hot? Hot water straightens the hairs, and the soap solution helps them adhere to each other into a dense mass.

Attention

This is the most crucial moment. Wetting from a spray bottle is not quick, but it is reliable. Pieces of wool will not move anywhere, voids or lumps will not form. But you need to take into account that dog hair doesn’t get wet well, so you can water it by hand, trying not to knock a single piece out of its place.

When everything is properly wet and the workpiece has become twice as thin as our fluffy original rug, you can pour a bolder soap solution. But not in a stream or stream. Its density and durability will depend on how well our entire future belt made of dog hair gets wet.

In our case, the mesh allowed soapy water to spill through the top. On the one hand, this is good and convenient, on the other hand, bubble wrap, although it prevents the wool from getting wet, makes it possible to felt the wool very tightly. You have to remove the top film and very carefully wet the unprotected rug.

Tuck the edges of the bottom film inward (we had a rather stiff mesh, so there were problems with tucking). Now you can cover the wet and settled mat with a second film or mesh. We carefully but very tightly roll the resulting film pancake onto a rolling pin (it is most convenient for our purpose).

To prevent this whole structure from unwinding and falling apart during the process of felting wool, we will secure our “sausage” with a rope in a spiral or with hair elastic bands along the entire length. We will hit and roll this whole thing, so we need reliable fixation.

Since we are making a belt from dog hair with our own hands, we cannot allow valuable raw materials to go to waste. We tie it tightly, without tightening it, so that the whole structure can be pounded without fear and, at the same time, without tearing the wet felt. We want to end up with a belt that is tight, durable and free of torn holes.

Well, now it’s time for the mechanical part of the work. We take a rolling pin with a workpiece wound around it and begin to squeeze it with our hands, roll it and tap it on all sides on the table or, as in our case, on a bed of wooden balls. If it’s not there, it doesn’t matter - on a flat surface, preferably wooden, it turns out no worse. So we roll and knock for 15-20 minutes.

Attention

We tap on all sides more than we roll. This way there is less risk of deforming the workpiece.

Then we carefully unwind and see what we got. If bald spots appear or something has moved, we fix it. Place scraps of wool on the voids and moisten them generously with more soapy water.

We wrap the bottom film together with the edges of the wet workpiece to make a product of the correct shape, again lay the film on top and roll everything back onto the rolling pin. We knead, tap and roll for another 20 minutes, or even half an hour.

The density of the felt, and, consequently, the quality of the future dog hair belt, which we are now making with our own hands, will depend on how long and how diligently you subject the workpiece to mechanical stress.

Now you can rinse the “sausage” under running water. We do this without unwinding or unfolding the workpiece.

Next, you need to untie everything, lay out the resulting felt mat on a flat surface, remove the top film and wash it again with soapy water. If you did everything as it should, the resulting thick felt mat can even be carefully rinsed.

Drying the felt blank

Dry it flat on a towel, just as we usually dry knitted items. You cannot throw it on a rope or attach it to a battery. Felt is easily deformed, and you will end up with a crooked, unusable product.

On a note

We dry it only well, and use only natural drying conditions: in the air or in the sun.

The most important part of the dog hair belt, when dry, will be a dense mat, approximately the width of the back or slightly longer.

Making a belt from dog hair - fabric, fasteners

Note that a belt made of dog hair works best when it is put on a naked body with the felted side to the skin. The fabric is needed only so that the belt will serve us longer and fit more comfortably on the figure.

It is best to cut out a shape that is comfortable for the back from our blank, cover one side with fabric for strength and sew on fasteners. Practice shows that it is most convenient for a belt made of dog hair, felted with your own hands, to have a Velcro fastener. They are the easiest to make and they will not be overly bulky, which means they will not interfere with walking in a medical belt.

There is no need to throw away the leftovers. They can be sewn onto a strip of fabric and used as a therapeutic bandage for any sore spot. You just need to secure it so that it stays in place. You can make a knee pad or a narrow headband. Figure out how to put the leftovers to good use.

It will take very little time to make a belt made of dog hair with your own hands, but you will not need to spend money on a purchased belt, which, moreover, is neither dense nor thick. As a rule, this is an almost translucent thin layer: short-lived and ineffective. May dog belt sellers forgive me!

It was this fact that made me look for my own answer to the question of how to felt a dog hair belt with my own hands. Moreover, there were always dogs living in the house and a lot of hair had accumulated from them.

Everyone is happy with the result. Now three family members have their own back treatment belts. All that remains is to decide who will take a belt from, and who will get a belt from the wool of Zlata or Risa.

A belt (corset) made of dog hair is used to treat a variety of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, and in particular the spine. The classic dog belt is designed to treat the lumbar spine, but there are bands and cuffs for other areas of the back and body.

A huge advantage of the corset is its low cost. Moreover, the simplicity of the design allows you to make a therapeutic belt from dog hair with your own hands. Although a homemade corset will be inferior in therapeutic effectiveness, it will not be by much.

1 Product description

A dog hair belt is a warming therapeutic bandage intended for the treatment (usually symptomatic) and prevention of diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Synonyms of the product (other trade names) are: Siberian belt, dog belt.

In most cases, the product is used for the lower back; most belt models are designed to warm this area. There are also cuffs and bandages for the arms, neck and chest area, for warming up individual joints.

The principle of operation of a belt made of dog hair is very simple - the wool itself provides proper heating, as it accumulates thermal energy and does not allow it to dissipate from the surface of the skin. Also, wool fibers have a massage effect, affecting the top layer of skin.

Due to such a superficial massage, it is possible to achieve improved trophism in the area of fixation of the bandage, improved blood supply in this area, reduced swelling and the severity of inflammatory processes.

1.1 Types and differences

The classic dog hair belt is designed exclusively for warming up the lumbar region. Modified multicomponent bandage models can also have a heating effect due to chemicals ( the bandage can be impregnated with pepper extract, for example).

Small woolen cuffs are used to treat individual joints. They do not have the proper effect on the disease, and therefore cannot cure it. For this reason, they should be used exclusively for symptomatic therapy or prevention of relapses of chronic joint pathologies.

Dog hair corsets for the cervical and thoracic back areas are also available for sale. Buying them is often problematic, since they are produced in limited editions and are not available in traditional medicine pharmacies.

Separately, there are cloak-like corsets made of dog hair, which are designed to warm the entire back. They have the highest cost and very rarely found on pharmacy shelves(including traditional medicine).

1.2 Dog hair belt (video)

1.3 What is it used for?

The main purpose of dog hair bandages is the symptomatic treatment and prevention of various diseases of the spinal column (especially degenerative-dystrophic pathologies). As an independent method of treatment, they are poorly suited, since they do not have the proper effect on the disease (whatever it may be).

Dog hair belts are used for the following diseases and pathological conditions:

Degenerative-dystrophic pathologies of the spinal column (spondylosis, osteochondrosis).
Arthritis and arthrosis (including autoimmune).
To alleviate the condition after injuries or infections of the back.
For inflammatory pathologies of the spine.
Spondylolisthesis (loss of one or more vertebrae).
Single and multiple intervertebral hernias.
Rheumatic (autoimmune) diseases of the bones and joints of the spinal column.
Compression (squeezing) of the spinal and intervertebral nerve nodes.

1.4 Pros and cons of application

Almost any medical product has both undoubted advantages and undoubted disadvantages. Exactly the same situation is observed with warming belts made of dog hair.

The advantages of using these corsets include:

comparatively cheap, and if you have basic skills, the possibility of self-production;
quickly provided therapeutic effect (within an hour after fixing the bandage on the body);
safety in use (bandages can be prescribed even to adolescents over 14 years old);
minimal number of contraindications;

The disadvantages of using these corsets include:

long-term wearing (without removal for several hours a day) may develop burns on the skin;
low availability (a belt made of dog hair is very difficult to find in physical stores, including alternative medicine pharmacies);
impossibility of use if there are skin diseases and cuts at the site of attachment;
In most cases, they have only a symptomatic effect, but not a therapeutic one.

2 Where can I buy it and how much does it cost?

Considering the low availability of the product, a reasonable question arises: where can you buy a belt made of dog hair and how much does this product cost? You need to start with the simplest question of cost. The price of dog hair belts directly depends on which model you want to purchase.

A standard model (lumbar belt) costs around 1,200 rubles, corsets for other areas of the back - about 1,100 rubles, bandages - on average 800 rubles, cuffs for limbs and joints - approximately 400 rubles (for one cuff).

When purchasing a corset, everything is somewhat more complicated. The fact is that they are practically not sold in traditional (official) medicine pharmacies. This is a little strange, since many doctors recommend similar products to their patients.

However, they are almost never found in such pharmacies. They are available more often in alternative medicine pharmacies, but they either sell out quickly or are very rarely imported. Therefore, the best option would be to purchase from online stores.

You don’t have to worry about the size – the belt will definitely fit you, as it has a high-quality size-regulating mechanism.

3 How to make a dog hair belt with your own hands?

With proper skill, you can sew a dog hair belt with your own hands. But how to do this? The first step is to stock up on all the tools and materials necessary for manufacturing. In this case we need:

directly dog hair (about 75 grams);
regular fabric;
soap solution;
a pair of elastic bands (6-7 centimeters each);
one long elastic band (55-60 centimeters);
Velcro measuring 20-25 centimeters.

First of all, lay the wool on the film prepared in advance. Now lay the first row of wool from right to left (overlapping). The second row needs to be done a little differently - from left to right (overlapping). The third row should be applied in the same way as the first, and the fourth - like the second.

As a result, you will get a lump measuring 35 by 80 centimeters (approximately). Now take the soap solution and pour it into a spray bottle, then use it to moisten the previously prepared hairball - you need to make it “dry” in volume.

Now you need to twist the already “dry” lump onto a long stick (a shovel handle or a mop will do) and start felting (rolling) it. You need to felt the lump for twenty minutes, then unwind it and fold it in half.

After folding, you need to turn the lump over and, using the handle, continue to wind and roll it. Next, all that remains is to rinse the lump in hot water, and then leave it to dry. After this, all that remains is to cut off the excess sections of the lump, bringing it into its proper form (so that it resembles a large belt).

4 How to wear?

It would seem that there should be no problems with how to wear a dog hair belt. Like, put it on your lower back, fasten it tightly and you can go for a walk. But in reality, everything is not so simple. It is extremely important to understand both how to wear such products correctly and how long to wear a dog hair belt.

Let's assume that you have figured out its design, laid it out, then put it on the body and secured it with Velcro or elastic bands (each model has its own way of fastening). Now you need to familiarize yourself with several rules for wearing a corset.

First of all, you shouldn't wear it at night. At night, you cannot control your body, including receiving signals from it in the form of discomfort. This means that if the bandage starts to burn your skin while you sleep, you won’t even understand it.

Secondly, wear the corset for no more than six hours at a time, after which let your body rest for 4-8 hours (at your discretion). This is important because continuous long-term wearing can cause burns or dermatitis.

Thirdly, do not wear a belt in cases where there are cuts or dermatitis (dermatoses) of the skin at the attachment point. Sometimes you can ignore this rule, for example, if your doctor thinks it will be safe.

Dog hair belt. 2h.

Having felted the wool, as described earlier, I ended up with this piece of felt:

A bevel from the side of the connection between the main part and the side can be done, or not. I did this, so the belt fits better on the figure and does not climb on top.
We find out how much to cut and what length the side parts are needed by attaching a paper mock-up of the belt in its entirety to the figure. If necessary, put darts on the sides: this will be the size of the bevel.

That's it - the pattern is ready.
Now expand:
- the main part of the belt is made of felt (1 pc.), as well as fabric (1 pc.)
- side parts made of fabric (4 pcs.) and
- made of non-woven fabric (2 pcs.)
We take any fabric we have. In the first case I had viscose, in the second cotton.
We will also need bias tape later (I bought it at the store) to finish the edge of the belt.
Having combined the felt with the fabric, I secure it with tailor’s pins, for convenience you can baste it.

And I start quilting on the machine in one direction first.

Then to another.

The result is such a detail.

Now we pin the side parts of the belt. To prevent them from gathering like an accordion later, I inserted non-woven fabric.

We sew a stitch, turn the parts over, iron them and fasten them with pins.

Now we process the edge, that is, we sew on the bias tape.

We go around the edge and stitch. This is what happened.

We sew on the Velcro and...

Voila: the belt is ready!

ps: The main supplier of wool is Masyanya (our St. Bernard Max) :))

My back ached, my joints ached due to bad weather, my bladder suddenly became inflamed, chronic kidney disease worsened from hypothermia - all these problems have long been treated with heat. They wrapped sore spots with shawls, scarves, special belts, felted and knitted from sheep and dog wool, rubbed them with badger and bear fat, and lay down on a Russian stove.

Not all ancient methods of treatment are used today. The rhythm of life has changed, very effective medications, warming creams, and patches have appeared, but the very principle of the effect of heat on pain has been preserved. To combat many diseases caused by inflammatory processes in joints and muscles, the method of warming them up using therapeutic belts remains relevant.

Products made from dog hair: therapeutic effects, contraindications

First of all, the question arises: and why exactly dog food? Who cares?

Dog fur has a greater ability to retain heat than any other, and in addition, it neutralizes electrification on the surface of the skin. It is not for nothing that among the peoples of the North, winter boots or high boots are sewn with dog fur.

The hairs on a dog's coat are thicker and stiffer, which provides a massage effect. It causes intense blood flow to sore spots and improves overall blood circulation.

But despite all the advantages, Even such a harmless treatment has contraindications, it cannot be used anywhere where heating is prohibited: pain in the pancreas and appendix, open wounds and skin diseases. Before heating, you need to know the cause of the pain.

Special belts for the treatment of joints, mittens, socks, knee pads and vests are an incomplete list of everything that can be made from dog hair. The production of these things has already been put into production and is in great demand. But their price differs significantly from the cost of other woolen products. Therefore, instructions and master classes on this topic will be useful for beginning craftsmen.

Making a belt with your own hands

Usually there are no problems where to get wool for sewing a belt. Many people have their own pets, dogs, which periodically have to be combed and cut. If this is not possible - it is sold at the market and in stores.

Wool for a belt can be prepared in two ways: by felting and spinning.

Felting at home

Felting and making wool crafts with your own hands is one of the popular types of needlework. Felted toys, souvenirs, bags, blankets, scarves, insoles, slippers, paintings, bath accessories and healing belts are easy to make yourself at home.

For felting you will need:

clean combed wool - 50−100 g;
cotton or linen fabric - 0.5 m;
wide elastic band - 50 cm;
adhesive tape - 20 cm;
laundry soap.

You can lay it on the table or directly on the floor. The technology is as follows:

Next, you will need to transfer the pattern to the fabric and the resulting felt, trace and cut, sew the parts together, sew on elastic bands and Velcro. The belt is intended primarily for the treatment of lower back pain, but it is easy to make it more versatile, so that it can be wrapped around the knee or secured to the thoracic back. To do this, it is enough to use creative ingenuity, change the shape of the belt, the length and number of belts.

Not much different from ordinary sheep.

An important difference: the dog's wool is spun on a spinning wheel or by hand, not coolly, more loosely than any other. You can even simply continuously pull out a bundle after a bundle, while slightly twisting the simulated thread.

Subsequently, the finished knitted product, after washing, becomes felted on its own, greatly decreasing in size.

In the old days, socks and mittens were knitted this way. They were rolled on a washboard while wet, and after that the things became very warm, dense and durable.

Dog hair insoles

Having mastered the techniques of felting, it will not be difficult make your own shoe insoles. Very often, paying tribute to fashion, young people wear shoes with thin soles. Feet get cold and many health problems appear. No wonder they say: “Keep your head cold and your feet warm.” To prevent this from happening, warm felted insoles made from dog hair are an excellent solution.

They are much easier to make than a belt. Felting is done in the same way as described above; old shoe linings can be used as a pattern. The result is excellent warm therapeutic insoles. If desired and have experience, they can also be made orthopedic.

Felted crafts

A creative person is not limited to felting or knitting only necessary and useful things in everyday life, he continues to develop and hone his skills, especially since DIY wool crafts- one of the fashionable trends of hand made. Handmade toys and souvenirs are soft, touching, bright and unusual, they are never the same, they exude warmth, comfort and childhood. This is a nice gift to receive for both a child and an adult.

You can use regular wool for crafts or buy it in specialized stores that sell craft supplies. It comes in different colors, and this allows you to make felted products original and unique. Numerous master classes and videos will help you master this exciting and interesting activity.

Colored material is also suitable for making a belt from dog hair. This healing item doesn't have to be boring either. It’s a pleasure to put on a beautiful thing. And if it is both beautiful and useful, it is doubly pleasant.

Attention, TODAY only!

The dog hair belt is intended for the conservative treatment of diseases of the spinal column. To be more precise, for the treatment of inflammatory and degenerative diseases of the lumbar back.

Despite the fact that you can buy such a belt at any traditional medicine pharmacy, sometimes it is more profitable to make it yourself. To do this, you don’t need to have a pro-level understanding of sewing; just use simple instructions.

A belt made of dog hair is used to treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system as part of alternative medicine. It is worth noting that official medicine recognizes the positive effect of warming the affected area, but considers it insufficient treatment.

It is for this reason that it is not recommended to use exclusively a belt made of dog hair for diseases of the spine or joints. This device should be used against the background of drug therapy and/or physical exercises (physical exercises) recommended by a doctor.

The device warms up the skin over the affected area, thereby increasing regional blood flow and providing an analgesic effect (incomparably less than with the help of strong medications). In case of inflammatory diseases, such a belt should be used only after consultation with a doctor, since increased blood flow at the site of inflammation can aggravate this process.

In general, a dog hair belt can be used by patients of any age group and has no direct contraindications.

Types and differences

As mentioned earlier, a belt made of dog hair can be used by patients of all age groups. For convenience, manufacturers of such products have created different models for each age category.

Also, dog hair belts have several sizes (at the waist), namely:

Size 44-46 (80-90 centimeters).
Size 48-50 (85-95 centimeters).
Size 52-56 (95-106 centimeters).
Size 58-60 (105-122 centimeters).

In addition, such products are used not only to treat diseases of the spinal column, but also other parts of the musculoskeletal system. There are belts-elbows, belts for warming up the knee joints and ankles.

There are also models that not only warm up the affected area of the body, but also saturate the surface tissues with various active substances ( which typically have an anti-inflammatory effect).

Belts made from dog hair have a patent in the Russian Federation, so only a few companies officially produce them.

What is it used for?

Belts made from dog hair are used to treat and prevent a huge number of diseases.

Namely:

colds of internal organs and back;
radiculitis and osteochondrosis;
neuritis and rheumatism;
inflammation of the genitourinary system (almost all forms of prostatitis, nephritis, pyelonephritis);
urolithiasis disease;
body asymmetry caused by various diseases of the spinal column;
pinched nerve nodes.

Such products are also used for other purposes not related to treatment. Namely:

maintaining sexual activity in men;
maintaining a slim figure and posture;
increased blood circulation;
protection of the back or knee joints from blunt injuries.

Despite the huge range of applications, such products are best used for the treatment of spinal diseases. Belts made from dog hair are especially effective for degenerative back diseases, including spondylosis or osteochondrosis (including true).

Dog hair belt (video)

Pros and cons of use

Like any other device for the treatment of diseases of internal organs, dog hair belts have both positive and negative sides.

Let's start with the undoubted advantages:

Relatively cheap device.
Easy to use (even a child can do it!).
The ability to use the product not only at home, but also at work or on the street.
Relatively high effectiveness as an additional treatment (against the background of primary therapy).
Possibility to create a belt yourself.

The disadvantages of this product are:

low effectiveness when using the belt as the main and only treatment;
limited scope of application - the product is not suitable for treating a huge number of organs, the therapy of which involves heating;
wear and tear of the product (the belt may become unusable after just a year and a half);
cannot be used for some inflammatory diseases due to the risk of complications.

Where can I buy it and how much does it cost?

You can purchase a belt made of dog hair both in online stores and in in-person pharmacies. It is worth noting that the easiest way to buy a dog hair belt is in alternative medicine pharmacies, while it is relatively rare in regular pharmacies.

The average price of a dog hair belt is 800 rubles (the simplest models, created exclusively for warming the affected area). Advanced models (impregnated with active substances) cost about 30% more.

In addition, such products can be purchased to order, and this is the most preferable option. Creating a custom belt is much more expensive and the average cost is 2,500 rubles.

It is important to note that when purchasing such a product (in its classic form) at retail, you need to proceed from a price of 800-1100 rubles. High price - almost always a scam, since the price of 800-1100 rubles is fixed by the manufacturer.

If you can’t purchase a belt in pharmacies or on the Internet, you can try making it yourself.

How to make a dog hair belt with your own hands?

To make a dog hair belt with your own hands, we will need:

actually, the hair of a dog or, in extreme cases, a cat (about 50 grams);
regular fabric;
elastic band (5-6 centimeters);
second cutter (50-60 centimeters);
Velcro (20 centimeters).

We lay the wool on plastic wrap, then lay it out from right to left with an overlap. We lay out the second row of wool from left to right, also overlapping. We apply the third row as the first, and the fourth as the second. The result will be a piece of product measuring 35-80 centimeters.

A belt made of camel hair is similar to a belt made of dog hair.

Now you need to moisten the prepared wool with soap and a still hot solution until the piece of wool becomes thinner. Be careful not to damage the layers.