Sewing with fur

[Deleted]

Does anyone make blankets, mittens, or even trim using tanned rabbit fur? 

[calliemoonbeam]

I don't yet, but I'm planning to.  I'm working on getting my rabbitry set up right now and plan to get my first rabbits within the next month.  I plan to do some craft stuff with the furs once I get to that point.  

I've been doing some research, and from what I've read the biggest problem with using the furs is that compared to roasters, fryers are more thin, easier to tear and the fur tends to shed more, especially if they're harvested at certain times.  They apparently shed about every three months, so you're supposed to time it somehow, I didn't get the details on that yet, sorry.  

Most people who raise meat rabbits want to harvest as fryers, not roasters, and I probably will too, so the skins will be thin.  But I've read several articles where people recommend using an iron-on type fusible interfacing on the skin side of the rabbit fur before cutting or sewing it and that it works really well, so I'm planning to try that method.  They also say New Zealands are the best dual purpose rabbit, while Angora and Rex are the best suited for fur only.  I don't know which you're interested in, but I want dual purpose.

Of course, I'm obviously no expert, lol!  I've just been doing a lot of reading.     Hopefully, someone who's actually done it will chime in.