The latest Cat Hair Festival is set for April 26-29 in Kawagoe, outside Tokyo—and yes, in Japan, some people find plenty in cat hair to celebrate.
The festival is organized by Kaori Tsutaya, who has mastered the craft of making felt from feline fur and using it to create dolls, coin wallets and brushes.
“This is an idea that I came up with in 2002, while I was brushing my cat at home to avoid it from swallowing its furball,” said Ms. Tsutaya, a freelance writer. “I happened to have some time on my hands one day so I tried it, and it worked.”
Ms. Tsutaya has already published three books on the unique art since 2009. Her debut publication, “Crafting with Cat Hair,” was translated into English two years later.
It takes a cat and about three days of gentle brushing to gather enough material to create a small finger doll, she said. One only needs household goods like dishwashing detergent to create a nice, soft felt, she said, adding that it is the same procedure as making wool clothes.
Since publishing her book in 2009, Ms. Tsutaya has toured Japan on more than 40 occasions to promote her craft and to hold workshops. One question she always gets asked is whether dog hair would also do the job.
“It’s not impossible, but dog hair often has odor and they vary depending on the type of the dog. For example, it would be very difficult with French Bulldogs, because they have stiff hair,” Ms. Tsutaya said. “Cat’s hair is odorless, and it works better.”
The Cat Hair Festival includes lectures and workshops, but don’t bother applying for the workshop in crafting finger dolls with cat hair. It’s already reached capacity, Ms. Tsutaya said.
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Story: http://blogs.wsj.com/scene/2014/04/21/cat-hair-is-festive-for-japanese-craft-aficionados/