Spinning

The Makahs raised special dogs for their wool, shearing or plucking them twice a year. Sometimes they mixed in the fluff of cattail or fireweed seedheads. Mountain goat wool was not available in the high country of the Olympic Peninsula because goats aren't native here. Makahs may have traded for the mountain goat wool, however. It was used by Puget Sound weavers.

Women cleaned fleece by beating in a special, chalky white earth. Which removed oil. To spin, they first twisted the wool into loose strands, then twirled the strands into yarn with a hand spindle.

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