Have you tried using white vinegar with washing the fabric first? Just a thought :)

Unfortunately, this sounds like my house. But i wouldnt give up my animals for the world!

When my daughter lived in NH her apt caught on fire and the firemen told us that any clothes could be treated but if they got wet again the smoke smell would reappear. So, any fabric that has been in a fire is probably ruined. I would just toss it and not live with the possibility of it getting wet again.

As for cat or dog hair you can use one of those sticky rollers or masking tape to lift it off and then put it in the dryer with a with damp hand towel and try to get the remainder of the pet hair off of the quilt. We have two Yorkies who love to lay on the quilts, especially ones my husband quilts for other ladies. Lynne Plotner-Pierce

BellaBoo! I thought I was the only person in the world who had thought of putting a screen door on my workroom! I find it helps with the yowling (read: three Siamese) when they can at least see me. I won't allow them in there when I'm rotary cutting or laying out pieces or trying to get a quilt on my frame.

But as for that cat hair. Even if I never let any of them in there ever (I have six cats altogether), I would still be carrying the ever present cat hairs in there on my person.

I also smoke, and I have noticed that people trying to sell their work online often post that their quilts were produced in a smoke and pet free environment, which leaves me figuring that I cannot ever sell anything of mine online.

In the past, I have sold numerous pieces made in the same sort of environment, with no complaints whatsoever. I never attached any sort of warning to them, but then that was in the days before everything was "unsafe". How did we oldsters ever live so long, not being protected from everything as folks seem to be these days? But in today's climate of protectiveness, I expect that that warning would be the way to go.

And please, that's not meant to denigrate you people here who have allergies, nor to make you think that I don't understand your problems. Just because I do not live with such things, doesn't mean that I don't have sympathy for you. *S*

ROFLMBO!! i do believe i have seen it all now. my question is if you get caught in the rain or snow does it smell like wet dog?

the fur/hair is called chiengora, and it is warmer than wool. I used to have
chows and saved their brushings, for spinning into yarn.

I have a cat that sits on anything I am quilting and some times bites me when I move her off. She is just wanting attention. Just have to say that it isn't the cat hair that causes the allergy it is the dander that causes it. I just toss it into the dryer on low heat with a dryer sheet for 5 minutes and it gets rid of the dander.

Bella.....I would be very interested in learning more about "Blue" I don't believe I have ever heard of it or seen it. I am pretty darn anal about vacuming because I do have pets and allergic to thier hair...yes I know but I tried living w/o them and my life felt so empty. I have a male aussie that constantly scratchs and a very long hair cat that seems to shred alot...because she stresses herself out....those are the only two I really have problems with.
Thanks for sharing about the Blue.
p.s. I goggled "blue" is it only available at pet stores?

I have a friend that is highly allergic to cats,(I have2) ,she calls before coming over, I spray my house with Febreeze and she has no problems. I use it daily now.

substitute cats for dogs here!!