Strange yarns

Good morning, and happy Monday!!!

I thought this morning I'd share something strange I came across while reading the Lion Brand email newsletter: stainless steel yarn.

Yes, you read that correctly (although you may want to do as I did, and click through the link above to confirm that your eyes are properly interpreting the letters above). This yarn is 75% wool and 25% STAINLESS STEEL.

I wonder how soft that is? Is there any real drape to steel? Does it relax/soften more with washing? Or with insertion into a VERY HOT FURNACE??? LOL

Actually, it got me to wondering about other strange materials used for yarns. Here are some I've found (each with a few brand examples), some stranger than others:

possum (there were several, I just picked one)
milk (tell me, do your projects curdle if not refrigerated?)
newspaper (this one you can spin yourself, although it looks very time-consuming)
pre- & post-consumer recycled yarn (this yarn made from waste poly-fibers and post-consumer plastic bottles isn't available, as far as I can tell, for us hand-knitters, but is interesting nonetheless)

What odd yarns have you seen/heard about? Anyone know anything about "concrete" yarn? I swear I saw it in passing one day, but I can't find information on it anywhere.

May I present.....

my first huge success of 2009 (and I don't mean because the sweater itself is large!).

Knit of Berocco Comfort Worsted Weight in fire engine red, it's sized to fit a dog 31" from base of neck to tail. It took nearly 4 full skeins of yarn.

It's all done in a simple rib, beginning with the collar in the round. There is a cute little hole at the base of the collar section to accommodate a leash. Then the rest is knit flat, though with lots of increases and decreases. The belly panel is knit on one side of the flat piece, and buttons around the dog.

Thanks to Terri Lee Royea, whose free pattern on Ravelry I adapted for this sweater.