Some dog accessories

A friend is adopting a little dog for her daughter for Christmas. (I arranged the match!) She planned to put a big Christmas bow on the collar on Christmas day to give to her daughter, then asked if I could make her a bow. Well.....I decided to give it a whirl.

Because I've been using the Made for Mermaids Madison pattern lately for my niece's twirly dress, I happened to notice that there are instructions at the end for making an optional fabric bow. I decided to see how that went!

I didn't have any plain red fabric or enough of the red snowflake fabric in my stash, but I ran across this peppermint fabric. I used it a few years ago to make my niece a skirt at Christmas, but apparently I never blogged it. Anyway, I think it turned out super cute!

Originally I was making the "collar" for the bow and planning to attach them together as specified in the Made for Mermaids  Layered Bow Tie Tutorial, and then I thought it'd be a great idea to make a bow tie, as well, but to make them interchangeable. Because, honestly, how often is this dog going to need to wear a giant bow that's as big as he is??? So I used sparkly gingerbread fabric from a prior twirly skirt for my niece to make the bow tie part, then made the center with peppermint to tie them together. And instead of sewing the whole thing on to the collar, I put a snap on both the bow and the bow tie and the opposite snap on the collar. Now either piece can snap on!

Definitely going to do this again!

Back to sewing....(and why it's been so sparse)

So it's been quite awhile since I blogged, and I thought I should share why!  We lost our older dog Zoe over the summer, and it took awhile before we were ready to think about looking for a new dog to share our life.  Well, this little guy came and found us, right after we went to the wedding in October.  So he's been taking up a lot of our time and attention.  But I did manage to sew up a dinosaur costume for Halloween. :)  I've never been one to really dress up my animals, but I did think it'd be funny to have him wearing a costume, especially since he went out trick-or-treating with us.

This is Cooper at about 3.5 months.  

More dog love....

I previously wrote about making a double-layer fleece jacket for my elderly dog, and I said that I would likely make another so that she would be sure to stay warm. Well, I did, at the end of January. In fact, I made TWO more - one double-layer, for outside, and one single-layer, for inside. (The "house coat" was my DH's suggestion, believe it or not!)

The pawprints on brown fleece is the double-layer one, lined with a camel solid. Both were Black Friday purchases. I made them as previously described, except for cutting the upper back and the collar with the pattern piece an inch away from the fabric fold, to give her a little more room across the back. This seemed to work pretty well. The single-layer jacket is the hunter fleece, which was stash salvaged from a failed costume attempt. I felt pretty good about making it something useful in the end. Both are bound with brown nylon-lycra.
I did zigzag the seam allowances of the collar-neck seam down on the green jacket, just so they weren't terribly obvious. Both use snaps, as that worked really well in the last jacket, which has held up very well to washing and wearing.

Of course, once I got around to making these, the weather turned mostly too warm for her to use them. I think each jacket has gotten at most a week's worth of wear. Oh, well! She'll have them if she's still around next winter....

Sewing for pets

My dog, as has been previously mentioned, is quite senior. And while I'm not into cutesy dog coats and such, she does get cold. After last winter, I vowed that if she made it to this winter, I'd make her a jacket. And, well, she's still here! So time for a jacket. I had picked up Simplicity 952o last spring sometime, as it was the only pattern I'd seen for larger dogs, and it had some good reviews on PatternReview. I wanted to make her view E, because it looked like it would adequately cover her butt and belly but didn't have a hood. It calls for 2 yards of fleece, but it is completely self-lined, so really, I got by with 1 yard of fleece for the outer and 1 yard for the lining. (My lining is plain black fleece.)

This was the perfect length for my dog! It is a bit snug across the back, though. I had made the lining first and tried it on her, and it seemed perfect. But once I added the outer shell, it seemed to pull at the sleeves. So next time, I'll add about an inch in width for the back. But I think that's about it. You can see that the front comes up to cover her chest, coming almost as high as her collar.

Because my dog wears a harness for walks, I ignored the instructions for creating a leash opening for the collar. (Though I skimmed those and thought they seemed like a good way to do it.) Instead, I put her harness on, put the coat on over it (as she'll be wearing it), and then felt for the D-ring of the harness and marked it on the coat. I stitched a large buttonhole in that place and cut a slit opening for the D-ring.

I used snaps instead of velcro to fasten the coat, as I don't like washing velcro with fleece, and this coat will undoubtedly be washed frequently. And I bound the edges with nylon-lycra instead of doing a turn and topstitched edge. It enabled me to have no raw edges on the jacket, and it gave her just a touch more length in the jacket.

I will definitely be making this again! One to wash and one to wear, right? And I'll probably make a single-layer version for wearing in the house - because we do keep it cool inside, and she does shiver sometimes.

New dog bed

Yep, making more dog beds. Nope, the dog didn't tear up the old one, and it's still fine. But my DH had suggested back when I finished the first one, that it would be good to have a second bed for her to lie on. At that time, I had no desire to start another one. Now, well, I still don't want to start another one, but I've been thinking for awhile that it would be good to have one that would fit the cargo space in the SUV. Especially since we're taking a trip this weekend, and we're taking Zoe with us. So it's time to suck it up and make the dog bed already!

And if you're making one dog bed, you might as well make two at once, right? My MIL expressed interest in a dog bed, so I'm making one for her as a Christmas present. She doesn't know about it, so it'll still be a surprise at Christmas. ;) I just didn't have time to get it done before her birthday. At any rate, I don't plan on making any more, so I made sure to take a few pictures along the way.

The SUV bed is needs to be much wider than the foam, and because of my foam-saving cutting layout, the small dog bed also needed some extra width. When adding the width, I simply lined the two pieces up and whipstitched them together. This is two-inch thick foam, so I whipstitched on both sides of the foam, so that I'd only have to go through half the thickness on each side. I figured that would stand up better to stress. Hopefully you can see that in the picture here.

For the smaller dog bed, I simply used the single layer, as his crate is shorter, and I didn't want him to hit his head when he stood up in the crate. But for Zoe's bed, I once again wanted it four inches thick. So I laid two layers on top of each other (with the patched ends at opposite sides) and then once again used a soft sculpture needle to stitch the two layers together in three columns. Those layers are not going to shift!

No pictures, but I then wrapped each mattress in a couple of layers of poly batting and stitched it down on all sides, before inserting the mattress into a permanent muslin cover. I've also made the waterproof, removable cover from PUL and a separating zipper (I bought these zippers at Cleaners Supply and was very pleased with price, selection, and fast shipping - NAYY). Today I need to make at least one outer cover for each mattress.

Playing catch-up

This whole idea of writing a thesis in a short time really messes with my sewing time! In the last month and a half or more, I haven't really had much time to sew, which is not fun. However, I have managed to get a few things done. Thing 2 is outgrowing his PJs and needed some new ones that weren't midriff-baring - a look no one wants to see! I had two pairs of PJ pants that were made previously but needed matching shirts. I even had the shirt pattern and the interlock for the shirts, so with this motivation, I cut and sewed them! This truck pair has been in the works for years - the pants were originally intended for Thing 1 - oops! The pants are B6887 size XS, I think, and the top is KS SFT size 3T, with 2 inches added in length to body and sleeves. Then I added an applique to tie the shirt and pants together.

This set has only been in the works since last year. The pants are KS SFT 3T, intended to match Thing 1's set. The top is the same as the previous set. He seems to love them both! And they add nicely to his PJ drawer.

Next up, my MIL wanted a new cover for her dog crate, so we made a trip to the fabric store together and picked out a nice midweight denim (got it with a coupon - even better!). I let it sit for a few weeks - thesis, you know! - but got it sewn up for her eventually. I think it turned out pretty nicely, though I didn't get pictures on the crate.

The front flap is only attached at the top, and she tucks it completely under the top unless she's going to use it.

It fits the crate very nicely, with just a smidge of extra room. She seemed pleased, and that makes me happy.

My good friend who loves the Beatles had a birthday last month. I didn't want to try to do anything too time-consuming, because she'd feel guilty about taking time away from my thesis. But these collars for her chihuahuas worked up very quickly. And she loved them! Sweet!

These are from Creative Designworks - the mini dog collar kit, size Mini (as opposed to Extra Mini or Mini Plus). I had gotten another friend to measure the neck circumference of a chihuahua at the shelter to give me a rough idea for sizing - she thought it was great fun to be part of such a sneaky endeavor.

The last of the dog stuff....I think....

So my colleague who dogsat my new dog for a few weeks had made a specific request for Christmas. She has a greyhound who is always cold, and she had several "winter" coats for him. But even though she keeps her apartment toasty, she wanted a "housecoat" for him. I made a tracing of his best-fitting fleece coat (using an old sheet and a sharpie) and took lots of pictures. Then I dug a striped knit out of deep stash and whipped one up for her.

Imagine that on a long, lanky greyhound. We also added three inches to the neck because she'd like it to cover his ears. I added seam allowances but no hem allowances, instead binding with self-binding. I think it looks really nice.

I found 2 inch wide Velcro for the closures (just like on the original).

Since I had no idea how much elastic to use, I simply inserted 1/8 inch elastic into a casing and added a cordlock. She can adjust it and cut off any major excess.

The final addition to her present was a zippered pouch that snaps onto a leash handle to hold plastic bags for poop-scooping. I made one for each of us and used this to test out my brand new snap press. Woohoo! Love it!

More doggy stuff....

So I'm really not the pet owner who's worried about everything matching and using designer stuff....I mean, come on! My dog bed cover fabric was chosen purely on the basis of feel and price. That said, I did decide that my new dog deserved some nice accessories. ;)

Obviously, one has to have a collar. (Hopefully that's obvious.) You've gotta have a place to put the tags, in case the dog wanders off. And since I sew, I thought it would be fun to make a unique collar for my dog. I had seen a review for a sewn collar on PR, and it mentioned getting the instructions in a kit from Creative Designworks. So I looked it up and was happy to discover that a kit was only $5 (including shipping!) and contained hardware for two collars. Bonus! I had already purchased the hardware (from the hardware store) for two leashes, so I didn't order the leash kit. Besides, how hard could that be to dream up, right?

And DH also suggested a harness for her, due to her age. We didn't know if she'd be the type to be stubborn about where she wanted to go (eh, she is a little - not too much), but a harness can spread out the tension over her neck and shoulders, instead of just tugging on her neck. So I ordered that kit, too. (It contains the hardware for one harness.)

Can I just say that I'm really pleased? :) The collar went together very well, and I loved the fact that it didn't require webbing. Just fabric and heavyweight interfacing. In fact, the collar was my first completed item in my new sewing room! The instructions were great - it was easy to put together, even though I was sewing late at night on a deadline! (I needed the collar and leash finished before I went to pick her up from my buddy the next day.)

The harness took another week or so to be done, just due to sewing inertia. But it was also easy to put together, although my picky side is telling me to remove the chest strap and replace it with one an inch or two longer. Can you tell that the girth strap is being tugged forward between her legs? Anyway, that's my only gripe. And since it doesn't seem to bother her, I might just leave well enough alone.And from the top. I keep the harness in the closet with the leash, and she's already learned that when the harness comes out, she's going for a walk. She gets all excited (though quietly!) until I start to put the harness on - then she stands rock steady until it's on.

I also decided that it would be smart to have a bag holder in the closet by the leash and harness, since I recycle plastic grocery bags as a responsible dog owner's poop sacks.

My final (I think!) touch is in progress - I'm working on a zippered pouch (with a loop that will snap around the leash handle) to hold said plastic bags. I currently stuff them in my jacket pockets, but this may work better. We'll see....

"Sealey Posturepedic" dog bed knockoff

So we adopted a thirteen-year-old yellow lab from the shelter where I worked. There was nothing wrong with her - her owners relinquished her because they were moving. And a sucker is born every day, right? Well, I'd never blinked twice at all the animals coming through, but a sucker was born that day, and I asked The Husband if we could take her.

Things 1&2 like the idea of dogs, but they've never had a dog, so the reality of a dog was a little difficult for them before. Thing 2 especially would freak out when a dog ran up to him playfully, and his reaction would freak the dog out, which led to more freak outs, and you get the idea. So I thought that an older dog would be perfect for a first dog for them. And so far, it looks good! They love her!

But an older dog tends to have joint issues - arthritis, weak legs, etc. So a good bed to lay on is an absolute must. However, my bank account really shuddered at the thought of buying a good one. For a good, thick dog bed for a larger dog, you will pay easily over $100. Depending on how thick you want the foam, it can approach $200. Not in my budget.

Instead, I took the advice of a colleague and bought 2-inch foam at JAF, enough to make two layers. The white poly-foam was cheaper than the green NuFoam, and more importantly, it was wider. So I bought that to avoid having to seam widths together. I cut the foam to the exact measurements of the bottom of the crate, and I used a doll/soft sculpture needle and upholstery thread to stitch the foam layers together. The foam is 28 inches wide, and I stitched three columns of stitches to hold it together. Those foam layers are not going to shift! I then stitched a permanent cover for it from muslin.

At The Husband's suggestion, I also made a waterproof cover from white PUL I bought at JAF (with a 40% off coupon, of course!). I used an invisible zipper in one of the short sides, so that I can remove it. It shouldn't be taking much abuse, so I didn't figure the type of zipper would matter much for this cover. But for the outer cover, which is also washable, I used a stretch suede/moleskin/I don't know what. I bought it for probably $1-2/yard at WM, at least 5 years ago. It feels nice, and it was in the stash and had no other use anytime soon. There is a 28-inch separating zipper in a short end, allowing easy on/off for washing. The Husband looked at it and said, "Why'd you use a dark color? That's going to grab all the hair!" Hmmm....stash equals free, right?

Here's Zoe in her new bed! As soon as I put it in her crate, she pushed past me and immediately laid down. I think it's a hit!

Total cost: Will have to see if I can find all the receipts, but I'm estimating $50-60. But to get this commercially, I would have to spend three times that much, barring an awesome sale.

More dog booties!

So apparently I know too many people with diva-ish dogs! Or maybe just too many people with very small dogs....Anyway, our realtor was mentioning at the closing on our house that her (small) dog did not like the recent cold weather and had peed on the rug by the door, presumably to avoid going outside to pee. I suggested dog booties and told her about the recipient of my original pair of dog booties and how the booties kept him relatively happy outside so that he stopped having indoor "accidents." She expressed interest in getting some for her dog and said she'd look at pet stores. So instead I made her a set, which will hopefully fit (I've never seen her dog, but these are my 50% reduction from the original pattern). They will be enclosed in our thank-you card.

And a coworker from my former job was very interested in dog booties for her little dog as well, so I promised them to her as a Christmas present. Due to moving, they became a "between Christmas and New Year's" present, but she loved them! And her little guy looks very cute in them. (These are a 45% version.)The best part? I had no idea what his coat looked like - the matching is total coincidence!

Dog booties!

I have a friend with a small dog who hates to go outside in cold weather. (He's from California!) So she asked me last winter about making him some booties to wear. We never got around to it before the weather got warmer, but she mentioned it again this fall, and this time, we got right on it! I used the Domestik Goddess pattern and simply printed out the pattern, then used the copier to reduce it by percentages. Here are my size prototypes!


The small blue one is 40% of the original, the red one is 45%, the blue print is 50%, and the green one is 55%. The green one also happens to be the winner, so that is what's sitting on my sewing machine right now. Because, of course, he needs three more! :)

I used fleece scraps for the booties and recycled ToughTek (from old leather shoes that had holes in the toes and heels) for the gripper part. These took me about fifteen minutes to cut and sew each pair (because I did two prototypes at a time, until we found the right size). I traced each size onto scraps of template plastic to make cutting easier, and I can't say enough just how easy this was.

I'll be making more pairs of booties for this dog, and my smaller two prototypes are in the mail to another friend to try onto her dog. I would definitely make this for any friends with diva-ish dogs! :)