Dear Ann:
What a pleasure to knit up Olive’s new dog coat. (For those just joining the program, it’s the Give-a-Dog-a-Bone Coat from Debbie Bliss’s book, Woolly Woofers.) The only bit that gave me the slightest trouble was doing the shaping for the neck straps, and that was because we were talking on the phone and I kept losing track of where I was.
(The yarn is a cushy, crisp worsted weight from Jill Draper Makes Stuff, but I’ve mixed up my labels and am not sure which yarn.)
Last weekend, I laid the coat out to dry and thought: what kind of Pokemon is this? (Isn’t it crazy that Pokemon are back? What’s next: Beanie Babies?)
Debbie instructs that the bone appliqué on the back of the coat should be made by cutting a bone shape out of a piece of suede (which apparently is a thing that people can just do without further guidance). She also tells the knitter to line the coat with a piece of fabric, and to use “hook and loop” to secure the neck and belly straps on the dog. (This puzzled me for a minute, until I realized that “hook and loop” is to Velcro what “gelatin dessert” is to Jello.)
I thought about all these non-knitted parts of this little knitted coat. This I know: if I put off the bone-making, lining, or fastening parts of this project for very long, it will forever remain a Pokemon-shaped textile, and eventually run up against a future Kon Mari Event. So I have to act quickly.
Step one: the bone. I did not have a free-floating piece of suede or leather handy. I entertained the idea of chopping up a bag or other unloved leather good, but didn’t want to go off on that tangent, which could possibly lead to a sacrifice I might later regret. In the comments to my previous post on this coat, the idea of a fabric bone, in tweed, came up. Good news! I have tweed!
I have quite a lot of tweed, actually. Most of this yardage was a gift from a friend in England, Wendy Baker, who heard I liked woven wools and presented it to me one day. That piece in front, though, is the last remnant of a bolt end I bought from the wonderful Guy Hills, proprietor of Dashing Tweeds in London. Guy designs his own tweed fabrics which are woven in Scotland and made into dreamy, jaunty garments for a clientele that likes to look dashing, particularly at cycling events such as the Tweed Run. This fabric, therefore, has reflective threads woven into it. I had most of it made up into flash sofa cushions–they literally flash when light hits them in the dark–but there is plenty left for a safety-tweed bone and lining for Olive’s wee coat–solving two problems at once.
It even has matching red threads. I’m well pleased. It’s time to cut out a bone shape, order up some hook and loop, and get to work.
Love,
Kay
As car park is to parking lot! Olive will be the Coco Ghanel of the dog world when her coat is finished.
And Olive’s bone will look even more chic than the original bone.
I really like the fabric you have chosen to go with your knitting! Can’t wait to see the finished product!
Olive will indeed be fancy this fall/winter in his new coat.
Cool coat for a cool dog! But velcro and wool? My experience is this is not a good combination as the velcro will snag the wool. Or is there a snagless velcro I don’t know about?
Lucky Olive!
I think that a Hook and Loop are a Hook and Eye – like at the top of a zipper in a skirt. They come large and wrapped to use in a coat.
If you can’t find one quickly, let me send you one. I haven’t Kon Maried the sewing notions. <3
Hook and Loop is different than Hook and Eye. Generic Term for Velcro brand tape.
I think the plaid will be quite dashing!!
Yup, hook and loop = velcro. http://hookandloop.com/hook-and-loop-brands/velcro?categ
Dashing dog duds for sure!
Dogs have never stopped playing Pokemon — only most people call it “chasing squirrels.”
How true and funny.
After wondering about using squandering Jill Draper yarn on a dog coat, I just wasted quite a bit of time looking at bolt ends on Dashing Tweeds and calculating how many inches each of those pieces were. Dreaming only. Lucky dog.
This project is so much fun to watch! Will it be reversible?
And hooray for helpful blog comments – the tweed is perfect 🙂
Love the idea of it being reversible – but I think the velcro doesn’t work then?
As long as you’re overlapping, of course the hook-n-loop will work!
I wholeheartedly endorse the reversible idea, esp with the “flashing” threads – when walking a dog at night, safety first!
Oh I do love this! Olive will look smart in it!
That was me, the tweed suggestion!! 😉 And boy do you have the perfect piece. So chic, she will be the object of much admiration on the promenade.
I might need a running costume in that Tweed….
Madame … contemplating if the bone should be laid on the bias of the tweed or perfectly centered … the cherry on the top … the plus plus … so very very chic that little Olive … Pokey will wear his knitted blueberry tweeds for an outing to Le Pain Quotidien when the weather is just right for sweaters and coats!!! In the meantime … one lounges lazily! Kiss that sweet thing on the nose! Tante Ina + Pokey + Stella!
You made me start googling-“snagless” velcro and this product came up and its called “hook and loop”-
http://www.verybaby.com/products/aplix-hook-and-loop?variant=3663533189
I have made a fabric coat for my pup and the velcro is full of fur, my hair and unidentifible threads!
Dog coats are a whole lot of fun to make. I have knit my Sophie quite a few of them . The first one had to be given up as she obliged me by losing weight. Then I knit her a gradient one and a Missoni-esque chevron one both of which fit well but wore out. The pattern needed a gusset. So I knit her a cabled one of my own design with gusset. Now the dog is further obliging me by not liking to have a dog coat pulled over her head. To prevent pouting I will have to design her one that opens. Quelle horreur.
That traditional tweed with reflective thread is aces. Please take a picture of Olive wearing it outside with a glowing in the dark bone- when July and August are over, of course.
Generic question to you and Ann-HOW the heck do you knit so many lovely items and finish them in record time? I’d still be wondering what colors for my Tryon wrap! I am in awe.
I’m telling myself they accomplish what they do because they don’t have 2 year old children, parents living with them, and outside jobs? I had to give up sleep knitting due to a near-miss dpn stab injury to the eyeball when I nodded off.
Love the safety tweed bone! How perfect for her doggie coat!
Do you have a problem with the hook portion of the “hook and loop” closure bonding itself to Olive’s hair? I have a Yorkie, and I bought her a little Squall Jacket from Land’s End. She hates it—the Velcro is constantly attaching itself to her hair and I have to use scissors or painstakingly pull the hair from it every time I take the coat off of her.
I have knit her two Missoni’ish sweaters out of Noro Kureyon, similar to the one you knit Olive, and she seems to really like them when it’s cool in the house, but they are pullovers. She will leave them on for days at a time during the harshest part of winter.
Since my son got a DS in 2008, our family has been steeped in the culture and many permutations of Pokémon. This latest iteration is kind of like the start of the final take-over.
I agree about using hook and loop or velcro for a closure, it will get matted in Olive’s fur – ask me how I know says the mother of 4 fur kids.
Is this a dry cleanable dog coat?
Is it possible for Olive to be even more handsome? In this case, yes. Thanks to your inspiration, Tom Jones is definitely getting a Voff, I mean, Mjá.
How about using those industrial-strength snaps instead of Velcro? Buttons would work of course but then you’d have to make buttonholes, and I predict hook-and-eye skirt fasteners would come undone with any acrobatic doggie moves.
I really like the reflective tweed.
Maybe I can find a bike cape made in it.
Fabulous dog coat indeed!
I was onboard to knitt a dog coat, but had gotten to wondering whether our Barry would be coat-amenable….didn’t want to knit a coat and have him rebel. HOWEVER – he got a jaunty flag print bandana after his bath the other day, and he seems to be quite happy with it (i.e. he is not trying to paw it off or chew it up). SO – a knitted dog coat has definitely been added to my list.
I love the idea of tweed (and reflective tweed at that). Chic and practical. Like others I have several dog coats where the velcro is no longer sticky due to a buildup of dog fur. Perhaps a button with a knitted or crocheted loop (something I have contemplated but been too lazy to do myself). Snaps are also a good idea.
Is is wrong that I am not only envying Olive her stay in the Hamptons but also her chic new coat? (Reflective tweed!) Guess I need to get busy on a coat for my own dear dog.
Love the dog coat and the tweed bone will be way nicer than the suede.
Like another commenter, I had to go look at that fabric and site. Is the fabric fabulous in hand? I am considering one of their end-of-roll pieces as lining for the non-public side of a big intarsia wrap. Would welcome your thoughts. The fabric looks gorgeous online!
Tweed is a great improvement on suede in every way. Suede is just about impossible to sew, and would make Olive’s smashing new coat would be “dry clean only”. As a distant admirer of furry coat wearers, I am following the velcro discussion with great interest. How about large metal snaps? Of course, this begs the question: what breed of dog does the great Debbie Bliss own?
Who has a piece of suede lying around? Let alone knows where to buy a piece? The reflective fabric is a great improvement to the pattern. Well done!
Olive will be the most stylin pup in all of Manhsttan in that beautiful haute couture coat.
I’ve never been more grateful that mu pup can’t read!
Altho oddly enough Bailey gets numerous compliments on his internet procured wool coat (It’s plain& simple, just wanted *wool* so, you know, it would keep him warm rather tham simply up the cuteness quotient.)
It turned out to be a great coat. One of the features it has is elastic bands to hook around his hind legs so the wind won’t blow up his back. Kay, depending on how long Olive’s coat is you may want to add that. It’s helpful on windy days.
Good instinct to just get ‘er done. Looks like another winner, for you and Olive.
This is lovely. Will you be doing the sewing by hand or by machine? I hope you show progress photos. I am scared of sewing lining on knitting. But maybe if I see how you do it I can try.
I’m coming back as your dog in my next life, Kay! A vacation in the Hamptons and a tres chic hand knitted coat…what a lucky pooch! You and Ann are truly lean, mean knitting machines! How do you ever get some much accomplished?
Ditto!! Yours is one lucky dog. And that tweed you picked could not be any more perfect. Bravo!
Oh that Olive. Quite the snappy dresser. (I think I want a jacket in that texture lined with that plaid. Dress like Olive!)
I heartily recommend KAMsnaps if you’re looking for an alternative to fur-snagging velcro: http://kamsnaps.com/
Their plastic snaps are easy to install, strong, washable, and come in a bunch of different colors. I’ve been very happy when using them in all sorts of sewing and crafting projects. One of those wonderful notions where once you’ve used it, you start coming up with a hundred other uses for it.
(and apropos of dog coats, the business got its start when the owners were crafting custom gear for special-needs rescue dogs!)
Also, I may have to get that Debbie Bliss book, but not to knit for dogs — there are a few beloved stuffed animals in my life for whom custom sweaters have been requested, and I’ve concluded that given their proportions and anatomy, dog-sweater construction will be a much better fit than human-sweater construction…
You got me at: “…it will forever remain a Pokemon-shaped textile, and eventually run up against a future Kon Mari Event.
Absolutely. And thinking about not matching plaids has a certain appeal – excellent!
Oh Kay, Beanie Babies never left! Lucky Olive. Can’t wait to see her modeling her new threads
I need to knit two of these before the winter comes. It’s hard to imagine today, when we’re hitting records temps on the low 100s here in southern Ontario.
For those without a tweed stash, you can purchase a pair of suede elbow patches at your fabric store. They are found with the notions and would be the perfect size for a pair of dogbone appliqués with enough scraps to make paw print appliqués for another coat.