Much of this month’s challenge is about sewing for others–whether you know and love them, or whether you are donating sewn items for people you have never met.
However, it’s not just about people! It’s also about our furry companions (#dogsarethebestpeople) and showing our love for them with handmade items too.
Here’s a quick round up from our recent call-out:
Jamie: Sewing for Sally the Greyhound
This past April, my husband and I adopted our first dog, a greyhound named Sally. Since this breed gets cold very easily, I knew I wanted to make her clothes to keep her warm and cozy (and stylish, let’s be honest). Greyhounds’ bodies aren’t shaped like other dogs (little heads, long necks, barrel chests, little waists), so it’s not easy for me as a kind of new sewist to hack most dog patterns to fit her.
I got this greyhound pajama pattern and modified it so it’s just a sweater, and finished the edges with bias tape I made from Ruby Star Society fabric. (And now, I’m figuring out how to make this for myself because I love the silhouette!). As the temperatures dip into the 30s, I’m looking forward to making her more sweaters, shirts, and PJs so she’ll stay toasty and cute all winter long (and I may or may not make versions for myself). — Jamie
Terry: Sewing harnesses for her three chihuahuas
They are all girls: the brown one is Abby, a 3-year-old Chiweenie. The bigger white one is Bella, an 11-year-old chi mix, and the smallest one is Deeogee who is a 17-year-old deer head chihuahua.
I make their outfits because I like to change them often. I just have a pattern that I made up myself — Terry
Shilpa: sewing a bed stuffed with fabric scraps for Champi
Here is my little dog Champi:
He claimed his new scrap stuffed bed before it was even finished! — Shilpa
Chloe: Sewing a coat and a bed for Bingo
Bingo is quite a big dog and it’s hard finding a bed his size, as we live in a city where there are mainly smaller pooches. For this “ravioli” bed I took an old duvet, folded it in half and then basically joined two pieces of flannel I had around it.
For the dog coat, I used this pattern. I liked it because it will work for any size dog, as you make a paper pattern based on their measurements. It’s warm where we live, so I only made it a single layer, out of the leftover fabrics from my husband’s coat. — Chloe
It’s been lovely to see how much care people take when sewing for their furry friends!
We only got responses for dogs from the shout-out on Instagram, but I suspect that was because I used a picture of Bingo… There must be some people sewing for cats out there, right? Do you sew for any special creatures in your life?
Chloe is a Sewcialists Editor, who lives and sews in Australia. She blogs at chlo-thing.com and can be found on Instagram here.
Happy pooches! I especially love the custom greyhound jacket. I have sewn bandanas as gifts for my dog’s friends. When I was asked where where my dog got his Halloween / fall bandanas, I made double sided ones (fall and Christmas) for her dogs too. I have tried sewing different types : tie on, a channel for the collar, and velcro. I learned they make sew-on velcro after struggling with the sticky back kind. I knit dog sweaters too. I should do a IG post showing them.
I have a quilting room I rent and their are 7 sewing station all filled up.
We make dog bed from our scrapes that are small in size. The bigger
pieces we sew together in funky designs and put borders on them for
cat bed or mats. We layer them with batting and quilt them with very simple
patterns, then bind them, tucking ribbons in binding hanging on the corners.
Even the ribbon is recycled, it comes on jelly rolls and other goodies. So fun!