How to pamper your pooch
From the moment their little wet nose arrives on the doorstep, a dog becomes part and parcel of the everyday goings-on in your household. There to welcome you home with an eager wagging tail and eyes just sparkling with love, to perch on your lap when you are feeling a little less than tip-top, a dog’s heart has no limits and will love you for every second of every day, even if you are cross with them for chewing the back-door frame. So why not whip up a whole host of crafty bits and bobs to show your dog how cherished they are?
My new book features all manner of crafty projects to crochet, knit, sew and bake… Each and every one off ers a most lovely but practical item to show your pooch that they are loved and cared for in every way. Plus they enable you to personalise your doggy paraphernalia to mix and match in with your own decorating style.
Why not make them a warm, cosy bed to snuggle into? It will become essential for snoring the day away. Or knit a colourful blanket for that burying, nose-scruffi ng action that all dogs like to partake in every now and again.
Everything you make for your dog not only gives you the joy of crafting your day away but also shows them how special they are.
Pamper Your Pooch: 30 Practical Presents For Dogs, by Rachelle Blondel, is published by Kyle Books, priced £9.99.
KNITTED DOG BLANKET
All dogs like to snuggle down into a warm, cosy blanket and dream of chasing rabbits. So why not knit them this supersoft, fancy-looking blanket to add to their bed? Then the plump pile of sofa cushions will no longer call their name and illegal parking on the chair will be reduced to a minimum.
You will need
Note: each stripe of colour on the blanket will use 100g of yarn.
Blanket
1. Cast on 129 stitches.
2. Knit in garter stitch (knit every row) for 40 rows.
3. Change colour and knit in garter stitch for 40 rows.
4. Repeat steps 1-2 until you have 5 blocks of colour. Cast off and sew in the ends.
Edging
1. Join the cream yarn into the first stitch on the right side of the blanket, on the bottom short edge.
2. 1 chain and then double crochet into each stitch to the end. Turn and repeat for five rows
3. 1 chain, *work a double crochet into the next two stitches, slip stitch, 3 chain, slip stitch into next stitch to form a picot. Repeat from * to end. Bind off and sew in the ends.
4. Repeat edging steps 1-3 on the top edge.
BONE PILLOW
If there is a pillow and a dog together in the same space then no matter how small the pillow you will always find the dog balancing on it trying to catch a few winks of sleep. So why not treat your dog to a pillow or two of their very own in this rather fun bone shape? Then there can be no doubt whose pillow belongs to whom…
You will need
1. Enlarge the bone template (pictured above) on a photocopier to the size that you require for your pillow (remember to allow a 1cm seam allowance).
2. Cut out two bone shapes from your fabric and pin them together with the right sides facing.
3. Stitch around the edge of the bone, leaving the seam open where indicated on the template.
4. Trim the seam allowance and snip the seams on all the curves.
5. Turn the pillow to the right side out and stuff with polyester fi lling.
6. Sew the opening closed.
My new book features all manner of crafty projects to crochet, knit, sew and bake… Each and every one off ers a most lovely but practical item to show your pooch that they are loved and cared for in every way. Plus they enable you to personalise your doggy paraphernalia to mix and match in with your own decorating style.
Why not make them a warm, cosy bed to snuggle into? It will become essential for snoring the day away. Or knit a colourful blanket for that burying, nose-scruffi ng action that all dogs like to partake in every now and again.
Everything you make for your dog not only gives you the joy of crafting your day away but also shows them how special they are.
Pamper Your Pooch: 30 Practical Presents For Dogs, by Rachelle Blondel, is published by Kyle Books, priced £9.99.
KNITTED DOG BLANKET
All dogs like to snuggle down into a warm, cosy blanket and dream of chasing rabbits. So why not knit them this supersoft, fancy-looking blanket to add to their bed? Then the plump pile of sofa cushions will no longer call their name and illegal parking on the chair will be reduced to a minimum.
You will need
- 500g Aran/chunky wool in chosen colours
- 50g cream Aran for edging
- 6.5mm circular needle
- 6mm crochet hook
Note: each stripe of colour on the blanket will use 100g of yarn.
Blanket
1. Cast on 129 stitches.
2. Knit in garter stitch (knit every row) for 40 rows.
3. Change colour and knit in garter stitch for 40 rows.
4. Repeat steps 1-2 until you have 5 blocks of colour. Cast off and sew in the ends.
Edging
1. Join the cream yarn into the first stitch on the right side of the blanket, on the bottom short edge.
2. 1 chain and then double crochet into each stitch to the end. Turn and repeat for five rows
3. 1 chain, *work a double crochet into the next two stitches, slip stitch, 3 chain, slip stitch into next stitch to form a picot. Repeat from * to end. Bind off and sew in the ends.
4. Repeat edging steps 1-3 on the top edge.
BONE PILLOW
If there is a pillow and a dog together in the same space then no matter how small the pillow you will always find the dog balancing on it trying to catch a few winks of sleep. So why not treat your dog to a pillow or two of their very own in this rather fun bone shape? Then there can be no doubt whose pillow belongs to whom… You will need
- 2 pieces of fabric large enough to fi t the template
- polyester cushion filling
1. Enlarge the bone template (pictured above) on a photocopier to the size that you require for your pillow (remember to allow a 1cm seam allowance).
2. Cut out two bone shapes from your fabric and pin them together with the right sides facing.
3. Stitch around the edge of the bone, leaving the seam open where indicated on the template.
4. Trim the seam allowance and snip the seams on all the curves.
5. Turn the pillow to the right side out and stuff with polyester fi lling.
6. Sew the opening closed.