DIY: 3 Knit & Felted Dogs Toys

December 7, 2010December 7, 2010

DIY: 3 Knit & Felted Dogs Toys

I love these cunning dog toys. All three tutorials are for knitted & felted toys. Don’t forget to use wool yarn so it will felt. Felted knits handle more like fabric and are more durable. (Here are a few tutorials on felting, in case you need them: this one covers both hand & machine felting,here is a printable one on machine felting, and another on hand felting.)

First, is a great tutorial for this cute dog dumbell. It’s aesthetically pleasing and a neat toy! I especially like dog toys that are fun for the dog, but also also look nice on the livingroom floor. This dumbell kind of looks like it could be modern art. The pattern comes from Tara over at Tara’s Knits.

Second, is a nice tutorial for these wonderful ducky dog toys. You can use the pattern to make a mallard & a duckling, as shown, or any bird you can dream up. This pattern comes from Ever Green Knits. She has other free patterns and makes some lovely things.

Third, is a tutorial for a tug toy. It has details for a short & a long version. You could make a nifty one using variegated yarn.

January 24, 2009June 5, 2013

DIY: Custom Fit Dog Jacket

I found a great little tutorial on making a custom fit dog jacket over at BurdaStyle.com. This is mainly a tutorial on making & customizing the pattern, not actually sewing the jacket. You’ll need some knowledge about sewing, especially if you line the jacket. But, this is doable so don’t be intimidated.

Your jacket doesn’t have to cost much. Look for remnants at your fabric store—a cute, durable upholstery fabric could be really cute. You could also use fleece. Or you could use a blanket from a thrift store. If you find a fun wool blanket, you could felt it to make a more durable & very cute jacket.

Here are a few tutorials on felting: this one covers both hand & machine felting, here is a printable one on machine felting, and another on hand felting.

In addition to fabric, you’ll need:

paper to make the pattern
sufficient fabric, plus fabric for lining if you plan to line it
fasteners like buttons, velcro, snaps
embellishments if you want them

The tutorial shows you how and where to measure. Then how to transfer the measurements to paper to make the pattern.

Here are some instructions to help flesh out Step 4:

fold your fabric in half & place “spine” of pattern on the fold
when you cut the fabric, pad the pattern with extra fabric for seam allowances (5/8″ or 1.5cm is standard) unless you’re using fabric that won’t fray such as felt
add tabs for fasteners
cut out lining if needed, again padding the pattern for seam allowances as above
if there will be no lining, hem the jacket
if there will be a lining, place RIGHT sides together, sew leaving opening to turn the jacket, turn and finish the jacket
add fasteners and any embellishments

January 12, 2009June 5, 2013

DIY: Crocheted & Felted Pet Bed

For those of you who crochet, here’s a pattern for a pet bed (scroll down) called Kitty Cuddles. It’s crocheted & felted and is based on the KittyPi Bed (which is knitted & felted.)

The bed is shaped like a flat-bottomed bowl. It’s soft and comfy, but has some structure due to the felting. The bed looks very different before felting.

You’ll need to use a natural fiber yarn to get it to felt. Here are a few tutorials on felting: this one covers both hand & machine felting, here is a printable one on machine felting, and another on hand felting.

December 15, 2008October 17, 2011

DIY: 2 Tutorials To Knit & Felt A Pet Bed

Here are two different tutorials for knitting a pet bed for a cat or small dog. I suppose if you know how to alter patterns, you could knit a big bed for a large dog too. I just love that people take the time to make these tutorials and are happy to share their patterns. Very generous!

The KittyPi bed is knitted and then felted. This makes a great, durable bed that’s shaped like a flat-bottomed bowl. The felting gives it some structure, but it’s still soft and comfy. Love it! Don’t miss the two page gallery of beds people have made—lots of inspiration. The pattern is from Wendy at WendyKnits and since she’s generously shared this pattern, I want to let you know she has written two books—Wendy Knits: My Never-Ending Adventures In Yarn and Socks From The Toe Up.

The Dotty Cat Bed pattern is another lovely knitted and felted pet bed. (via craftzine) It has a wonderful polka dot pattern and it too makes a flat-bottomed bowl when it’s felted. Those dots are a nice touch. You can see what the bed looks like before felting. This great pattern is from Kelly over at Kelp!Knits. You can see some of her gorgeous sock patterns too—Interlocking Leaves, Oak Leaf, & Hanging Vines.

You’ll need to use a natural fiber yarn to get it to felt. Here are a few tutorials on felting, in case you need them: this one covers both hand & machine felting, here is a printable one on machine felting, and another on hand felting.