Showing posts with label Dog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dog. Show all posts

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Puppy Hat Crochet Pattern

My Izzy wanted a puppy hat...black with brown eyes just like our dogs. I got right to work...

 



I used a J hook for the entire hat. The brand of yarn was worsted weight Vanna. It is very soft. Red Heart Super Saver would probably have been a better choice if you want it to look "cleaner". In the pattern I will be revising something I did "wrong" when I made the hat in the picture. In my opinion anyway. The brown stitching around the ears is so messy. I wish I had trimmed the ears in black and then made a row of brown around the edges...next time! :)

I started with a basic beanie: My toddler has a 20" head. Using a J hook and worsted weight yarn, you are probably getting about 3 stitches per inch. Increase or decrease to your liking. But this pattern will be for a 20" hat.

BEANIE

At the end of each row of the hat, ss and chain 1.

1: HDC 9 times in a magic circle (9). Cinch closed
2: HDC 2 time in each stitch (18)
3: HDC around, increasing every other stitch (27)
4: HDC around, increasing every third stitch (36)
5: HDC around, increasing every fourth stitch (45)
6: HDC around (45)
7: HDC around, increasing every fifth stitch (54)
8-16: HDC around (54)
Fasten off. Attach brown yarn near the Fasten off stitch. Crochet over tails to keep it clean.
HDC around (54)
Fasten off.

NOSE:
DC 12 times in a magic circle. Cinch closed, slip stitch into first DC. Fasten Off. Leave a long tail.
EYES:
(make 2)...HDC 9 times in a magic circle. Cinch closed, slip stitch into first HDC. Fasten off leaving long tails.

EARS:
(make 2)
chain 7,
1: sc in second ch from hook and across (6)
chain 1 and turn
2:sc 2 times in first stitch and 1 sc in each stitch across (7)
chain 1 and turn
3: sc 2 times in first stitch and 1 sc in each stitch across (8)
chain 1 and turn
4: sc 2 times in first stitch and 1 sc in each stitch across (9)
Rows 5-13: chain 1 and turn, sc across (9)
14: ch1, turn, skip a stitch and sc across, skip last stitch (7)
15: ch1, turn, skip a stitch and sc across, skip last stitch (5)
16: ch1, turn, skip a stitch and sc across, skip last stitch (3)

begin sc around the edges of the ear.
Fasten off and leave a long tail.

attach the brown yarn and sc around the edge (not the flat top of the ear, that part will be attaching to the beanie), Fasten off. Work in the brown tail

ASSEMBLY:
Sew on the nose, eyes and ears wherever you like them using the long tails that you left after fastening off. Enjoy!!

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Crocheting a Basket and Dog Grooming

Today I was straightening up and decided that I wanted to keep all of Pickles grooming products in to make her morning groom more convenient. 


So I made something that I have made many, many times...a crocheted basket!



I like to keep them simple and just play with colors. This one had to have some purple because it will be located in my very purple kitchen.

I make my baskets by holding two strands together and using a N hook. Its big and they work up fast! I like using Red Heart Super Saver. It holds its shape well and the colors stay bright wash after wash.

I made the bottom black (holding two strands of black together) I formed a circle by working in a spiral. At the end of each row I did not chain or slip stitch...I just went right to the top of the next stitch and kept going.


Form the Base: 

In a Magic Circle I worked 9 HDC, cinched it closed. (9) If you don't want to pay attention to your counting, insert a contrasting strand of yarn to mark your stitch.
Row 2: Two HDC in each stitch (18)
Row 3: HDC around, increasing every other stitch (27)
Row 4: HDC around, increasing every 3rd stitch (36)
Row 5: HDC around, increasing every 4th stitch (45)
Row 6: HDC around, increasing every 5th stitch (54)

This is wear I stopped increasing. You should have a circle and it is probably about 8" across. You can keep increasing or not go as wide as I did. This is the base of your basket. Play with it!

I like to variegate the colors...a big of an ombre feel. Usually I will start with two different colors held together and then cut one and tie another color on, carrying the old one along with it, then a few stitches later I will cut the old color and tie the old strand onto a new color...going back and forth so it all kind of blends together. But, this time I left the lavender strand the entire time. I changed only the complimentary color and did not repeat the color at all.

The Sides:


Put the two colors of yarn on the hook in the same way you would normally place one strand on the hook. Hold the strands together, make them into one slip knot and put that on the hook. Crochet with them as if they were one thick strand. Like this:

 You start with the two strands, you come to where you want to change a color. Pick the color you want to change. In this case the purple strand will be continuing and the aqua is going to be to replaced with turquoise. 
 You snip the color that you would like to change (the aqua), you grab the strand of the new color (the turquoise) and hold new and old strands together. 
 Tie them.
Hold this strand with the old strand that is continuing (the purple) and keep crocheting as though they are one strand, crocheting over the tail formed when you tied the turquoise to the aqua. This will keep things neat.

When the time comes to change a color (I change every row or so) just cut a strand and knot the new color right on. I leave a 3 inch tail and crochet over the tail as I work. That way when I snip the ends it is nice and neat.

Still using the N hook. Attach the yarn to any stitch of the base. HDC around, when you come to the end of a row do not slip stitch. Crochet right into the next stitch to form a smooth spiral. I circled around for 6 rows. My basket is just shy of 4 inches tall. But can keep going.

To end this I crochet 3 single crochet stitchs as my last stitchs and then fasten off.

Here is the finished product! Perfect for my pups grooming supplies.


I wear perfume everyday...and so I feel Pickles should, too. The purple spray is Hartz Freshening Spray. It smells so pretty and gives her just a bit of extra luster. I got it at Walmart for about $4. It has lasted quite a while and as you can see I still have lots left. I just hit her with two spritzes during her brushing session. She gets frequent baths, but this is the icing on her morning routine.

I always like to DIY...so I tried a recipe for dog freshening from the internet before buying the Hartz product.

1 Part Listerine (I got the green kind, it smelled the best)
1 Part Cocoa Butter Lotion (for shine, it said)
1 Part Water

Put these in a spray bottle, shake like crazy and spritz on puppies to make them smell better and have a shiny coat. You should have SEEN the expressions on my husband and teenage son when they saw me do this. Sadly they were right. Putting lotion (even watered down) on a dog is not a clean idea. It might just be "my" dogs. But, it was alot like if i spray lotion into my hair. Matted down mess, grease-slick, goopy, dust attracting...eww. And the listerine/cocoa butter scent left LOTS to be desired. Oh, the expressions on the dogs faces after I sprayed them with it was just so sad. I would do it again and snap you a picture. But, I love them too much. 


So, Hartz it is! 

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Pickles

We adopted a dog two weeks ago at the local shelter here in Riverside, California. I had taken my husband and the boys several times and we just could not find the right fit for us. We wanted a large dog, but needed someone mellow. I was really leaning toward a girl and older. We just went through the puppy period with our Cheweenie, Hunter, and I did not want to start over from scratch.

We visited the shelter three weekends ago and didn't find our fit. But, something made me drag the boys back the very next day. That is when I saw her. My Pickles.


She is just a doll! Mellow, sweet, snuggly...60lbs of black lab love with a fluffy coat and big brown eyes. They said she was about three years old (a vet visit the next day confirmed her closer to five or six years old, fine by us!). They said she was brought in by someone that claimed her to have just walked up to their door. Maybe. But, she does not have the spirit of a dog that would run away.

The vet said it does not look like she had ever been walked. She was 10lbs overweight and had no wear on her hips at all. She is great on a leash, though! We were given the go ahead to walk (and some antibiotics for kennel cough - poor baby!). In an effort to take the weight off I have been monitoring how much she eats. We divided her portions up into two meals a day so that she can eat with our skinny, Hunter. And the goal is two good walks a day. She loves it...and adores a car ride. Sometimes we can't get her out of the car. It is the only disobedience that we have seen in her so far. She is getting better now that she realizes she will be getting a lot of car rides around here.

This evening we took a little walk in a nearby neighborhood. I snapped some pics! Everyone says she is looking a million times better, healthier, stronger and thinner around the middle ;).

We set out down the block...

Pickles wore her leopard and blue bow this evening. 

 It is so awesome that these are popping up around the city!
Moon popped out while we were walking.

 Mama Duck had a big family this year. 
 More walking. 
 Kissy Break
 Finally the shade! This made Pickles very happy. 
 Happy enough to stop and smell some flowers. 

Time to go home. <3 My baby girl. 

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

I made this purple rhinestone adorned bow holder for my dog (who gets to be the daughter I never had). She looks so pretty in the bows and flowers I am making her! 


I used the typical unfinished door hanger that you can find in any craftstore. I painted it a special mix of purple and white acrylic patin. I used rhinestone letter stickers I had from making my "Crunk Cup" last year. Then I decorated it with glitter glue and more rhinestone stickers. For the hanging ribbons I took account that I will not be hanging anything too heavy and took advantage of that to save time. I used chiffon sheer 3/4" ribbon, cut two 2 foot lengths and just glued it on the back of the holder with plain craft glue. If it needed to be stronger I would have hot glue'd it. :)

Still have some bows in the making...I need to attach the alligator clips that I just bought. 


I got the idea for the fabric flower in a book that I won online! I was so excited and will be reviewing it very soon once I complete a few more projects. It is called "Mend It Better"


Thursday, June 14, 2012

Adopted the Most WONDERFUL Dog

This is Pickles! The newest member of our family. She is 60lbs of the most well-behaved black lab puppy that you could ever hope to meet. She is 3 years old and according to the pound we adopted from she was reported to have just wandered up to someones house. Aside from a little kennel cough she is a perfect fit! Love her!!!


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