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December 22, 2009

A couple weeks ago, I popped by a craft event at the Grange. (Rural people know. Others can look it up.) And, I would have snapped up one particular item pairing, if the knitter had had something in Lilly’s size. Ready … ? This person had hand-knitted dog sweaters with matching hats for dog moms. It’s silly, but way cute. I would love to have a little matching thing for us girls to wear for photo ops and such.

I’m sorry that I didn’t have my camera with me so that you could see the options, but they were darling. Made from alpaca fleece (which is tres warm), these blanket-style coat/sweaters were simple but workable … much like the ones I make from polar fleece. Sadly, it seems most people ASSUME that only tiny dogs wear sweaters. There wasn’t anything even close to Lilly’s size.

I took her card, and she said she could make me custom ones, if I sent her a couple measurements, but I know it’s one of those impulse buys that dog girls like us.

So, I got to thinking I could learn to knit (ha!). You know, in my spare time.

My writing mentor and friend Leslie over at Nakeid Knits says she feels sorry for those who don’t know how to knit because it’s seen her through many a crisis, hospital visit and airplane ride.

Considering the ongoing eldercare drama that consumes me, maybe I could address two needs at once. Tom’s mom gave our niece a knitting pattern book a couple years ago for xmas, and I believe it had some dog sweater patterns in it. Maybe I could borrow it and muddle my way through.

How is that for optimistic (overly or otherwise)?

***
Here is what I did buy instead …. convertible mittens from the alpaca girls up the road. They are super warm and very cute, not practical for any real dog stuff because they are too delicate. But, they are nice for driving or for staying warm in a non-dog scenario.

{Photos missing. Massive glitch. Very sorry.}

 

About the Author Roxanne Hawn

Trained as a traditional journalist and based in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, USA, I'm a full-time freelance writer for magazines, websites, and private clients. My areas of specialty include everything in the lifestyles arena, including health and home, personal finance and other consumer interests, relationships and trends, people and business profiles ... and, of course, all things pet related.

I don't just love dogs. I need them in my life. Seriously.

  1. Knitters and Crazy Dog Girls! (In my head, that sounds about the same as the time an angry friend of mine yelled “Paperwasters and Hooligans!”)

    Oooh, but those mittens look awesome. I can only find one of my fleece mittens. Wah. And I keep thinking that I need to get some sort of coat or sweater for B – she’s got no undercoat, and she’s got no body fat. Count me out for the matching hat, though!

  2. Indeed, I hear it helps a lot with worry and anxiety. I wish I had learned as a kid. It’s probably a lot like quilting. What I tell people is that you don’t have to have patience to quilt by hand because quilting teaches patience … it’s just that knitting is probably easier to transport.

  3. “you know, in my spare time” was the line that made me laugh out loud! Other people have told me about the therapeutic value of knitting, and I tried to learn the very first time I had a major back issue (more than 20 years ago). I found that I didn’t have the patience, even when I’d been condemned to ‘bed rest’. But, perhaps it would work for you… I actually wonder if it isn’t mentally like meditation, which does wonders for me.

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