Cute Gift to Make for Your Dog Friends

It's getting chilly in the mornings now that October is half over. My dog Sandy doesn't like to stay outside when the temp drops - this morning the thermometer read 33 degrees. Brrr!

Dog clothing is expensive to buy, and I didn't really see anything I liked after surfing the internet, so I decided to make her a wrap of some type to keep her body warm. I looked for free patterns, and voila! I found the cute and easy pattern to make the vest you see.

I found the pattern at http://www.sewing.circleofcrafters.com/ and the instructions for completing the vest.

The pattern is provided in different sizes for small dogs - for Sandy I had to adjust the pattern to get it to fit her. But after I had enlarged the pattern, it was super quick to sew up.

I measured the chest and the length of her back, and drew a pattern out on freezer paper. I had to do this a few times to get the pattern to fit properly (draw, cut out the paper pattern, see if it would fit) so it wasn't a quick 15 minute project at first. You can also have the pattern re-sized at a copy shop but I didn't want to drive somewhere to do that. Now that I've made one, I am looking forward to sewing up more of them for her.

I used a quilted scrap of muslin that I was practicing pantograph designs on for the lining, and used a funky batik. The vest is reversable, which is really neat.

If you have friends or family that have smaller dogs, this may be a super cute gift idea. You can use fleece or flannel or cotton - after you make one you'll want to make more. I know I can use all the holiday gift ideas and tips I get these days.

I'll post more gift ideas in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

We all feel good when we help others. Many of us don't have much free time to volunteer, but I try to quilt for a few volunteer groups when I can. I also contribute to Project Linus and Quilts of Valor several times a year.

If you want a new take on this volunteering thing, a couple of us from our local quilting group (the Obsessive Compulsive Quilters in Graham, WA) have decided to donate small quilts to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. People can make small quilts or postcards and send them in to be auctioned off. The winning donations go straight to Alzheimer research.

The most current quilt auction started today and runs through October 10. You won't see any of our quilt group quilts there just yet...we are still working on submissions (you can see my ladybug quilt on the home page of my website). But if you think you might want to make a little quilt for a good cause, try out a new technique on one, or are curious about the initiative, you may just want to check out the auction. You don't have to be an expert quilt goddess to send in a quilt. Click on the You Can Help link to see more information.

Have fun if you decide to try it! Let me know if you do!