Regular readers of the blog will recognise Fifi and Tess, a 14 year old Yorkie and 3 year old Chorkie, respectively.
Here they are in their Winter coats, all long, shaggy and warm.
Whilst we were in Spain, my mother looked after both dogs and took them for their annual haircut, and they now look just a tad different!
Trouble is, Fifi feels the cold and can always be found sat as close to the fire as possible whenever it is lit.
She has a variety of coats; here is her Winter one.
This one was a non-stretch fleecy number, made specifically to stop her licking her wound after an operation.
And who can forget this disastrous effort made in rather too much of a rush and was miles too big?
Point is that, no sooner had they had their Summer trim, the weather turned – 14 degrees and rain. For two weeks.
Poor little Fifi spent most of her time curled up in a ball in an effort to keep warm, shivering pitifully.
Of course, technically, her Rudolph coat would do the job perfectly well but, quite frankly the excuse to knit up another cute little number from Debbie Bliss’ “Woolly Woofers” in summery colours was too good an opportunity to miss.
After scrutinising the descriptions and measurements of various patterns, I settled on a ‘tube’ style coat, which would be close fitting and comfortable.
It’s called “Mod Dog” for obvious reasons, but it was the tube style that I wanted, not the Mod design.
Don’t you just love the illustrations?
I had the best part of a ball of “Rainbow” double knitting yarn left over from some project or other which would be plenty for this little coat.
Wool Warehouse stock it in a dozen different colours.
I started straight away. Well, it was howling a gale and pouring down outside, so why not?
By the next day, I had finished both the front and back pieces.
A quick trip to the garden centre later, and I had a set of 3.75mm circular needles to finish the cuffs.
How’s that for a season-appropriate colourway?
I put the coat on Fifi as soon as it was off the needles and she wore it all night without the need to be wrapped up in a blanket. (For “blanket” read “one of Mr H-L’s jumpers”, because he’s so soft).
This morning I took some more pictures in daylight to show you.
Now she won’t look daft if we go out for a walk, whereas the Christmassy coat might draw a few questioning glances down the pub.
Isn’t it sweet? Although I’m hoping Summer will show it’s face at some point in August, at least Fifi won’t be shivering if it doesn’t.
Perhaps I could make a matching coat for Tess….?
August 11, 2017 at 12:39 pm
Absolutely adorable!!!! Now she’ll get comments for all the right reasons!
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August 11, 2017 at 2:10 pm
Thanks Lucie, isn’t she sweet? She really does feel the cold, although I didn’t expect to have to make her a coat in bloomin’ August, I must admit!
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August 11, 2017 at 2:07 pm
She looks devine, and I expect will still get lots of comments/compliments. But.. garden centre to buy needles? So lovely to see how you sit to knit , just like me, I wonder is there any other way to sit and knit?
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August 11, 2017 at 2:13 pm
Yes, our garden centre has expanded to include home and hobbies, too – they even sell Joules clothing! It’s always feet up on the sofa to knit or crochet. I find it forces me into a more upright position so my neck isn’t straining, which is always a worry after a slipped disc in the neck.
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August 11, 2017 at 2:18 pm
Best way to sit I think, I need cushions in the small of my back and light over my shoulder, so I sit on the left whereas you are on the right, are you left handed? What an amazing and supremely clever thing for a garden centre to do.
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August 11, 2017 at 3:39 pm
Ha ha, no I usually have a dog tucked in on the left so I’m pushed over to the edge!!
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August 11, 2017 at 4:20 pm
So now we know who wears the trousers chez sewchet!!
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August 11, 2017 at 4:33 pm
Absolutely!
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August 11, 2017 at 2:08 pm
Lovely coat , looks a good pattern and great colour Lucky Fifi🐶🐶
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August 11, 2017 at 2:14 pm
Little dogs tend to need a coat as they feel the cold more than a big dog, I’ve always found. At least this one fits like a glove this time!
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August 11, 2017 at 7:12 pm
That is very cute and she looks just a little pleased with herself wearing it too 🙂 I’m always amazed at how different our dogs look when they are trimmed up. Once a year – what a treat that would be and they look so cute!! My Siddy has to be groomed every six weeks, his coat grows so quickly and he looks like a tiny Old English. When he comes home he looks trimmer, lighter and younger. By the time I’m used to his new classy look, he’s all shaggy again. 🙂
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August 12, 2017 at 8:26 am
They look like different dogs and I don’t really recognise them for a few days after a trim. It seems to take away some of their character and I find myself longing for it to grow back. In theory, it should be nicer for them in the Summer to have short hair – but not this year!!
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August 12, 2017 at 12:05 am
That coat looks fabulous on her definatly make one for the other dog
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August 12, 2017 at 8:27 am
Thank you😀
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August 13, 2017 at 12:29 am
Aw! Bless Fifi. Fab coat and she looks gorgeous in it. Think I need a small dog to knit for.
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August 13, 2017 at 8:36 am
Thanks Bekki – she’s getting so old now, and is riddled with lumps so every day is a bonus, so to speak! We do all we can to make her as comfortable as possible. Well, you know only too well what it’s like living with an old dog who seems to be at death’s door one minute, then bounces back and surprises you the next!
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August 13, 2017 at 8:17 pm
Yep, ours both appear to be experts at taking us to the brink and back again. You’re right, we just need to play it from day to day and do what we can for them. She does look such a sweetheart.
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August 13, 2017 at 1:28 am
Poor little thing. How sad to see her shivering in the middle of summer. I”m so glad you took matters into your hands, and what a fabulous result. She looks sweet and cozy. I would wear that sweater too! Is she colder than the other dog because of her age or is it unique to her breed?
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August 13, 2017 at 8:34 am
Well, a bit of both, I think. Fifi’s hair is very fine and has thinned with age. Tess is half Chihuahua and has fur, which is thicker. As I type, Fifi is stretched out in a pool of sunlight – she tends to flop low the sun around the room!
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August 13, 2017 at 8:12 pm
Poor little Fifi looked so cold with her haircut in the English summer weather! Her rainbow coat is gorgeous 🌈
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August 20, 2017 at 9:41 am
There’s not a sorrier sight than a 6lb Yorkie shivering in the ‘heat’ of Summer, so the coat has been well used already. Thanks for the coat love:)
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August 20, 2017 at 3:23 pm
Oh the poor little soul!! But that did make me chuckle! You are most welcome 😊
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August 14, 2017 at 1:54 pm
She is just so adorable, she would look sweet in a little “summer coat” all year round. 🙂 And I am sure she will get very nice and appreciative comment from the pub. She looks bright and cheerful, and I am sure she is very happy.
Hugs to all. xx
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August 20, 2017 at 9:52 am
Thanks Joey, and I’m sure she’ll be wearing coats more often now as she is old and starting to feel the cold more and more, with or without a haircut. A cheery coat like this is nice to look at, that’s for sure!
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August 14, 2017 at 11:06 pm
She looks gorgeous! The schools are back soon so the weather will improve again then 🙂
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August 15, 2017 at 1:23 pm
Ha ha, yes, it’s a bit like going back to work after a bank holiday and the sun coming out!
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August 16, 2017 at 7:43 am
I can’t forget the ‘too big’ coat as it is here where you kindly sent it and one dog’s ‘too big’ is another dog’s ‘just right’ so it will be finding a good home this winter. She looks so sweet, bless her and I have that book so I must give the tube coat a try, especially as you made it so quickly.
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August 20, 2017 at 9:54 am
Let’s hope the ‘too big’ coat finds a good home this Winter. To be honest, all the coats for toy breeds knit up quickly because they are so small. I suppose this one took about eight hours in total, which amounted to two afternoons of rain!
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