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Greyhound Manor Crafts
Greyt Craft Patterns
Crafts for You and Your Greyhound
(Can Be Scaled To Other Breeds)
PERMISSION TO COPY:
Feel free to print, copy and distribute these instructions as you'd like. You can print all or part of them in newsletters
or whatever. You can change them as you'd like or reformat them so they're easier to reproduce. We would prefer
the courtesy of a credit if you do reprint them, but it's not essential. Just hug those hounds.
Copyright 1996-2000, Greyhound Manor Crafts, Jack & Amy Corrigan, P.O. Box 206, New Berlinville, PA 19545,
(610) 367 – 9551, bark@greyhoundmanor.com (www.greyhoundmanor.com)
Hound Coat ........................................................................................................1
Hooded Hound Coat .........................................................................................4
Paw Protectors and Hound Boots .................................................................7
Traditional Cool Coat .......................................................................................9
Hi-Tech Chamois Cool Coat ......................................................................... 11
Experimental Cool Snood ............................................................................ 12
Ear-Warming Snood ...................................................................................... 14
Greygirl Floral Wreath Hat ............................................................................ 15
Greyguy Sporty Irish Cap ............................................................................ 16
Greygirl Pillbox Hat ........................................................................................ 17
Greygirl TuTu .................................................................................................. 19
Greyguy Tuxedo ............................................................................................. 20
Dog Waste Composting Bin ......................................................................... 25
Greyhound Slate ............................................................................................ 28
Wooden Greyhound Folk Art ....................................................................... 30
Greyt Sayings ................................................................................................. 32
Jingle Collars .................................................................................................. 33
. . . . . . .. . .
Hound Coat
Our hound coats are very popular. The design is
very flattering to the build of a greyhound. They
stay put very well, even on fidgety dogs. They're
easy to put on and take off when made with the
single velcro fastener described here. (The photo
shows two ties, but we suggest you go with the
velcro.) Oh, yes, and, they keep your hound warm--
the purpose of a coat.
We make these out of any kind of fabric we find,
but have had the best luck with heavy
upholstery/decorating fabric and winter wool
blends. Consider odd sources of fabric, such as old
blankets, drapes or rugs. It sounds weird, but these
are typically thick heavy fabrics that wear and wash
well. And they're warm.
Throughout these instructions we refer to the inner
fabric and the outer fabric. The coats actually end up
fully reversible, so this is just to make it easier to
explain what's going on. You'll probably never
actually reverse it if you're using a woolie fleece for
one side, but it's a cool feature if you're making a
spring/fall-weight coat and can't decide which color
looks best on your hound.
Time
Each coat takes 45 minutes to make if it doesn't have
an applique. With an applique, a coat takes 60-90
minutes. I don't pin stuff and my patterns are already
made, so it may take you slightly longer, especially
for your first coat.
Materials Needed
5" strip of 2" wide sew-on velcro
(or 10" strip of 1" wide velcro)
30" x 36" piece of outer fabric
30" x 36" piece of inner fabric
OPTIONAL (for applique): paper-
backed sewable fusible web
OPTIONAL (for applique): accent
fabric •
Large sheet of paper or a paper bag
cut open (for pattern)
Step 1: Measure Hound and
Make Full-size Pattern
First, measure your hound in these three places and
write down the measurements.
Length - From where the neck bends
and becomes the back to where the
tail starts (usually 26" - 30")
Girth - Biggest distance around the
chest, just behind the front legs
(usually 28" - 32")
Width - Distance across chest as you
look straight on at the hound (usually
6"-9")
Next, take a large sheet of paper and draw out your
pattern similar to the one above, but to the size you
measured on your hound. Don't worry about
matching the drawing above exactly. Generally, you
want the coat full around the chest and you want it to
taper as it moves toward the rear. If you're worried
about butt coverage, don't taper quite as much as you
head toward the tail. The rounded corners on the tail
end add a very nice look and make later steps easier.
To figure out the X measurement in the drawing
above, subtract 5 inches from your hound's girth, then
divide the result by 2.
Now take the pattern to your hound. This is a tough
job, but worth the effort. Hold the pattern in place
2
along the hound's spine and make sure the coat falls
as you would like. Make sure the butt is covered.
Make sure the coat is long enough for the hound.
Make sure the coat will cover the chest but not drown
it. If you need to make changes, do it now--even if
you have to do the pattern over. Once you get a
perfect pattern for your hound, you'll never have to
go through this again.
Step 2: Cut Fabric
Fold the inner fabric in half. Place the long straight
side of the pattern along the fold. You can put a few
pins in at this point if you'd like, but I don't. I just
hold the pattern in place while I cut. Precision is not
that important here.
THIS IS IMPORTANT! Allow 1/4" - 1/2" extra
around the pattern as you cut the fabric. This will be
your seam allowance. If I know I'll be topstitching
(which I do with all but the bulkiest fabrics), I go
with a 1/4" seam allowance. Otherwise I go with
1/2".
Next, fold the outer fabric in half. Don't use the
pattern to cut the outer fabric. Instead, use the folded
inner fabric as the pattern. This will assure you that
the two sides will match perfectly. Cut the outer
fabric to match the inner fabric shape. (NOTE: If
you're doing an applique on a coat with a woolie
fleece inner fabric, you should do the applique now.
Jump to Step 8 for a few tips on appliques.)
Now cut the chest strap pieces. This will go across
the chest just in front of the front legs. Cut a 4 1/2" x
6" rectangle from the inner fabric. Cut the same size
rectangle from the outer fabric. (Increase the size to
5" x 6" if you're using a 1/2" seam allowance or the
woolie fleece.)
Finally, cut the stomach strap pieces. Cut two 5 1/2"
squares of the inner fabric and two 5 1/2" squares of
the outer fabric. (If you're working with a bulky inner
fabric such as woolie fleece, use the outer fabric for
all 4 of these pieces.)
Step 3: Construct Chest Strap
Place the two 4 1/2" x 6" rectangles right-sides
together. Using a 1/4" seam allowance, stitch along
both of the long sides of the rectangles, forming a
tube. Turn the tube right side out and iron. Top-stitch
the tube with a 1/4" seam allowance along the long
sides of the rectangle.
Step 4: Construct Stomach Straps
Place one inner fabric and one outer fabric 5 1/2"
square right-sides together. Using a 1/4" seam
allowance, stitch along three sides of the square,
forming a pocket. Repeat this for the other two
squares. Turn the pockets right side out. You can top-
stitch these at this point, but I find it unnecessary.
Trim the velcro to be 1/8" shorter than the pocket on
each side. Place the fuzzy side (as opposed to the
hook side) of the 2" velcro on the inner fabric about
1/8" from the sewn edges and top-stitch into place. (If
you are using the 1" velcro, cut two pieces and place
them side by side and stitch into place.)
Read this carefully. It's where I sometimes get mixed
up. Place the hook side of the 2" velcro on the
OUTER fabric of the other stomach strap and top-
stitch into place. (If you are using the 1" velcro, cut
two pieces and place them side by side and stitch into
place.)
Step 5: Sew Coat
Unfold and align the inner and outer coat pieces,
right sides together with the inner fabric on the
bottom. Place the chest strap about 1/2" from the
collar corner as shown in the diagram above. Place it
with the inner fabric down. Place it between the inner
and outer coat pieces. Use two pins to hold it in
place.
Next place the stomach straps in between the inner
and outer coat pieces. We made these bigger than
they needed to be, so they will stick out of the coat.
3
. . . . . . . . .
(This allows you to make adjustments later if
needed.) When placing these, you want to make sure
they'll fall behind the front legs. On males, you want
these as close to the front legs as possible to avoid
tinkle damage. Place the straps with the inner fabric
down. (Don't think about the velcro if you can avoid
it, or you'll confuse yourself. Just put them with the
inner fabric down. If you used the same fabric for
both sides of the straps, put one with the velcro up
and one with the velcro down.) Allow about an inch
of each strap to extend out of the coat as shown
above. If you have to make adjustments later, this
will be the place, so I just allow for it from the start.
Pin the straps into place.
If you're one who likes to pin stuff, pin all the way
around the coat. I find that I only need to pin the
chest and stomach straps in place to get a good result.
Now sew the two pieces together. You'll leave a 4-5"
opening near the collar. This will allow you to turn
the coat right side out and do the final chest strap
adjustments. Start sewing at the dot indicated on the
diagram. (This will be 1/2" from the collar corner on
the side of the coat that DOESN'T have the chest
strap pinned in place.) Sew around almost the entire
coat, sewing over the chest and stomach straps to trap
them in place. Stop when you get to the second dot
noted on the diagram. This will be 4-5" from the
point where you started sewing.
Step 6: Turn Right Side Out & Press
Clip all curves, then turn the coat right side out. Press
the seam all around the coat. Be sure to press the
seam for the opening in the coat. This will make the
next step easier.
Step 7: Test Drive the Coat and
Mark the Straps
Don't skip this step. Take the coat to your hound and
try it on. Make sure the stomach straps are an
appropriate length to fit snuggly but not too tightly.
Check the length of the coat. (You can make the coat
shorter, but not longer at this point.)
Pull the chest strap across the hound's chest and mark
where the seam should lie for a perfect fit. Don't
worry if the chest strap is a few inches too long. You
can trim it to a proper length before the final sewing.
If you need to adjust anything, turn the coat wrong
side out, pull out the necessary stitches and do it now.
You'll thank yourself later, believe me.
Step 8: OPTIONAL: Add Appliques
NOTE: If you're doing a coat with a woolie fleece
inner fabric, you should have added the applique
back in Step 2.
If you are going to applique an initial or running
hound or other shape to the coat, I'd suggest doing it
now. That way the applique will show on both sides
of the coat. It's also easier to work with the coat
before the chest strap is fully attached. Now the coat
lies flat. Later it will be more difficult to maneuver
through your machine.
To make an applique, iron the paper-backed sewable
fusible web to the wrong side of your accent fabric.
Then draw your shape. (If you're doing an initial, be
sure to draw it as a mirror image if you draw on the
paper.) Cut the shape out and remove the paper.
Position the applique on the coat and iron into place.
Use a very tightly space zigzag stitch (satin stitch) to
go around the edge of your applique. Tie off ends of
threads.
Step 9: Topstitch and
Connect Chest Strap
Poke the dangling end of the chest strap into the coat
body to the point you marked earlier. Use two pins to
hold it in place. Make sure the seams are folded
neatly on both sides and that they match up so that
the top stitch will catch both pieces of fabric.
Top stitch around the entire coat, starting just before
the pins that hold the chest strap in place. The
topstitching should be 1/4" from the edge of the coat.
Continue around the entire coat, then stitch over the
chest strap a second time (just for good measure).
That's it. You're done. Now take that fashionable
hound for a walk. You both deserve it!
Variation
This variation was submitted by Leslie Nicoll
(lnicoll@maine.rr.com). Sounds pretty interesting.
I modified the basic hound coat slightly so that
instead of having a strap across the front chest to
close it, it has a seam there (the head opening is a
hole that the dog can stick his/her head right
through). I thought the end result looked very nice
but the actual sewing of the neck was a little trickier
(not really hard for anyone who knows how to sew
but might be confusing for some people).
. . . . . . .. . .
Hooded Hound Coat
This hooded hound coat pattern was derived from a
drawing in a magazine from 1910. I doubt that they
had the benefit of velcro and plastic drawstring
stoppers, but the design is quite flattering to the build
of the greyound. When done in velvety fabric, your
hound will take on a wonderful Victorian look. When
done in upholstery fabric with fleece inside, it will be
a real cold-buster. They stay put very well, even on
fidgety dogs. They're easy to put on and take off
when made with the single velcro fastener and
drawstring stopper described here. Oh, yes, and, they
keep your hound warm--the purpose of a coat.
Using velvety or plush fabrics with satin inside will
result in a stunning, although not very warm, look for
your hound.
Time
Each coat takes me 60-90 minutes to make. I don't
pin stuff and my patterns are already made, so it may
take you slightly longer, especially for your first coat.
Materials Needed
5" strip of 2" wide sew-on velcro (or
10" strip of 1" wide velcro)
1 Plastic Drawstring Stopper (most
fabric stores have these, but they're
small and hard to find without asking)
2 foot piece of string or ribbon for
drawstring
1 yard of outer fabric
1 yard of inner fabric
Large sheet of paper or a paper bag
cut open (for pattern)
Step 1: Measure Hound and
Make Full-size Pattern
First, measure your hound in these four places and
write down the measurements.
Length - From where the neck bends
and becomes the back to where the
tail starts (usually 26" - 30")
Girth - Biggest distance around the
chest, just behind the front legs
(usually 28" - 32")
Width - Distance across chest as you
look straight on at the hound (usually
6"-9")
Neck Length - Distance from where
the neck bends and becomes the back
over the head to the eyes.
Next, take a large sheet of paper and draw out your
pattern similar to the one above, but to the size you
measured on your hound. Don't worry about
matching the drawing above exactly. Generally, you
want the coat full around the chest and rear and
thinner in the stomach region. The rounded corners
on the tail end add a very nice look and make later
steps easier.
To figure out the X measurement in the drawing
above, divide your hound's girth by 2, then subtract 3
inches.
Now take the pattern to your hound. This is a tough
job, but worth the effort. Hold the pattern in place
along the hound's spine and make sure the coat falls
as you would like. Make sure the butt is covered.
Make sure the coat is long enough for the hound.
Make sure the coat will cover the chest but not drown
it. Hold the neck piece to your hound's neck. Verify
that it will loosely make it around your hounds neck.
Don't worry if the neck seems too long. You will be
folding it over to allow for the drawstring. If you
need to make changes, do it now--even if you have to
do the pattern over. Once you get a perfect pattern for
your hound, you'll never have to go through this
again.
5
. . . . . . . . .
Step 2: Cut Fabric
Fold the inner fabric in half. Place the long straight
side of the pattern pieces for the body and the neck
along the fold. You can put a few pins in at this point
if you'd like, but I don't. I just hold the pattern in
place while I cut. Precision is not that important here.
THIS IS IMPORTANT! Allow 1/4" - 1/2" extra
around the pattern as you cut the fabric. This will be
your seam allowance. If I know I'll be top-stitching
(which I do with all but the bulkiest fabrics), I go
with a 1/4" seam allowance. Otherwise I go with
1/2".
Next, fold the outer fabric in half. Don't use the
pattern to cut the outer fabric. Instead, use the folded
inner fabric pieces as the pattern. This will assure you
that the two sides will match perfectly. Cut the outer
fabric to match the inner fabric shape.
Finally, cut the stomach strap pieces. Cut two 5 1/2"
x 7" rectangle of the inner fabric and two of the outer
fabric. (If you're working with a bulky inner fabric
such as woolie fleece, use the outer fabric for all 4 of
these pieces. It's yucky working with velcro on
fleece.)
Step 3: Construct Stomach Straps
Place one inner fabric and one outer fabric 5 1/2" x
7" rectangle right-sides together. Using a 1/4" seam
allowance, stitch along three sides, leaving a 5 1/2"
edge open, forming a pocket. Repeat this for the other
two squares. Turn the pockets right side out. You can
top-stitch these at this point, but I find it unnecessary.
Trim the velcro to be 1/8" shorter than the pocket on
each side. Place the fuzzy side (as opposed to the
hook side) of the 2" velcro on the inner fabric about
1/8" from the sewn edges and top-stitch into place. (If
you are using the 1" velcro, cut two pieces and place
them side by side and stitch into place.)
Read this carefully. It's where I sometimes get
mixed up. Place the hook side of the 2" velcro on the
OUTER fabric of the other stomach strap and top-
stitch into place. (If you are using the 1" velcro, cut
two pieces and place them side by side and stitch into
place.)
Step 4: Sew Body of Coat
Unfold and align the inner and outer coat pieces,
right sides together with the inner fabric on the
bottom. Place the stomach straps in between the inner
and outer coat pieces. We made these bigger than
they needed to be, so they will stick out of the coat.
(This allows you to make adjustments later if
needed.) When placing these, you want to make sure
they'll fall behind the front legs. On males, you want
these as close to the front legs as possible to avoid
tinkle damage. Place the straps with the inner fabric
down. (Don't think about the velcro if you can avoid
it, or you'll confuse yourself. Just put them with the
inner fabric down. If you used the same fabric for
both sides of the straps, put one with the velcro up
and one with the velcro down.) Allow about an inch
of each strap to extend out of the coat as shown
above. If you have to make adjustments later, this
will be the place, so I just allow for it from the start.
Pin the straps into place.
If you're one who likes to pin stuff, pin all the way
around the coat. I find that I only need to pin the
stomach straps in place to get a good result.
Now sew the two pieces together. You'll leave the
chest straps and neck unsewn. This will allow you to
add the neck. Start sewing as indicated on the
diagram. Sew around almost the entire coat, sewing
over the stomach straps to trap them in place. Stop as
indicated on the diagram.
Clip curves and turn right side out.
Don't skip this step. Take the coat to your hound and
try it on. Make sure the stomach straps are an
appropriate length to fit snuggly but not too tightly.
Check the length of the coat. (You can make the coat
shorter, but not longer at this point.)
Pull the chest strap across the hound's chest and mark
where the seam should lie for a perfect fit. Don't
worry if the chest strap is a few inches too long. You
can trim it to a proper length before the final sewing.
If you need to adjust anything, turn the coat wrong
side out, pull out the necessary stitches and do it now.
You'll thank yourself later, believe me.
6
Step 5: Sew Neck Parts Together
Unfold the two neck parts and place them with right
sides together. Sew along the straight edge opposite
the point as shown in the diagram. Open the
assembly you've just sewn. Fold it in half lengthwise
with right sides together. Stitch along the shorter of
the long sides as shown in the diagram. Turn this
assembly right side out. Remember that you'll have
right sides on both the inside of the neck and the
outside of the neck when the coat is finished. For
now, turn the whole thing right side out.
Step 6: Sew Neck To Body
This part is confusing and it will seem like it's not
going to work. It always does, though. Really. Take
the point of the neck piece with the right side of the
inner fabric. Place it on the point of the body against
the right side of the inner fabric. The points will point
in opposite directions when you hold them together.
Just line up the fabric edges to allow for the proper
seam allowance. Now start sewing. In all, you will
sew four edges. Make sure you're always attaching
inner fabric to inner fabric and outer fabric to outer
fabric. You will have to do some weird turns when
you get to the points for the outer fabric. Just line up
the fabric edges to allow for your seam allowance
and you'll be fine.
Step 7: Turn Right Side Out & Press
Clip near the points, then turn the coat right side out.
(You're actually only turning the neck at this point.
Press the seams all around the coat.
Step 8: Make Drawstring Channel
Fold the end of the neck over toward the inside about
an inch and stitch in place to form the channel for the
drawstring.
Step 9: Connect Chest Strap
You can do part of this step with the machine, but
you will also have to do some hand-stitching. You
can stitch this entire section by hand if you'd like. All
that is left is to connect the seams that will form the
chest strap in the front of the coat. Put right sides of
the outer fabric together and start stitching. You will
soon hit the inner fabric, which you want to also
place with right sides together. Eventually you'll get
to a point where you'll have to topstitch the seam to
fully close it. The final shape of the coat is shown in
the diagram above.
Step 10: Feed Drawstring Through
Make two small slits in folded over drawstring
channel. Make the slits in the inside of the neck. Use
a safety pin on the end of the drawstring to feed it
through the channel of the hood. Slip the plastic
drawstring stopper onto the drawstring and tie knots
in the end of the drawstrings. I usually let the
drawstrings hang about 4 inches on each side when
the hood is fully open. This is plenty if your using the
drawstring stopper. If you're just going to tie the
hood, you'll need to leave a longer drawstring.
Step 11: OPTIONAL
Make Leash Slit
Some people like to put their hound's collar on the
outside of the hood for walks to maximize warmth.
They don't like a gaping slit for a leash letting air
inside the coat. If you're one of those, you're done.
Others like to have the collar on the inside, close to
the hound's neck. If you're one of those, you'll need to
add an extra-long button hole to the coat so the leash
can be attached while the coat is on your hound. The
leash slit should be at least 2 inches long and is better
if it's 3 inches long to allow for play in the leash and
collar. The slit should be placed in the neck part of
the coat, an inch or two from the point formed on the
top of the coat where the neck meets the body.
That's it. You're done. Now take that fashionable
hound for a walk. You both deserve it!
7
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. . . . . . .. . .
Paw Protectors and
Hound Boots
Did you know that the salt used to keep roads and
sidewalks clear in the winter can be harmful to your
hound‟s paws? Ever noticed your hound doing the
"cold foot shuffle" when you‟re walking him in the
winter? Maybe you need to whip up a set of these
simple paw protectors or hound boots.
These simple-to-make paw protectors are great for:
Keeping paws dry for those hounds
who don‟t like getting their feet wet in
the rain •Protecting paws when
walking on rough or uneven surfaces
Protecting paws from the heat of
pavement
Protecting paws from salt and other
chemicals used to melt ice
Keeping paws warm when walking in
snowy or icy conditions
Preventing damage from scratching
when medical conditions such as skin
allergies arise.
Time
Each set of paw protectors takes about 30 minutes to
make.
Materials Needed
1/4 yard of strong, non-slip fabric
such as cordura nylon, pack cloth,
upholstery fabric or suede.
Four 4-inch lengths of 1-inch sewable
velcro.
Paw Protector Instructions
1. Cut 8 pieces of fabric in the shape shown
below. Each piece should be about 4 1/4 inches
wide and 7 ½ inches tall.
2. Sew the scratchy side of the velcro to the
right side of 4 of the shapes about 4 ½ inches
from the rounded end. The scratchy side of the
velcro should face up.
3. Form four sandwiches with right sides
together. Each sandwich should contain one
piece with velcro and one piece without. In
between these two pieces of fabric, insert the
fuzzy side of the velcro with the fuzzy side
facing away from the scratchy side of the velcro.
4. Sew around all but the short side of the boot,
using a ½ seam allowance. Catch one edge of the
fuzzy side of the velcro in the seam, but leave the
other edge free.
8
5. Turn each assembly right-side out. Fold top
edge over twice (once will do for suede) and
topstitch to form finished edge on each boot.
6. To test the boots, slip them on to your
hound‟s foot with the velcro side facing forward.
Wrap the free piece of velcro TIGHTLY around
your hound‟s leg. It should fall above the "wrist
or ankle" joint for best results. Now take a test
walk. Paw protectors may twist on the foot, but
should not fall off.
Winter Hound Boots
The small paw protectors may fall off in deep snow,
never to be found until Spring. They also have a
tendency to twist while on the hound‟s foot. If you
find this annoying, try making full hound boots. The
ones pictured here have a decorative fur trim to really
make a fashion statement. Each set of winter boots
takes 30 - 60 minutes to make, depending upon
materials and embellishments.
To make the winter boots, follow the paw protector
instructions, but make 4 of the shapes (for the front
feet) 12 ½ inches tall rather than 7 ½ inches. For best
results, use two strips of velcro; one at 4 ½ inches
from the toe to be just above the first joint and one at
7 inches from the toe to be just above the second
joint.
The four shapes for boots for the back paws should
be 16 ½ inches tall with velcro 4 ½ inches from the
toe and 12 inches from the toe.
9
. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . .. . .
Traditional
Cool Coat
Greyhounds cannot sweat through their skin to
release heat as humans do. Therefore, your hound
pants. Excessive panting is a sure sign your pet is
overheated. Other signs include bright red gums, lack
of coordination and overall physical weakness.
Heatstroke can cause your hound to collapse.
If you're going to have your hound out in the heat,
you can take some precautions to keep him cool. One
of those is a "cool coat." This is a coat that takes
advantage of evaporation to draw heat away from
your hound's body. The cool coat is made out of
some material that holds water well and doused with
water. The evaporation action draws the heat away
from your hound's skin.
We've included instructions for three types of cool
coats here. The first is the traditional cool coat made
out of an old towel. The second uses high-tech
synthetic chamois. The third is an experimental
design for a "cool snood." This third version takes
advantage of the fact that blood runs closest to the
skin surface on a hound's throat, chest and ears and
just covers those areas.
Thanks to all who provided input for these patterns.
Traci Hilbert (siocliath@geocities.com) and Ellen
Schneiderman (ejks@mail.execpc.com) contributed
the ideas for the experimental cool snood. Chris
Stolpe (Chrismums@aol.com) of Chrisanthemums
contributed the idea for making the coats 3/4 length
rather than full length. (Chrisanthemums sells a
wetdown coat on their web site.) Judy Price
(jtpri@aol.com) and Kathy Johnson
(kjohnson@ddc.com) contributed great tips for the
traditional cool coat made from a towel. Alison
Brendel (brendel@vetmed.wsu.edu)contributed the
idea about using chamois instead of terry cloth. Ellie
in CT (audice@aol.com) suggests that the velour
towels hold more water than the standard terry cloth.
Kate Bressler (k8nkc@qni.com)contributed some
greyt fastening ideas. Jackie Phyfe (jdfife@snet.net)
contributed the idea of adding pockets to hold ice or
sponges. Janet Stinson (greycoats@webtv.net)
inspired the search for a lightweight, highly-
absorbant fabric for the experimental model (which
led to Handi-Wipes).
Traditional Cool Coat
This is the traditional cool coat made out of an old
towel. It's best to use the cheap towels rather than the
over-sized, luxurious ones. Rumor has it that the
velour towels will hold more water, so will keep your
hound cooler for a longer period of time. When
selecting your towel, be sure to choose a light color
so the sun is reflected rather than absorbed into the
coat.
The stomach straps are a full 10 inches wide,
providing evaporation action in the chest area. Since
the blood runs closest to the skin around the chest,
throat and ears, this is an important cooling feature.
Time
Each traditional cool coat takes 20-30 minutes to
make.
Materials Needed
1 small bath towel (try to find one that
is 22" or 24" wide and 40-some inches
long)
10" piece of velcro (I usually use the
2" wide, but 1" will do)
2 yards of extra wide, double-folded
bias tape (or 2 yards of 1" ribbon
folded and pressed lengthwise)
Instructions
1. As shown in the diagram below, fold the
towel in half lengthwise. If there is fringe on
the towel, cut it off. Decorative borders are
fine and do not need to be removed.
Measure down 5 inches from the fold on the
10
short side and make a mark. Measure over 7
inches on the long side and make a mark.
Draw a line between the two points and cut
through both layers of toweling to form a V
that will be the neckline. Cut the coat to a
length of 28 inches.
2. Fold the bias tape over the raw edge on the
tail end of the coat and top-stitch in place.
3. Fold the bias tape over the raw edge of the V
that forms the neckline and top-stitch in
place.
4. Fold the coat lengthwise with right sides
together. Stitch a seam along the front chest
closure as shown in the diagram below.
5. From the leftover toweling, cut two
rectangles to be used for the stomach straps.
The rectangles should be 10 inches wide and
tall enough to allow the coat to be fastened
under your hound's belly. (I subtract the
width of my towel from 34 and then divide
that number by 2 to get this measurement for
my hounds. For example, if I have a 22"
wide towel, I'd make my straps (32 - 22)/2 =
10/2 = 5 inches tall. It's better to make the
straps too big than too small.) Take
advantage of the finished edges of the towel
when cutting the straps. It will mean less
edge-work for you.
6. For each stomach strap, fold bias tape over
any raw edges and top-stitch in place. Leave
one long edge of each rectangle raw. Stitch
the scratchy side of the velcro to the right
side of one strap. Stitch the fuzzy side of the
velcro to the wrong side of the other strap.
7. Try the coat on your hound and find the
position for the stomach straps. They should
go just behind the front legs. Place the
stomach strap on the coat with right sides
together in the correct position as shown in
the diagram below. Stitch along the raw
edge of the strap. Repeat on the other side of
the coat for the other strap. Remember to
place right sides of the toweling together so
that the velcro will meet when you're done.
8. OPTIONAL: Use the leftover towel scraps
to make pockets to hold sponges or ice.
Remember that the chest area is a good one to
cool. In the flowered sample below, I added an
ice pocket with a velcro closure stitched in place
on the front chest area. I cut two 5" squares of
toweling and sewed three sides. Then I turned it
right-side out and added seam binding along the
top edge. I added a small bit of velcro on each
side to hold the pocket shut when filled with ice.
Then, I made a straight stitch just under the seam
binding on one side to hold the pocket in place
on the front of the chest. There are really no rules
on the pockets. Just make them the size you need
to hold sponges, sports ice packs or loose ice
cubes.
There. You're done. If you know you're going to be in
a hot situation with your hound, just soak your coat
and put it in a zip-loc bag. You can even keep it in
your cooler. Be sure to bring lots of extra water to
pour over the coat as the water evaporates and the
coat dries. Your hound will be calm, cool and
collected even in very warm conditions.
11
. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . .. . .
Hi-Tech Chamois
Cool Coat
This cool coat uses high-tech, very absorbant
synthetic chamois. It's available in the car washing
section of discount stores like WalMart and K-Mart.
It's rather pricey. I paid $8 for the 3 1/2 square foot
piece used to make this coat. It is very lightweight
and compact, though, and would be a great addition
to a first aid kit for your hound. It could be soaked
and put in a zip-lock bag and kept in the first aid kit,
ready for any heat-related emergency.
You could also use regular chamois, but it is more
expensive. Also, since it's a leather product, your
hound may want to chew on it. The synthetic
chamois is advertised to be twice as absorbant as
natural chamois, so should keep your hound cool for
twice as long.
Time
Each hi-tech chamois cool coat takes 15-30 minutes
to make.
Materials Needed
1 piece of synthetic chamois (found in
car care section - a 3 1/2 square foot
piece will do)
4" piece of velcro (I usually use the 2"
wide, but 1" will do)
Instructions
1. As shown in the diagram below, fold the
chamois in half lengthwise. Cut 4 1/2" off of one
end, leaving 19 1/2 inches for the main body of
the coat. From the 4 1/2" strip, cut two 7" pieces
and one 6" piece. Cut the 4 1/2" x 6" rectangle
down to be 3" x 6"; this will be the chest strap.
2. Sew one 3" side of the 3" x 6" rectangle to
the front of the coat. Turn the coat inside out
and sew the other 3" side to the opposite
side of the coat as shown in the diagram.
3. Sew one side of the velcro to each of the 4
1/2" x 7" rectangles. Place it 1/4" from the
edge of the rectangle. These are the stomach
straps.
4. Go try the coat on your hound to find out
where the stomach straps should be placed.
You want them to go behind the front legs
so that your hound can walk easily. Mark
the position.
5. Place one stomach strap on the body of the
coat as shown in the diagram below and
stitch in place. Repeat for the other strap on
the other side of the coat. Remember to
place the velcro so that the two sides will
meet properly when wrapped under your
hound's chest.
Now you have a lightweight, super absorbent cool
coat that can be used to keep your hound cool.
. . . . . . .. . .
Experimental
Cool Snood
While researching cool coats and how they work,
Traci Hilbert and Ellen Schneiderman pointed out
that the traditional coat that hangs on the back really
isn't hitting the key cool-down areas of the throat,
chest and ears. After experimenting with a few
"apron" designs, I stumbled onto the idea of adapting
Leslie Nichol's snood design to use for cooling rather
than warming. The problem was going to be the
thickness of the fabric. While accidentally wandering
through the cleaning aisle of WalMart, I found the
solution--HandiWipes! They're lightweight, they
breathe, they're absorbent, they reflect the sun, they're
washable, they're pretty durable and they're cheap
($1.50 for a package of 5).
It's not warm enough here to test them out for real
yet, but they sure seem good in theory. If you try one
of these and can report on the cooling properties,
please do. Your hound will look a little goofy, but
you'll be hitting all of the key cooling points.
Time
Each cool snood takes 20-30 minutes to make.
Materials Needed
1 package of 5 HandiWipes (available
in the cleaning aisle)
12" piece of elastic (1/4" - 3/8" wide)
48" of ribbon for the ties (or you can
use shoelaces)
Instructions
1. Take three of the HandiWipes and sew them
end-to-end on the short sides to form a very
long rectangle. Fold this long rectangle in
half with right sides together and stitch
along the three open sides. Leave a small
area open to allow turning this right-side
out. This will be the portion of the snood
under the chin and will extend into an
"apron" that covers the chest. Turn the
rectangle right-side out and stitch up the
hole you left for turning. Optionally, press
the piece.
2. Take the remaining two HandiWipes and
place them together. Stitch around all four
sides, leaving open a small space to allow
turning the piece right-side out. Turn the
piece right-side out and stitch up the hole
you left for turning. Optionally, press the
piece.
3. Place the longer rectangle on the table with
the long side on top. Place the smaller
rectangle on top of it with its short side on
top. Align the upper left corners. Stitch
along the top edge as shown in the diagram.
Repeat for the opposite sides of the
rectangles. Now you have a tube with an
apron extending from one portion of it. This
apron will cover your hound's chest. Turn
the piece right side out.
13
. . . . . . . . .
4. Stitch all the way around the tube about 1"
from the edge on the side where the two
rectangles are aligned. The channel you are
forming will be used to hold the elastic
which will hold the snood up around your
hound's ears.
5. Clip a small slit on the channel and feed the
elastic through it. (I attach a safety pin to the
end of the elastic to make this job easier.)
After feeding the elastic all the way through,
sew the two ends of the elastic together to
form a loop. Then let the elastic slip back
into the channel.
6. Cut your 48" piece of ribbon into two 24"
sections. Sew one piece onto each corner of
the apron. These ties will go up around the
ribs and tie at the top of your hound's back.
7. OPTIONAL: The entire snood is a double
layer of HandiWipes. You can sew square
shapes into any area to hold a sponge or
sports ice pack. A small slit will allow you
to insert the sponge. Then stitch the slit back
up. This model can be worn with the snood
down around the neck or up around the ears.
Douse the snood with additional water as
necessary to keep it wet and the evaporation
working.
. . . . . . .. . .
Ear-Warming Snood
Keep those hound's ears toasty with this quick and
easy snood. Great for those especially cold days
where just a coat won't cut it. Special thanks to Leslie
Nicoll(lnicoll@maine.rr.com) for creating this pattern
and sharing it with the world.
The snood is long enough that hounds don‟t pull it
out of the neck of the coat, even when fidgeting and
moving.
Time
Each snood takes 5-15 minutes to make.
Materials Needed
20" x 30" piece of fabric (polar fleece
works best, but anything thick and
warm will do)
12" piece of elastic (anything from
1/4" to 1/2" wide)
Instructions
1. Basically, take a 20"x30" piece of fabric.
Sew a seam on the 20" side so you have a
tube.
2. Hem one end on the machine by turn the
fabric over 1/4", then 1/4" again and sewing.
3. Turn over the other end 1/4" and sew, then
turn again (this time 1/2" - 3/4") and sew to
make a casing. Leave a small opening.
4. Measure a piece of elastic around the dog's
face (usually about 12 inches), near the ears.
Subtract 2" and cut the elastic. Be sure to
measure while the elastic is in its
unstretched state.
5. Thread the elastic through the casing. Adjust
size on dog, sew elastic together, close up
hole on casing and there you have it. You
can put the snood on first, then the hound
coat.
. . . . . . .. . .
Greygirl Floral
Wreath Hat
These simple-to-make floral wreaths bring out the
medieval grace and elegance of your greygirl.
They‟re flashy yet tasteful and stay on the head well.
We know--we‟ve tested them. If you want to
participate in costume contests, but don‟t want your
hound to look goofy, these are a nice choice.
Time
Each floral wreath hat takes 15-25 minutes to make.
Materials Needed
4-inch grapevine wreath (or make
your own out of any viney plant)
Bit of spanish moss
10 or more feet of thin satin ribbon
(use one color or several)
8-12 small satin roses in coordinating
colors
11-inch piece of ¼ inch elastic
Instructions
1. Attach the 11-inch piece of elastic to the
bottom of the wreath to form a chin strap. I
usually hand-sew this on, but hot glue would
also work.
2. Cut 6-8 18-inch pieces of satin ribbon and
tie them to one strand in the wreath. Make
the knot be in the middle of the length of
ribbon, forming two ribbon streamers out of
each piece. I concentrate them on the bottom
of the wreath on the side that will be the part
of the wreath nearest the neck of the hound.
3. Hot glue the spanish moss to the top of the
wreath. Glue it really well to hold up to the
head-shaking and such.
4. Take a 2-foot piece of satin ribbon. Hot glue
one end to the wreath in an inconspicuous
place. Gently and loosely wrap the ribbon
around and through the wreath 5-7 times.
You should end up where you started. Hot
glue this and trim any excess ribbon.
5. Hot glue satin ribbon roses into place.
. . . . . . .. . .
Greyguy
Sporty Irish Cap
These sporty Irish hats fit well with the character of
most greyhounds. You can make them out of any
fabric, but the Irish plaids seem to look the best to us.
A very nice distinguished yet playful look for your
hound.
Time
Each Irish cap takes 15-25 minutes to make.
Materials Needed
¼ yard of fabric - tweeds and plaid
wools work best
5-inch circle of posterboard or thin
cardboard
11-inch piece of ¼ elastic
Instructions
1. Cut one 11-inch circle of fabric and two 5
½-inch circles of fabric.
2. Cut a 5-inch circle of posterboard or thin
cardboard.
3. Use a 1-inch basting to hand-baste ½ inch
from the edge of the 11-inch circle. When
all the way around the circle, pull the
threads to draw the circle as tightly together
as possible. (This will form a bag-like item.
Be sure the right side of the fabric is out.)
Tie the threads to secure the circle.
4. Place right sides together on the 5 ½-inch
fabric circles and sew with a ¼-inch seam
allowance around the entire circle. Clip
curves.
5. Carefully cut an X in one of the fabric
circles and turn the circles right-side out.
Iron flat.
6. Carefully squish and squeeze the
posterboard into the circle just made. Don‟t
worry if the posterboard bends--it‟s okay.
7. Top-stitch ¼ inch from the edge. That‟s
right, sew through the posterboard and the
layers of fabric. This is now the brim of your
hat.
8. Attach the elastic to the brim to form a chin
strap. The hat will lay best if you attach the
elastic about 1 inch in from the edge of the
hat on each side. You can hot glue this or
sew it. Since it takes a lot of pressure, I
usually sew it.
9. Attach the brim to the first circle. Be sure to
put the side of the brim with the X cut in it
to the side of the big circle with the gathers.
You may want to slightly offset the brim
circle from the large circle so the brim sticks
out slightly. You can hot glue these together
or hand-stitch them.
Variation: Instead of a solid-colored 11-inch
circle, sew 6 pie-shaped pieces of
fabric of different colors to form the
initial circle. This results in a very nice
look.
. . . . . . .. . .
Greygirl Pillbox Hat
The look of glamour is achieved in these simple satin
pillbox hats embellished with sequins, tulle and
rhinestones. Add a simple tutu and you‟ve got a very
flashy look in no time.
Time
Each pillbox hat takes 20-30 minutes to make
Materials Needed
¼ yard of fabric - satin or linings
work best
Piece of posterboard or thin cardboard
at least 18" long
11-inch piece of ¼ elastic
5-inch square of paper-backed fusible
web (like Heat „n Bond)
Instructions
1. Cut a 1-inch strip of posterboard at least 18
inches long. (A rotary cutter works great for
this.)
2. Cut an oval out of the posterboard. The
exact shape is not important--it really
doesn‟t show much after all the
embellishments. Aim to have it be 4 inches
the long way and 3 inches the short way.
3. Carefully hot glue the 1-inch strip to the
edge of the oval to form the pillbox shape.
You might want to work on a surface you
can easily remove hot glue from as you‟re
likely to have some ooze out of the seams.
Finish the strip by overlapping it onto itself
by about 1 inch and gluing securely. Trim
off any extra. Don‟t worry about glue glops
or irregularities. They‟ll all be covered up.
4. Iron the 5-inch square of paper-backed
fusible web to the wrong side of the fabric.
Place your posterboard hat on the paper side
of the fusible web and loosely draw about ½
inch extra around the shape of the hat. No
need to be exact here. Cut on the line you
just drew.
5. Be careful here. You can burn your fingers.
Remove the paper backing and iron the
fabric oval on to the top of the hat, leaving
the ½ inch overhang all the way around.
Don‟t leave the iron on the fabric too long or
the hot glue you used to construct the hat
will melt.
6. Snip the overhang every ½ inch or so. Now
go back to the iron and iron down each little
"spoke‟ of the overhang created by the snip.
This will form a smooth top with a nice
corner.
7. Place the hat on the remaining fabric and
draw around the edge. Cut just inside this
line to form an oval just the size of the hat.
Hot glue this oval with right side up to the
inside of the hat.
8. Cut a 3 7/8 inch strip of the fabric, at least
18 inches long. (Longer is okay and will
give you a fudge factor.) Iron this in half
with right sides out to form a long 2‟ strip.
Open this up and iron each side in to the
center crease with right sides out. Fold the
strip in half along the original first crease
and press again. The result is a 1" strip with
nice, clean edges.
18
9. Hot glue the strip to the hat. First glue the
outside all the way around, then the inside.
The folds and creases in the strip will line up
perfectly with the top and inside edges of the
band of the hat. When you get to the end,
fold over and glue. Don‟t worry about
imperfections--your embellishments will
cover them.
10. Hot glue the elastic strip to the inside of the
band of the hat to form a chin strap.
11. Now the fun part. Embellish your hat with
sequins, silk flowers, bits of tulle, ribbons,
bows, rhinestones, plastic fruit or whatever
you have.
. . . . . . .. . .
Greygirl TuTu
A simple tutu can be a great costume for your
favorite greygirl. They go very well with the pillbox
hats.
Time
Each tutu requires 10-25 minutes.
Materials Needed
1-3 yards of tulle or netting. (The
more you use, the fuller the skirt will
be.)
2 feet of 1-inch elastic
Instructions
1. Fold the tulle or netting in half and half
again to form as many layers as you‟d like
in the skirt. For 1 yard of tulle, I usually
have 4 layers. For 2 yards, I‟d have 8. Do
not cut the folds on either edge. It‟s much
easier to work with this way.
2. Pin the tulle at the fold on the side where the
elastic will go. It‟s going to look like the
tulle is much too long and could be wrapped
around your girl several times. It will
shorten considerably when you add the
elastic.
3. Secure the tulle to the elastic with a few
stitches. Now the hard part. Stretch the
elastic (from both the front and back of the
presser foot) while you sew it onto the tulle.
You‟ll be sewing down the middle of the
elastic, which may end up giving you a ¾
inch seam allowance. Stretch the elastic as
much as you can to get the maximum
fullness in the final tutu. You will have extra
elastic when you get to the end of the tulle.
4. Loop the extra elastic back to where you
started sewing and secure with a few
stitches. This will form the waistband of the
tutu.
5. Now cut the folds left in the tulle. You
might also want to round off any square
edges left on the sides of the tulle. Fluff the
tulle and you‟re done.
. . . . . . .. . .
Greyguy Tuxedo
Our hound tuxedos are very popular. The design is
very flattering to the build of a greyhound. They stay
put very well, even on fidgety dogs. They're easy to
put on and take off when made with the single velcro
fastener described here. And don't they make for a
dapper looking hound?!?! Perfect for weddings and
formal events.
We make these out of any dark fabric we find, but get
the best results with black and charcoal gray
summerweight wools. These fabrics hang very well.
Throughout these instructions we refer to the inner
fabric and the outer fabric. We find it easiest to use
just one fabric for both the inner shell and the outer.
However, when low on a particularly good outer
fabric, we will use a different fabric for the inner
shell.
Time
Each tux takes me about an hour and a half to make.
About a half an hour of this is the hand-sewing of the
finishing touches and can be done while watching
television or riding in the car. I don't pin stuff and my
patterns are already made, so it may take you slightly
longer, especially for your first tux.
Materials Needed
5" strip of 2" wide sew-on velcro (or 10" strip
of 1" wide velcro)
1 yard of outer fabric (44" or 54" wide)
1 yard of inner fabric (44" or 54" wide)
1 10" x 30" piece of white fabric for shirt
1 36" x 8" piece of black velvet or black satin
for the collar of the tux
1/4 yard of satin for cumberbun and tie
6 gold or pearl buttons for front of coat
2 gold buttons and a 4" length of gold chain for
tail buttons
OPTIONAL: 1 12" x 18" piece of white fabric
for French cuffs
OPTIONAL: 1 2" length of 1" wide sew-on
velcro for French cuffs
OPTIONAL: 1 felt top hat (find this in the doll
section of your craft store)
OPTIONAL: 1 sheet of black plastic canvas to
make top hat sturdy
OPTIONAL: 1 8" length of black 1/4" elastic
for hat strap
Large sheet of paper or a paper bag cut open
(for pattern)
Step 1 – Measure Hound and Make Full-
Sized Pattern
1. First, measure your hound in these three places
and write down the measurements.
Length - From where the neck bends and
becomes the back to where the tail starts
(usually 26" - 30")
Girth - Biggest distance around the chest,
just behind the front legs (usually 28" -
32")
Width - Distance across chest as you look
straight on at the hound (usually 6"-9")
21
. . . . . . . . .
2. Next, take a large sheet of paper and draw out
your pattern similar to the one above, but to the
size you measured on your hound. Don't worry
about matching the drawing above exactly.
Generally, you want the coat full around the
chest and you want it to taper as it moves toward
the rear. The rear end should end just where the
tail starts and the ends must be squared off to
accept the "tails" of the tuxedo.
3. To figure out the X measurement in the drawing
above, subtract 5 inches from your hound's girth,
then divide the result by 2.
4. Now take the pattern to your hound. This is a
tough job, but worth the effort. Hold the pattern
in place along the hound's spine and make sure
the coat falls as you would like. Make sure the
coat will cover the chest but not drown it. If you
need to make changes, do it now--even if you
have to do the pattern over. Once you get a
perfect pattern for your hound, you'll never have
to go through this again.
5. The other pattern piece you'll need is the tail of
the tux. (This is the flap that hangs down over
the butt. For this, you'll need to measure the
width of your first pattern piece at the rear end.
Mine usually end up being 6-8". Now add 1 1/2"
to this measurement and draw a line that length
on your pattern paper. Draw a line at a right
angle to this and make it 8" long. Now draw a
curved line to connect to two endpoints. You
should have a pie-shaped piece.
Step 2 - Cut Inner Fabric
1. Fold the inner fabric in half. Place the long
straight side of the main pattern piece along the
fold. You can put a few pins in at this point if
you'd like, but I don't. I just hold the pattern in
place while I cut. Precision is not that important
here.
2. THIS IS IMPORTANT! Allow 1/4" - 1/2" extra
around the pattern as you cut the fabric. This will
be your seam allowance. I usually go with a 3/8"
seam allowance, but use what your'e comfortable
with.
3. Then place the tail pattern piece along the fold
and cut it out, allowing for your seam allowance.
Cut along the fold so that you have two pieces
that are mirror images of each other.
4. Finally, cut two 6 1/2" by 5 1/2" rectangles of the
inner fabric.
Step 3 - Cut Outer Fabric
1. Next, fold the outer fabric in half. Don't use the
pattern to cut the outer fabric. Instead, use the
folded inner fabric as the pattern. This will
assure you that the two sides will match
perfectly. Cut the outer fabric to match the inner
fabric shape.
2. Now lay one of the tail pieces (inner fabric) on
the fold of the outer fabric. Cut the outer fabric
tail pieces to match.
3. There are no rectangles of the outer fabric
needed.
Step 4 - Construct the Shirt and Tie
1. Cut a rectangle of white fabric 10" x 20". Fold
the fabric into pleats and iron them one by one.
After folding and ironing the pleats you should
end up with a piece that is 10" by around 6".
2. Cut one 10" by 6" rectangle of the white fabric
as a backing.
3. Cut four triangles (to be used for the shirt collar).
These should be about 3" along each side. Place
two triangles right-sides together and stitch along
two sides. Repeat for the other pair of triangles.
Turn right-side out and iron.
4. Place the pleated piece of fabric right-side up on
your work surface. Place the two triangles along
the top edge. They should touch just at the top
edge of the pleated piece of fabric and should be
22
in about the middle of the width. They should be
side by side. Place the 10" by 6" rectangle on top
of this, right-side down. Pin this construction
together.
5. Carefully sew along the two short ends first.
Then sew along the entire length of the top edge.
(This will stitch the triangles into place.) Then
sew about 1/3 of the distance across the bottom
edge. Stop stitching and move 2" down. Finish
sewing the bottom edge. Use the 2" space to turn
the shirt right-side out. Iron so the triangles form
the collar. Hand-stitch closed the opening you
used to turn the shirt right-side out.
6. Cut a 2 1/2" x 24" rectangle of satin for the tie.
Fold this lengthwise with right sides together.
Stitch the length of the satin to form a tube. Turn
the tube right-side out. Tie into a bow of the
appropriate size for the shirt. Using thread that
matches the satin, stitch the long ends of the bow
under the collar triangles (while the bow is still
tied. Trim the excess ends of the satin tube. Your
shirt front is now done.
Step 5 - Construct Cumberbun
(Stomach Straps)
1. Fold one of the inner fabric 5 1/2" by 6 1/2"
rectangles in half, right sides together. You
should have a rectangle 5 1/2" x 3 1/4". Stitch
the two short sides using a 1/4" seam allowance.
Turn this right side out. Sew the scratchy side of
the velcro to this rectangle, placing it as close to
the finished (folded) edge as possible.
2. Sew the other side of the velcro to the other 5
1/2" by 6 1/2" piece of inner fabric. Place it
about 1/2" from the edge of one end. Remember,
the finished stomach strap will be 6" long and 5"
wide. Be sure to place the velcro along one of the
short sides of the rectangle.
3. Cut a rectangle of the satin 6 1/2" by 15" and
iron it flat. Loosely baste along both of the long
edges. Pull the threads to scrunch the piece into a
6 1/2" by 5 1/2" size. With right sides together,
pin the inner fabric rectangle to the scrunched
satin rectangle. The velcro should be on the
inside with the right side of the satin. Stitch the
two basted (scrunched) edges first. Then stitch
along the other two edges, making sure not to
catch the folds of satin in the seam. Leave a 2"
area unstitched along one of the edges so you can
turn the assembly right side out. Turn the
assembly right-side out and hand-stitch closed
the opening you left.
Step 6 - Stitch the Tail Pieces
1. Place one inner fabric tail piece and one outer
fabric tail piece with right sides together. Stitch
along the 8" side and the curved side, leaving the
third side open. Place the other inner fabric tail
piece and outer fabric tail piece with right sides
together. The curved side of this tail piece should
be on the opposite side from the first one you
did. Stitch the 8" side and the curved side,
leaving the third side open. Clip the corners and
curves to promote a smooth seam. Turn both
assemblies right side out and iron flat.
Step 7 - Cut and Construct the Collar
1. This part will scare you, but it always works out
great if you just follow these steps. Really. Fold
the collar fabric (velvet or satin) in half with
right sides together. Lay this under the inner
fabric coat piece with the folds together.
Following the line of the inner fabric neckline,
cut the collar to precisely match the neckline.
Follow the outline through the curve of the coat
to about where the front legs will be. Now
remove the inner fabric. Freehand a collar shape
as you'd like it to lay on the coat. Be sure to add
1/2" for a seam allowance.
23
. . . . . . . . .
2. Now take the piece you just cut (with right sides
together) and flip it so the right sides are out.
Use this as the pattern to cut the back side of the
collar. (You'll be cutting it out of the fabric with
right sides still together. Only the pattern will be
right sides out.) Cut it to match the first collar
piece.
3. Unfold the collar pieces and place them right
sides together. Stitch along your freehand edges,
leaving the neckline edge open. Clip curves and
corners and turn right side out.
Step 8 - Final Assembly
1. Lay out the inner fabric with right side facing up.
Place the tail pieces on this. The raw edges of the
tail assemblies should be aligned with tail edge
of the coat. The two tail pieces should overlap in
the center by a few inches. They should be
placed so they are 3/8" from the outer edges of
the sides of the coat. (This will allow them to flip
out correctly when you turn the whole thing right
side out.)
2. Place the stomach straps (cumberbun) in place.
Put the satin piece with the satin facing up. Put
the other strap with the velcro facing up. They
should be placed on the sides where the coat
starts to curve along the chest. They should be
placed so they will not interfere with the front
legs when the tux is complete and they are
fastened.
3. This order is important. Place the shirt front with
the TIE FACING UP as shown in the diagram.
Then place the collar assembly in place, over the
shirt front.
4. Place the outer fabric in place, right side down.
Pin all the parts in place.
5. Starting at the left side of the neckline, sew the
pieces together. You'll leave a 4-5" opening near
the collar. This will allow you to turn the coat
right side out and do the final chest strap
adjustments. Start sewing at the dot indicated on
the diagram. (This will be 1/2" from the collar
corner on the side of the coat that DOESN'T
have the shirt front pinned in place. Sew around
almost the entire coat, sewing over the tails and
stomach straps to trap them in place. Stop when
you get to the second dot noted on the diagram.
This will be 4-5" from the point where you
started sewing.
Step 9 - Turn Right Side Out and Press
1. Clip all curves and corners, then turn the coat
right side out. Press the seam all around the coat.
Be sure to press the seam for the opening in the
coat. This will make the next step easier.
Step 10 - Test Drive the Coat and Mark
Chest Strap
1. Don't skip this step. Take the coat to your hound
and try it on. Make sure the stomach straps are
an appropriate length to fit snuggly but not too
tightly. Check the length of the coat. (You can
make the coat shorter, but not longer at this
point.)
2. Pull the shirt front across the hound's chest and
mark where the seam should lie for a perfect fit.
Don't worry if the chest strap is a few inches too
long. You can trim it to a proper length before
the final sewing.
3. If you need to adjust anything, turn the coat
wrong side out, pull out the necessary stitches
and do it now. You'll thank yourself later,
believe me.
Step 11 - Connect Shirt Front
1. Poke the dangling end of the shirt front into the
coat body to the point you marked earlier. Use
two pins to hold it in place. Make sure the seams
are folded neatly on both sides and that they
match up so that the top stitch will catch all
pieces of fabric, including both layers of the
collar. Hand-stitch the final seam using thread
that coordinates with the collar.
Step 12 - Add Final Touches
1. Thread a gold button and one end of the gold
chain. Hand-sew this to the tails, just where they
cross over each other. Thread the other gold
button and the other end of the chain. Hand-sew
this in place to the other side of the tail overlap.
Be sure to leave a little slack so you get a
graceful curve in the chain when it hangs.
24
2. Hand-sew the six pearl or gold buttons to the
collar of the coat, just next to the shirt front.
3. That's it. You're done. Now take that fashionable
hound for a walk. You both deserve it!
Step 13 - OPTIONALLY
Make French Cuffs
1. Fold the white fabric with right sides together
and cut a trapezoid shape as shown in the
diagram. Stitch almost all the way around,
leaving a 2" opening. Turn right-side out and
iron. Top-stitch around the edge, about 1/4" from
the edge, all the way around the piece. Cut a 1"
by 1" piece of velcro. Sew the two sides of the
velcro to the same side of the trapezoid piece.
Repeat these steps for the other cuff.
Step 14 - OPTIONALLY Strengthen and
Add Strap to Top Hat
1. The felt top hats available in most doll aisles of
the craft store are pretty flimsy. Here's how I
strengthen them for use on a hound. Measure the
height of the inside of your top hat. Cut a piece
of plastic canvas in a rectangle that is just a little
less than that height. The width of the rectangle
should be just exactly the circumference of the
hat (i.e., distance around the hat). Using a hot
glue gun, glue one end of the 8" elastic strap to
the inside of the hat. Then glue the other end of
the strap into place. Finally, glue the plastic
canvas rectangle into the inside of the hat. Be
sure to leave the smooth factory edge of the
plastic canvas toward the hound's head.
. . . . . . .. . .
Dog Waste
Composting Bin
If you have dogs, you have poop. And how to dispose
of that poop is an issue. Traditional composting
theory and most agricultural extension offices will
tell you that dog manure may not be added to
compost bins. However, in a cooperative study
between mushers and the Fairbanks Soil and Water
Conservation District in Alaska, researchers are
finding that with some special precautions, dog waste
can be successfully composted.
With five dogs of our own, poop is a big issue for us.
We‟re also avid gardeners. When we saw the
research coming out of Alaska, we started
experimenting with it. We‟ve developed plans for a
simple, easy-to-turn, contained compost bin to use
when composting dog manure. We‟ve had good
success with this system. But, as the researchers
caution, we DO NOT USE THE COMPOST ON
FOOD CROPS! We only use the compost in beds for
flowers, shrubs or decorative plantings.
It‟s important that you follow the compost recipe
closely. The additive to the dog waste must be a
carbon source such as sawdust. You can‟t just add
dog manure to your regular compost bins or piles and
expect to get good, safe results. You must also make
sure the recipe gets to the temperature specified. A
long-stemmed thermometer is useful for this. If you
do not reach the "magic number" of 140 degrees F,
you may not kill the pathogens present in the dog
waste.
The Recipe
2 parts dog manure
1 part sawdust
Collect ingredients. When sufficient quantities have
been accumulated, mix well and allow to “cook” to at
least 140 degrees F, turning at least once a week. It
usually takes 4-8 weeks to get a crumbly, dirt-like
mixture.
Where to Use the Compost
At this point, the Natural Resources Conservation
Service is not sure the compost gets hot enough to
kill Toxicara canis, or large roundworms (one of the
most heat-resistant pathogens found in dog manure).
The researchers in the study were not able to find dog
waste samples infected with roundworm because
mushers are so good at controlling it. It is not known
whether roundworms will be killed during the
process. For that reason, only use the resulting
compost on non-food plantings such as flower beds
and shrubs.
For more information on the dog waste compost
study, contact Fairbanks Soil and Water Conservation
District, 1760 Westwood Way, Fairbanks, AK 99701
USA or look for the article in the March/April 1995
issue of Mushing magazine, P.O. Box 149, Ester, AK
99725, phone/fax 907-479-0454.
Practice Safe Composting
When handling dog waste there is a risk of disease
transmission, so always take these precautions:
•Always wash hands after handling
dog waste.
Confine dog waste to a specific area.
Keep dog waste tools/clothing
separate from other tools/clothing.
Do not feed raw meat or fish.
Use extra care around children.
Don‟t use sawdust from pressure-
treated wood.
Consult a veterinarian about an
appropriate parasite control program
for your region.
At this time, do not apply compost to crops
used directly for human consumption,
especially root vegetables or crops eaten
raw. (Studies are still ongoing as to whether
dog manure compost that has reached 140
degrees Fahrenheit or more can be used
safely on vegetable gardens.)
26
Closed Composting Bin
In order to better contain the potential odor and
animal-attracting nature of an open compost bin, we
developed this pattern for a simple, turnable, covered
compost bin for our dog-waste composting.
Materials Needed
•Plastic or metal garbage can with a
lid. Any size will do. We found the
20-24 gallon size most manageable.
Avoid brittle plastic cans as they will
be hard to drill holes in.
OPTIONAL: One or two elastic cords
to hold lid on can if necessary.
OPTIONAL: Long-stemmed
thermometer
4 foot 1-inch dowel (or old broom or
mop handle)
About 14 feet of 2 x 4 stock (pressure-
treated is best)
About 6 feet of 1 x 3 stock (pressure-treated is
best)
Instructions
1. Drill ½- to 1-inch holes in the garbage can
and lid. Space the holes 6 to 8 inches apart.
Do not drill holes in the bottom of the can.
Holes can be drilled randomly around the
can and lid with one exception. You must
drill one set of 1-inch holes on opposite
sides of the can to allow for the broomstick
turning pivot. These holes should be a few
inches above ½ the height of the can for best
turning results.
2. Cut four 24- to 36-inch lengths of 2 x 4
stock for the base. And four 6-inch lengths
of 2 x 4 stock to use as spacers. Cut two
lengths of 2 x 4 stock about 36 inches to
function as the center supports. Make sure
the center supports are tall enough to allow
the can to rotate freely. For most garbage
cans, 36 inches is appropriate. Cut two 24-
to 36-inch lengths of the 1 x 3 stock. These
should be wide enough so the garbage can
fits with extra space between the two
supports.
3. Drill a 1-inch hole 2-3 inches from the top
of each center support. These holes will
accept the broomstick pivot for the can.
4. Assemble the pieces as shown in the
diagrams above. First, construct the two
base components. Make a sandwich of 2 x 4
lengths and 6-inch spacers. The center of
each base component should be the center
support, standing straight up, perpendicular
to the base to form a T shape. After
constructing the two base components, add
the 1 x 3 lengths to connect the two
components.
27
. . . . . . . . .
5. Insert the broomstick through one center
support, then through the garbage can, then
through the other center support.
You can make these compost bins in any size. Here's
a tiny one that doesn't require a broom handle pivot.
. . . . . . .. . .
Greyhound Slate
Our hound slates are very popular at the craft booths
we set up. We found the slates while renovating the
front porch of our 100-year-old Victorian house. The
leftover slates from the roof had been placed under
the porch to keep animals from burrowing. It really
worked. When we discovered the slates, we took the
larger ones, but left the smaller pieces to continue
doing their job.
Materials Needed
Slates - Can be purchased or found
White latex primer
Wood stain in a very light tone
Acrylic folk art paint in greyhound
colors
Greyhound template to trace
Carbon paper
Tools Needed
Drill and standard drill bit
Paint brushes - Large and artist-size
Instructions
The photo above shows the raw, cleaned slates laid
out on the workbench. A regular drill and drill bit are
used to make the holes that will hold the leather
straps that will hold the slate. Since our slates are odd
shapes, we must pick positions for the holes that will
result in a balanced slate. We let the shape of the
slate drive this choice. Don't drill the hole two big, a
knotted leather shoelace is used to hang the slate. A
hole bigger that the knot does not hold well!
Next the slates are given a coat of white latex primer.
We use a can of primer left over from an interior
painting job. We've found that a primer works better
than a paint in bonding to the surface of the slate.
After the first coat of primer dries, we apply a second
coat of primer and let it dry overnight. You may need
additional coats, if the slates absorb the primer.
29
. . . . . . . . .
Next we brush on a coat of a light-colored stain
meant for wood. It gives the slates a golden, aged
look. We let the stain sit on the slates for a few
minutes, then wipe off the excess.
Next, we use carbon paper to trace a greyhound and
the words onto the slate. Here's our favorite.
Then, we use the acrylic folk art paints available at
most craft stores to paint the hound.
Almost done. Now we give the slate two coats of
water-based polyurethane on each side. Yep. Do the
back also. You'll be glad you did. Apply the first coat
lightly so as not to smudge or remove the painted
picture. For exterior applications (if you plan to hang
it outside) we have recently used a marine spar
varnish on several projects, tough finish and an
excellent aged yellow look.
And finally, add a thin leather strap as a hanger. We
use leather shoe laces. Cut a 6"-12" piece and knot
one end. Feed the unknotted end through one of the
holes, starting on the side with the hound. The knot
should end up on the front of the slate. Then feed that
same end through the other hole, starting at the back
of the slate this time. Tie a knot in the end you just
fed through. Trim off any excess leather.
Tips for Painting Hounds
To paint a brindle hound, paint the
base color (usually fawn or reddish-
gold) hound first. Paint in all the
shadows as if you were painting a
hound in whatever the base color of
the dog is. You can make the shadows
more pronounced than usual and you
don't have to worry as much about
blending. Finally, paint on the black
or dark brown "stripes".
When painting a black hound, don't
start with pure black. Instead, lighten
the base color slightly. That will allow
you to use true black for the really
dark areas, such as the nose, inside the
ears and near the crotch. Use a light
grey or blue to paint in the highlights
(which is where you'd paint in the
shadows in lighter hounds).
Be sure to paint in the characteristic
bits of white or light gray that appear
in so many hounds at the tip of the
tail, on the chest and on the muzzle.
Add a few tiny "whisker dots" to the
muzzle.
Add a tiny dot of white to the eye and
a tiny thin horizontal white line to the
nose to make them appear wet and
sparkling.
We've found that we have to do two
coats of the base color with the
cheapie folk art paints. This
obliterates the lines you originally
traced for shadows, etc. If you need
those as guidelines, trace them on
again.
. . . . . . .. . .
Wooden Greyhound
Folk Art
These items have proven very popular on shelves and
on mantle pieces. They also look great on your desk.
The crouching hounds can also be used on the top of
the door frame to give your room a little greyhound
flair.
Time
Each crouching hound cut-out takes us about 15
minutes to trace and cut out. Each greyhound on a
stick takes us about 45 minutes to construct. These
times can be decreased (on a per hound basis) if
you‟re making several at once. Finishing time is
additional and varies depending upon your choice of
finish.
Materials Needed
Crouching Hound
10" x 4" piece of wood (any
thickness)
Greyhound on a Stick
10" x 3" piece of wood (at least 3/4"
thick)
8" length of 1/2" dowel
5" x 5" piece of wood for base (at
least 3/4" thick)
Drill and 1/2" bit
Wood glue
Both
Carbon or graphite paper for tracing
Sandpaper
Scroll saw or jigsaw
Paint or wood stain and polyurethane
Step 1 – Make Pattern
Use a photocopier to enlarge template to
appropriate size. Our hounds are usually about
eight inches across. We use these patterns so much
that we have made plastic and wooden templates of
the most popular sizes.
Step 2 – Trace Pattern Onto Wood
Using carbon or graphite paper, trace the pattern
onto the wood. If you don‟t have carbon paper, try
this trick. Gently rub a soft pencil over the back of
the pattern, completely covering the lines of the
pattern. (You‟ll have to hold the pattern up to the
light to do this.) Then trace the pattern onto the
wood. The lines will be fainter than if you used real
carbon paper, but you‟ll be able to see them.
Step 3 – Cut Out Hound
Using a scroll saw or jigsaw, carefully cut out the
hound shape. The tail area will be the hardest part.
Watch your fingers here!
Step 4 – Sand Hound
Using sandpaper, carefully remove the rough edges
from the hound. You should also fully sand the flat
parts of the hound.
Step 5 – Make Base
(skip for Crouching Hound)
Cut the 5" square of wood for the base. If desired,
use a router to put a nice edge on the square. On the
top of the base, draw lines diagonally from corner
to corner to form a large X. The center of this X
will be the center of the hole for the dowel. Use a
drill and a 1/2" bit to drill a hole at least 3/8" deep.
Try not to go all the way through the base. Sand the
finished base.
31
. . . . . . . . .
Step 6 – Drill Hole
(skip for Crouching Hound)
Carefully make a mark on the bottom of the hound
in the center of the chest. Drill a 1/2" hole 3/8" deep
to accept the dowel.
Step 7 – Stain or Paint All Parts
Apply wood stain or paint to all parts of your
project. Follow manufacturer‟s instructions for
application and drying times.
Step 8 – Assemble
(skip for Crouching Hound)
First, dry-fit the pieces to make sure they fit well. If
necessary, trim the dowel to the desired height for
the hound. Carefully brush wood glue in the holes
in the base and hound. Brush wood glue on the ends
of the dowels. Assemble the three pieces. Allow the
glue to dry fully.
Step 9 – Apply Polyurethane
Brush all exposed surfaces with polyurethane. We
have the best results with satin finish, water-based
polyurethane. Allow to dry completely.
Other Variations
We have also done the crouching greyhound on a
base using two 1/4" dowels on a 3" x 8" rectangular
base. These are very nice on a desk. To construct
that, follow the basic instructions above, but adjust
the placement of the holes to allow for two dowels,
one near the front legs and one near the back.
32
. . . . . . .. . .
Greyt Sayings The following sayings look great on signs or
embroidered on samplers. Use your imagination. I
bet you can find the perfect place for one of them.
Home is Where the Hound Is
Wipe Your Paws
Hound Sweet Hound
Spoiled Rotten Greyhound Lives Here
Welcome Hounds
Greyhound Garden
Fast Dog Tavern
Greyhound Gulch
Love Me, Love My Hound
It’s Gonna Be a Greyt Day!
I Can Make It To the Gate in 10 Seconds. How About You?
Hug Those Hounds
Beware of Greyhound
Welcome. Sit. Stay.
I Wish I Was the Person My Hound Thinks I Am
Good Girl
Angel Hound…Devil Dog… Whatever
What Rabbit?
40 mph Couch Potato
Smith’s Gaggle of Greyhounds
Woof!
In dog years I'm dead.
Some days you're the dog. Some days you're the hydrant.
33
. . . . . . .. . .
Jingle Collars
These whimsical, jester-like jingle collars take 15
minutes of machine-sewing and 45 minutes of hand-
stitching to get the jingle bells on. Just the kind of
thing you can work on while riding in the car or
watching TV.
Materials Needed
1/2 yard of polar fleece or other thick
or stiff fabric - 60 inches wide
10 1/2" jingle bells
14" piece of 1/4" elastic
Jingle Collar Steps
1. Fold the fabric in half to form one long
skinny rectangle 9" x 60". Make a mark
4" from the fold along the 9" side. Make a
mark every 6 inches, 4" from the fold.
2. Make a mark 3" from the edge along the
raw 60" edge. Make a mark every 6
inches from this first mark along the 60"
edge.
3. Sew in a sawtooth pattern to join the
marks. The result should look like
diagram below.
4. Trim about 1/2" from the seam you just
sewed. Be sure to clip all the corners.
5. Turn the jagged tube right-side out.
6. Feed the elastic through the tube and sew
the two ends of the elastic together.
7. Use a whip stitch to hand-sew the two
ends of the collar together to form the
round collar shape.
8. Sew a jingle bell on each of the 10 points.
fold 60” fold
9”4”
6”6”6”6”6”6”6”6”6”
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