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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

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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

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(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).

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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

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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

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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”