1st of December

Knitted Dog Sweaters

by Christina

Do you like to knit but don’t have the time, the patience, or the confidence for a human-sized sweater as a Christmas gift, yet? Is there a dog among your family members? Rejoice, you will never wonder what to get the owner for Christmas again…
When I started knitting a few years ago and was willing to move on from scarves to something more challenging but manageable, my sister asked me if I could knit a sweater for her little terrier who was always freezing on the cold streets of Berlin.
A short internet search later, I had a ton of ideas to work with. And since there is a bunch of little dogs in my family, I had plenty opportunities to try them out. My favorites are Fair Isle patterns, but I have also done cable knits and college sweaters—it’s all possible. Last year the dogs were sorted into Hogwarts houses via sweater: all Gryffindors and Ravenclaws, naturally. And yes, we are that silly.

Tips:
• First: Find a good basic pattern. I like this one, which conveniently comes in several languages: www.garnstudio.com/pattern.php
• Then scout for patterns for your own individual sweaters. There is a ton of free knitting patterns out there. Once you have an idea of how many stitches you have on the back for the pattern, you can get creative.
• Measurements are key! Even the best pattern cannot accommodate all sizes and shapes of dogs. So check if you, for example, need to knit the chest in one size and then reduce to a smaller one for the belly. Also check if the distance from the neck to the front leg allows for enough movement.
• Most patterns call for dividing the piece for the leg holes. I, however, find it much more convenient to include a steek – this allows you to keep knitting in rounds and gives you a much cleaner look for the leg holes.