knitting & recycling to raise funds for dog charities
Yarns
November 2023 - I am currently running down my stocks of yarn, still a good range of plain colours but limited amounts of fancy yarns and I am desperately trying to resist buying more now that demand for knitted coats has passes it's peak. Please enquire.
All are machine washable unless otherwise described.
Yarns come in a variety of thicknesses, for dog coats the most suitable are:
Double knit (DK) which is the thinnest I use. This makes a lighter weight coat suitable for more delicate dogs and is the best choice for small coats up to around 15" length, which will require about 100g yarn. A textured stitch pattern adds depth and warmth without too much weight. Above 18" length, aran would be better.
Aran weight, a medium weight yarn often with a proportion of wool but rarely available in 'pretty' colours. Suitable for coats up to roughly 20" length which might need 150g. Not suitable for very small coats below 12" or those above 24" length.
Chunky yarns, a heavier yarn in a good range of colours but usually acrylic. Often makes a fluid (stretchy) coat which may be good for sleeping. Only suitable for large coats from about 20" length. Some stitch patterns (especially cables) may not be advisable with the thicker yarns. Very large coats, those in super chunky or heavy ones with a high proportion of wool may benefit from being dried flat to avoid too much stretching and may need to be reshaped while damp. Approx quantities would be 250g for a 24" coat and up to 400g for a large greyhound. Two strands of DK knitted together give a similar weight and may be used to extend the choice of colours.
Sizes and quantities given are a very rough guide only, please ask, most things are possible even if not ideal or if experience suggests that a particular combo will not make a good coat. Any yarn with a high proportion of wool will be heavier and will require a larger amount to make a coat.
Some yarns are described as self patterning, marl etc. For an illustration of how a garment might look please see 'Design archive' page but be aware that the appeal of self patterning yarns is that the arrangement of colours will differ according to the width of the knitting and hence every coat will be entirely random and unpredictable.