Dog Gone Cute - Basic Coat Question(s)

#1

Now that I’m sewing the baby sweater together:woohoo: , I’m on the lookout for my next project. I’d like to work a sweater for my 16 year old mini poodle. The poor baby really feels the cold in his old age!

Has anyone made the Basic Coat from LA’s Dog Gone Cute pattern book? Here’s the Ravelry link: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/basic-coat.

I saw a comment on the pattern which said it was complicated for an easy pattern, and the knitter had to seek help with it.

What do you think, if you’ve worked this pattern? It looks deceptively easy…

Many thanks in advance!

#2

I haven’t made the pattern, but what have you got to lose? With every project you learn something, and help is readily available here. I say if you like it, go for it!

#3

I agree with Ingrid. If you just stick to patterns with stuff you already know, you won’t learn as much. So go for it and we’ll help you out.

#4

Go for it. The good knitters here will help you out if you need assistance. We have a 12-year mini poodle, Phantom Poodle, and she is spoiled but the weather here isn’t that cold. She does have nighties though for the winters. Good luck, and you are so fortunate you have a fella that is 16 years old. We had our last little poodle, mini also, for over 17 years. Great companions.

#5

Thank you everyone for the encouragement!

I’ve started the sweater, my lil’ man is worth it. :heart:

Wanda, the Phantom sounds like a great pooch! Give her a scritch for me. It doesn’t get that cold here either, but the past couple of years or so have Punkin really uncomfortable when it gets below 40. Rather than buy another sweater, I figured I’d make one for him. You’re absolutely right, they are great companions!

#6

I knew this was coming… LOL

Amazingly enough it does start out simple, but I’m not clear on a few of the instructions. Surprise, surprise.:wink: Help, I really need a Patons translator!

Instructions are below, and my questions are in italics. Everything is clear to here:

Leg Openings: 1st row: K5[5-[B]7[/B]-11-13]. BO next 4[6-[B]6[/B]-10-13] sts. K36[46-[B]56[/B]-80-102] including st on needle after BO. BO next 4[6-[B]6[/B]-10-13] sts. K to end or row. [I]I’m good through here, starting the leg holes, but the rest is greek to me…[/I]

Note: All leg sections are worked at the same time using a separate ball of yarn for each section. [I]I get that the ribbing is stand alone here, is that what they’re talking about?[/I]

Beg with a purl row, work 1[1.5-[B]1.5[/B]-2.5-3]" in stocking st from bound off sts. [I]From? On? Where do I knit?[/I]
Joining row: K 5[5-[B]7[/B]-11-13]. Turn and cast on 4[6-[B]6[/B]-10-13] sts. Turn and knit to end of row 54[68-[B]82[/B]-122-154] sts. [I]I can’t think of anything charitable to say about this other than “HUH???”[/I]

And here’s a link to a better picture of the area of the sweater in question on the Patons website. http://www.patonsyarns.com/patternbook.php?PBS=500939

What in the blue blazes do I do from here???

Many thanks in advance for your help,

#7

By Jove, I think I’ve got it!

What I worked out was knitting the 7 side edge stitches for an inch and a half on each side for 7 rows, then the joining row starts, knitting across the 7, casting on 10, then k 56 in the middle, cast on 10, k7!

The great knittinghelp.com mojo strikes again! :woohoo:

#8

You have it exactly. Just think of the idea of the leg openings as you would work them from the bottom up or look at the picture. We had a much-loved springer spaniel who delighted in snow and cold (and also had a thick coat) so i never had the chance to make a dog sweater.
Good luck with the rest of the pattern.

#9

Here’s a simple dog sweater pattern. You could probably use any stitch if you wanted it a little more fancy.

#10

Thanks! I may have to try ir for my other dog, Max, the mini dachshund. :slight_smile:

#11

Aren’t those hot dog bodies hard to fit? I just got finished winging a pattern for our Corgi. The thing was as long as a bus. Finished length: 19 inches, 21 with the turtle neck. It was funny looking, but it fit! Had to coax him with a dog treat from under the bed to put it on though.

#12

LOL on the bus notion! Sometimes food will work where hand knitted love won’t. Oh well, maybe a sweater knitted of strips of jerky… :wink:

I liked the sweater pattern you sent for Max, especially after reading the designers comments: bumps and holes welcome. Max is terribly hard on sweaters - she’s a roller in and on everything.

#13

And I wouldn’t rely too heavily on the comment from a poster that the pattern was complicated and she had to seek help with it. It depends on your ability. Are you a beginner, intermediate, or advanced? I’ve attempted patterns that were above me and put them down out of frustration. A year or two later, after I got better at knitting, I attempted those patterns again and they went just fine.

#14

Sorry so long in replying, was finishing the dog sweater, and now have a happy, warm lil’ old guy! :wahoo: Will post pics as soon as I find a way to change the photo size on my phone, er, camera. Long story… :slight_smile:

I’d have to say that I’m in the advanced beginner stage, and fairly good at recognizing projects/patterns that are waay beyond my skill level. Doesn’t mean I don’t reach for the stars, but I’m one to climb a ladder there rung by rung. Eventually I WILL knit a doily. I miss making those greatly. :wink:

Visualizing the construction of the sweater from the pattern was at first rough, and I believe that’s the same issue the Ravelry commenter had. Having a diagram of the dog sweater in the pattern book like the ones provided with people sweaters would have helped.

Thanks for the encouragement!