Sunday, February 7, 2016

Making Dog Gear

When Jeff and I were shopping for the new dog child we were reminded just how much it costs to buy leashes and collars. I don't know how we manage, but we seem to lose a lot of leashes. We quite often are looking around for them when it's time to go out, so I decided I had the technology to just make more. I did have to buy some materials though.

I shopped around some and found Country Brook Design has competitive prices and collar packs, so I ordered some 1" webbing and hardware for collars and leashes for Shasta.

Then while I was cruising around, I found a cool blog that showed how you could dress up leashes with metallic trim. Well, I have a TON of metallic trim in my sewing room stash, leftover from my early SCA days when I actually thought that stuff was period. LOL

There are several websites that show how to make collars and leashes, but truthfully, I just looked at collars and leashes we already had to duplicate their construction. But I did find some good tutorials and I'll list them here.

How to Make a Boutique Style Dog Collar and Leash
Sew Your Own Dog Leash
How to Make a Fabric Covered Dog Collar

I actually started by making this leash and collar set, to practice. I'm not even sure what I'll do with it, because I don't really need it.
Then I finished Shasta a new harness and leash with Jeff's favorite colors. I'll try and get a photo of her wearing it when she's awake.
This was so much fun, I've ordered some more webbing in a thinner size so I can make gear for Bailey. I likely won't bother with the metallic trim for her until she gets a little bigger because she'll grow out of harnesses too quickly.

4 comments:

  1. Those look very nice. You should open an Etsy shop. Couldn't the same materials be used to make camera and guitar straps?

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    1. Sure, you could make camera and guitar straps out of the same materials. I've thought of the etsy shop, but I doubt I would make money at it. Though, it might be a way to recoup some of the loss on this metallic trim that I no longer need.

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  2. These look great! I have made collars for our dogs and for sale (to benefit our canine cancer nonprofit) for a long time. I started out with greyhound-size martingale collars, then worked onward to offer larger and smaller sizes. This begat buckle collars, for tags and for folks who didn't want martingales. There's a huge feeling of satisfaction to see a whole wardrobe of collars for your dogs, and to know that you made them. Also, in my case, I occasionally run across a dog in public that's wearing one of my collars. (I notice that you are also a fan of Boomerang Tags for your dog's ID. Jingling tags make me nuts, and Boomerangs are the coolest. Even Winnie, as tiny as she is, has a Boomerang tag that's just her size.)

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    1. Thanks Connie, I appreciate the encouragement. I do like those tags, though they work much better when you remember to put them on before you sew. LOL I also bought two of them for Bailey: one little for now and one of the larger sizes for when she grows up in a few months.

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