Biscuit's Coat

I have to show off this coat again, I think I posted a picture last spring when I made it but....he never wore it.   Biscuit has been wearing it this week because its windy and cold out.  Today he wore it while it was snowing, wet flakes (31 degrees out so, almost rain, but definitely snow).  Polar Fleece is water-resistant so its a good jacket for wet snowy days.  Anyway, the coat is made out of a remnant from JoAnn Fabrics.  I bought some Sherpa from JoAnn's on line and planned on lining the coat with the Sherpa but when it came I realized that might be a pain in the neck to sew so instead I lined it with the same polar fleece that's on the top.  I ended up quilting it thinking that would look pretty nifty (and it does).    I had a little piece left so made him a pocket and of course, had to embroider on it.   I used the Sherpa to line his belt and really love how that looks as well.

The nifty thing about polar fleece, if you've never used it, its like felt. You can cut it and you don't have to worry about the edges fraying.   So I cut a pocket out with my pinking shears and sewed it right into the back, I didn't have to finish the edges or hem it or anything.  

I also put a buttonhole on the back because Biscuit was wearing a halter with a clip for the leash that ended up on his back instead of around his neck when I made the jacket. Nowadays he wears a collar and doesn't need that buttonhole, I'm thinking of sewing a tiny piece of that polar fleece across the buttonhole to keep the wind off just in case the wind goes in the buttonhole....(besides, it would look nicer that way).

For a pattern, I took a little coat I had bought him at Pet Smart, it was a cheap little coat, very lightweight.  I didn't like the way it didn't fit all the way down to his tail and all the way up his neck.  Store bought jackets seem to be too long, too wide or just a little too narrow for Biscuit.   Little boy dogs can't have much under their belly but most of the store bought coats just have a little strap around the belly, I felt like he needed more under there there so I made the belt around his belly wider, making sure it didn't go too far down, for obvious reasons.  I also made the piece around his neck wider so he has the equivalent of a scarf around his neck.   I put the belt higher than the store-bought ones because he apparently is shorter from front to middle back...or they just put them in the middle. I added a collar because I think it looks super but also, when its windy I can put the collar up and it gives him a little more protection around the neck.

To make sure the thing fit the way I wanted it to, I got out my pattern-making paper...SOIL SEPARATOR which you can buy at Lowes or probably Home Depot for around $20.  It's something I think they put down before they lay sewer pipes.  The stuff resembles Do-Sew which is sold in fabric stores only theirs is gridded.  You can cut it, baste it, try it on...and even trace a pattern with it.  So I traced the store-bought jacket and then proceeded to enlarge it to fit.  Since I have a lifetime supply of Soil Separator in one roll, I made several pieces until I was happy with the final fit.  Then I used my Soil Separator  pieces for my pattern.

Here's the result, I think the sweater is fabulous and Biscuit gets compliments every time he wears it at the park. He doesn't look so cute in the picture, unfortunately he hates having his picture taken...but then who doesn't?  You can't see them but he has little blue bows in his hair, thanks to Pet Smart's hair cutter.    People have complimented him on his beautiful coat, I had to take the bows out darn it, they matched his coat but too many people said boys can't have bows but I did leave them in for Thanksgiving.........

Next one will have Sherpa  around the bottom or maybe I'll get up the nerve to actually line it with Sherpa, I think the Sherpa would be nice and warm because it would fold around him and fit next to his body better.  I just bought him some doggie-paw polar fleece for the next jacket.  :-)  Am waiting for my fancy new sewing/embroidery machine before I make the new jacket.