Billie – Organizing Threads

March 30, 2016April 6, 2016

When it rains, it pours

Isn’t it funny how sometimes events bunch up? Something happens out of the blue and then it happens over and over in a short period of time. I had that kind of experience this past week.

On Friday I decided to sew a new coat for my skinny little dog with little fur to keep her warm. I wasn’t entirely happy with the end results and still have not put the closure on.

Then, on Friday evening I got a text from my downstairs neighbour, asking if I wanted a coat for Billie. As we had a family dinner that night Gina brought up several brand new coats and a sweater she’d been given on Saturday.

Then, on Sunday, Cheryl brought to lunch at Heritage House, a doggie coat that she’d bought for her Maggie that didn’t fit. Happily, one of the coats Gina gave me is really too big for Billie, so I can pass that one on to Maggie. So suddenly we have an abundance of coats.

(more pictures to come)

April 5 – With the temperature at -12 I thought we could try out the little parka. Billie was not impressed. It’s too big, so needs a bit of alteration.

February 14, 2016February 18, 2016

Billie’s boots

With the temperature at -19C, wind chill -33, Miss B does not like to go outside. But she must! So I put on her sweater, coat and boots. She does NOT like boots and tries very hard to shake them off. I have learned to cinch that velco tight!

Billie’s dance from Barbara Burkard on Vimeo.

February 16, 2015February 21, 2015

Brrrrrrrrrr

We’ve had a few record-breaking cold days and nights (University of Waterloo weather station):

My wee dog is not built for the cold! That means when she goes outside to do the necessary, she runs back in as soon as possible. But she is also a small dog with lots of energy. When she runs like a mad fool around the apartment I feel bad for my “below” neighbours.

Today, by 11:30 a.m., with the sun shining brightly in the window, Billie started begging to go outside. So I put on her ‘boots’ — not an easy task, holding a squirming dog and at the same time trying to pull these boots on limp feet — her wool sweater and her windbreaker coat. And out we went.

The problem with the boots is she thinks she needs to run when she’s wearing them. It is very hard to slow her down.

I let her choose the route, mostly. We were out for about half an hour; I think she might have stayed out longer had I not wanted to come in. Her boots never came off in spite of her prancing and pawing.

When we got in this is what Environment Canada was saying (Breslau Airport):

Update:

Friday, February 20, this morning it is -26 at the airport, so I said to Billie, “Come, let’s go outside. But we’re going to put your boots on because it is so cold.” Instead of running to me at the door, she jumped off the couch and went and curled up in the corner of the recliner! I put her boots on her anyway. We made it just around the corner on Southmoor before she hurried back home to the warmth.

June 15, 2014

A beautiful day for a walk

February 9, 2014February 9, 2014

Boots for Billie

My little dog was not made for cold weather. And it’s been COLD this winter. Billie has a hard time going outside even to answer nature’s call, much less to take a walk. We both miss the walks. Hopefully we will return to more “normal” temperatures soon.

In the meantime, I tried to make some boots for my girl’s little feet. I’d bought some at the dollar store, but I couldn’t make them tight enough to stay on. There were patterns online of the same design, but that wasn’t what I wanted. Once again, I created my own.

I first made an outline of her paw; adding a seam allowance gave me the sole of her boot. I cut soles out of thick black fleece and “shelf liner” to give her traction on the hardwood floors (something she didn’t have with the dollar store boots). For the upper I used a small saucer to make a circle, then cut a smaller circle in one end, then removed about a third of the bottom. These I also cut from black fleece. I used ribbing for the leg part of the boot.

I folded the upper in half and seamed it. Then I seamed the ribbing along the length, folded it in half and sewed it to the smaller opening in the upper. I marked both pieces in quarters to have them sewn evenly together.

I then used the same technique to put the soles on. I sewed them right sides together so the seams would be inside.

When I had all four made I tried them on the dog. She was not impressed! She wouldn’t leave them on her feet. The dollar store boots had Velcro strips to tighten them — I carefully removed them and hand-sewed them to the new boots. Now she couldn’t kick them off so easily!

Not a happy camper.

She did perk up when I mentioned the T-word.

Billie doesn’t really like these boots (and I’m not sure they are a good design; I may have to try again) but we have walked further when she’s wearing them. We even had a short walk yesterday when it was -11ºC (-15º with the windchill) (12º/5ºF).