11 Canine Couture Ideas

“Weenie Wraps”

Camille Woodworth of Boise, Idaho, makes custom dog coats for hard-to-fit dogs which she calls "Weenie Wraps." She began making them for her two Dachshunds because they would literally walk out of their store-bought jackets. She says that her wraps are primarily sized for small dogs, but they can be made larger to fit other slick-coated dogs like Boxers or Greyhounds.

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-

Vintage Chic Fabrics

Yvonne Morones of Santa Rosa, Calif., has seven Chihuahuas. Her dogs are such a big part of her life that she has converted one of her closets into storage for all of the dog's clothing, pajamas, jackets, carriers, strollers and accessories. She says that her dogs have over 50 beautiful handmade items of clothing and like any doting pet parent, many of them she has made herself, such as the red Swiss dot dress modeled here by Jalapena.

The fabric that Yvonne used is actually a 1950's kitchen curtain, which she gathered to create the fullness of the skirt. She attached the skirt to a bodice made of vintage lace. Because the cheery kitchen curtains reminded Yvonne of happy times spent in her grandmother's kitchen, she finished the look by adding her grandmother's vintage pearl brooch.

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-

Knitted Winter Wear

Michelle Torgerson of Two Harbors, Minn., says that adopting Afro Ken was the push she needed to learn how to knit. Living in Northern Minnesota, she thought that not only would he look really cute in a sweater but the harsh and blustery winter conditions required that Afro Ken have something to keep him warm. Michelle decided to learn how to knit the sweaters herself not only because she would be free to design her own patterns but also because hand-knit sweaters can be really pricy.

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-