{Florence might say that the Dog Days Are Over, but for us, they’re just beginning! Woof!}

Some of you may know that Mr. Grey and I adopted a lovely retired racer on Tuesday. Apologies if you came to the shop and found it closed; we were at Greyhound Friends meeting the amazing Spindle Grey.

Say hello:

One day I’ll write a children’s book chronicling the Surprising Adventures of Bobbin and Spindle Grey.

You may see her from time to time around the shop. I have plans for a new store-housed pet bed from the Alexander Henry home dec fabric that I just ordered. We bought a bed for chez nous from Bark Place on Washington Street last night and so far sweet Spindle loves it.

Appropriately, tonight is our PolkaDog Leash Class! During which, as you may know, you will sew a dog leash and get yummerton dog treats from the famous PolkaDog Bakery to take home to your pooch. If you missed this round, don’t worry, we’ll do it again soon.

I made a short lead last night during sewing club, since Spindle is fairly tall and I was wrapping the normal leash around my hand half a dozen times to make it the right length. This one is perfect for jaunts about the neighborhood, since she likes to keep close. You could use the same formula, just a little smaller, to make a personalized key fob for yourself!

Breaking canine accessory news: I’m not really into dog clothing. However, our skinny puppy shivers in the cold, so a jacket is in order, perhaps paired with a set of doggie booties. The great folks at Greyhound Friends gave us a coat, but it’s too big, so I’ll make her a more appropriately sized one this winter. I have a vision of a coat made out of the Faux Fox Fur that I just ordered for the store, but you can make them from used human clothes, even old vests. What about a raincoat? Martha also has directions for a coat for smaller pups right here. I’m also partial to her ultrasuede version.

Other possible projects include:

Martha’s birdcage cover, which could be easily modified to make a luxurious dog or cat or weasel or mongoose or whatever crate cover.

and

10 great DIY dog toys. I’ve gotta get on that rope thing. So far Spindle hasn’t really been into toys, but maybe we just haven’t found the right one.

There are so many toys and accessories that you can sew for your pet, but there are also lots of amazing artisan-made pieces out there, such as this Martingale collar that I just ordered from The Hound Haberdashery and this houndstooth lovely from ButterPups. Sewing stuff for your dog is certainly rewarding, but I have no problem handing it over to someone else when they’ve found materials that just rock my world.

So in summary and in conclusion: let’s all help keep puppies off the pole this winter.

If you’re interested in giving a down-on-his/her-luck pup a forever home, contact the South End’s own Animal Rescue League or browse the many available animals at Petfinder.com