Weaving for Dogs: A Waste of Effort, or a Perfect Opportunity?

National Dog Day is coming! August 26th is the annual day on which we honor all those good dogs in our lives. It’s the day to give your dog extra treats, go on a longer walk than normal, make a special trip to the dog park, or, if you’re like me, plan a weaving project just for them!

“Ho-now, Christina!” I hear some of you say, “Weaving for my dog? Isn’t that a bit of a waste of time and yarn?”

Let me tell you here and now it doesn’t have to be. Weaving for your dog doesn’t have to be complicated—and it’s the perfect excuse to try out new techniques because even if a project doesn’t turn out quite right, your dog will not care one bit.

Option 1: Consider weaving a leash

For example, have you ever wanted to give card, inkle, or band-loom weaving a try? Weaving up a leash for your pup is the perfect project! You can match a leash to your dog’s personality (or to your dog’s collar) and save yourself some money in the process. Chances are you’ve got the right size yarn in your stash, so all you’ll need to buy is the hardware.

If you want ideas on weaving leashes for your pup, check out Tablet-Woven Leashes by Linda Hendrickson. If these aren’t quite right for you or your pup, they‘ll give you an idea of types of yarn you‘ll need and how long a warp should be, and you can use that info to design your own version.

This tablet-woven leash would make the perfect present for a special pooch in your life. Photo by Joe Coca

Option 2: Or perhaps a food bowl mat (aka placemat)

Is your dog a messy eater? Next time you put on a placemat warp, add enough to weave an extra mat for your poochy pal. The mat will save you from having to scrub your floor after any particularly messy meals, and it will coordinate with your own place settings.

You could even up your game and try out some basic embroidery techniques on the piece—maybe some simple dog bones around the edge.

Option 3: Even better, a blanket

Weaving up a baby blanket or throw? Put on some extra warp and make a dog blanket, too. Use it to protect your couch from dog hair, put it on the car seat when you drive to the dog park, or add a cozy layer to your fur baby‘s crate. Your dog will love it and you can pop it in the wash easier than you can scrape the fur off your furniture. Everyone wins!

Linus and Penelope are worthy of handwovens. Photo by Christina Garton

While some might argue that weaving for dogs is ridiculous, I say it’s the perfect time to experiment. You can try new techniques, color combinations, and weave structures when you’re weaving for your pup. At best you might weave something you’d like to keep for yourself, and at worst you have something perfectly suitable for your dog.

Part of the beauty of dogs is they don’t judge—they love you as you are, and when it comes to your weaving, well, they think you’re doing just great!

Happy Weaving!
Christina (and Linus and Penelope)

Originally published Aug. 22, 2017; updated Aug. 16, 2024