Crochet Luv’n Paws

This cute doggie blanket is another I found in the pages of Craft Ideas magazine.  It’s in the Fall, 2014 issue, but alas, you can get the pattern for free online.  Lucky for us!  This would make the perfect gift for a dog lover.  It could go under the dog’s food and water bowls, be a Welcome mat for your front door, be a handy muddy paw cleaner for your back door, or used to make a dog bed or line the one you already have.  You can get the free online pattern here.

About that dog bed.  I have to tell you how I made one for my aging fur baby.  I had a comforter on my bed that Lizzie had nibbled on the edges.  When I decided to replace that, I took the damaged one and folded it into quarters to create a bed cover for the dog.  Under that, I sewed a feather bed for the pooch.  I found three down filled pillows at the thrift store for a total of less than $5.  I used some denim to sew a large pillow cover with a deeply overlapping botton.  Inside that I sewed a liner to hold those downy feathers.  So, my pooch has the nicest bed in the house!  And, she loves it.  She folds herself onto it every night – but becomes dissatisfied if it gets too wrinkled!  I have to shake out the comforter and refold it to place neatly over the down filled pillow that is about 3 ft by 5 ft.  Such a picky dog.  Do you recall the Princess and the Pea?  I think that pretty much tells the story here!  This mat would be a nice topper for the whole padded bed.  Oh, and between the comforter and down cushion, there is a wonderful wool afghan that I purchased for a couple dollars at the thrift store.  It’s a ripple design with delicious colors made from wool yarn that someone felted – I’m sure by accident.  It’s really too pretty to be under the comforter, but Lizzie prefers that comforter on top so that’s the way it’s set up.  Nothing is too good for this mutt, I guess.