I regularly support Knit for Peace (a wonderful charity) with donations or entering their regular raffles. I’m not generally lucky, but a couple of months ago I was the winner of their British Wool raffle and very quickly the recipient of this box of delights:
I really, really don’t NEED more wool, but it was such fun to receive, and I will probably give some of it away; however I did want to use some of it. As you can see, Sam and Daisy were very interested, so I decided that they could benefit from this unexpected bonus.
Years ago, when we first got a second dog, we bought a big soft bed for them to share, comprising an inner cushion and an outer squishy surround. Over the years it’s got more and more tatty and the filling had clumped together, so that is was extremely lumpy. Neither Sam nor Daisy was interested in using it, preferring the sofa, the carpet or whatever thing I’m knitting or crocheting. I was thinking about this, and realised that the pooches clearly like to snooze on woolly things, so would probably appreciate a woolly bed. Not wanting to entirely discard the original bed I decided to re-cover it, but first I pulled all the stuffing out of both pieces, fluffed it up and put it all back into the cushion part, supplemented with some extra stuffing and a whole load of tiny wool scraps that I have been saving for just such a project. The outer piece went into the fabric recycling bag because it really wasn’t salvageable.
Then I set to work making some squares, which Daisy kept safe for me:
MY squares
Interestingly, when turned the re-stuffed cushion over, so that the cotton side was upwards rather than the artificial fleece, both dogs became more interested in sleeping on it (as demonstrated by Daisy below right). However, soon it will have a whole new woolly cover and may be even more tempting. I have completed the first side and it has been tested and approved:
The other half is well underway in slightly different colours, so that we can ring the changes simply by turning it over.
I realise that Sam hasn’t had much of a look-in in this post, despite it being about dog beds, so here she is having fun on the beach the other day:
I’m hoping I will have the completed doggy bed ready to show you later in the month.
The Snail of Happiness 
katechiconi
/ December 7, 2018Those doggos are seriously spoiled! Hand-crafted pure wool bed covers, fluffed up cushions and dual colour schemes… dear Snail, I wish I could come back as one of your fur babies!
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nanacathy2
/ December 7, 2018Congratulations on your win. I love the doggy help you had while you unwrapped it. I think they will love their new woolly bed. And what a good idea to use the ends for extra stuffing.
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Jo
/ December 7, 2018Very nice blend of colours 😊
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Bethany-Jade
/ December 7, 2018I love how you really work hard to extend the life of everythinv you have! The cushion will be well loved again!
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tialys
/ December 7, 2018It’s so funny how dogs think everything that arrives in the house in a cardboard box must be for them – one of mine is just like a small child at Christmas and tries to climb on and in every box. Lucky pampered pooches to have a beach to play on!
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KerryCan
/ December 7, 2018If you can’t beat them, let them join you! I like your practical solution of just giving in to the dog desires. I could learn something and let my cats have a quilt of their own to sleep on!
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Laurie Graves
/ December 7, 2018Always wonderful to read about how pets are cherished. Looking forward to seeing the completed doggy bed.
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arlingwoman
/ December 7, 2018Goodness. This gives new meaning to the the expression “Lucky dog(s).” What a nice stash of yarn to receive!
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ktshepherdpermaculture
/ December 7, 2018Jan, what do you recommend as a stuffing for smaller things? – im going to start making some rag dolls soon (its been in the planning for over a year now!) – I dont really have any waste materials or wool, though I am hoping to be able to get out and about to a couple of charity shops in the near future….is there any ethical stuffing marketed as such?
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The Snail of Happiness
/ December 8, 2018You can buy organic kapok, which is natural and plant-based, but I prefer wool stuffing – it’s lovely to use and you don’t get coated in fluff like you do with kapok. World of Wool sell a variety of grades of wool stuffing and I’m sure you’ll be able to find something suitable. If you are going to sell the dolls, you need stuffing that is BS certified.
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wybrow1966
/ December 7, 2018You can never spoil your dog too much (or so mine keeps telling me!).
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Catherine
/ December 14, 2018I’m sure dog beds are made more for the hoomans than the dogs! I’m sure yours will enjoy sleeping on theirs with their new specially made cover!
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