George True in the 553 Warm & Dry Dog Coat!
By Esi Hutchinson
Every dog owner knows the struggle of rainy day walks - your pup needs exercise, but nobody wants to deal with a soggy, smelly dog afterward. That's where our 553 Warm & Dry Dog Coat pattern comes to the rescue! It has been a rainy few days here, and as you may know, The Green Pepper has many patterns for rain gear, including ones for dogs.
Not all dogs like sweaters or jackets, but this dog, George True, loves to wear them! I made 553 –Warm & Dry Dog Coat Pattern for George True last week, and we put it into action this week! George True is my friend's terrier/mutt and is in the small-terrier-size (I made a size small) and is very smart, cuddly, and active.
The 553 Warm & Dry Dog Coat is an easy sewing pattern and does not require much fabric, especially for a smaller dog! We also have kits put together that provide all the notions you need to sew up this pattern: 553 Warm & Dry Dog Coat Kits.
I used a Laminated Cotton (Grassy) as the outer fabric and a Navy Micro Chamois Fleece as the lining. The laminated cotton is a great, eco-friendly, waterproof, soft fabric that is perfect for this pattern. The microfleece is the softest and lightest-weight fleece we have. Together, these fabrics are going to keep a dog warm and dry (and not be too heavy or hot)! The Green Pepper also carries lots of other waterproof fabrics here!
There are some great features to this pattern. First are the pockets, which is my favorite feature. They are great for carrying dog waste bags and treats. These pockets keep essentials within reach while the enticing treat scents might earn you some extra tail wags!
I also really like the reflective tape addition to the sides so that your dog can be more easily seen in the dim lights of morning or evening, when you will often be on walks.
The pattern also has a great option for a cutout in the center back for a collar and leash attachment to make it even easier to walk your dog when they are wearing this coat.
For a custom touch, I added a D-ring to the neck of the jacket for a leash to clip onto. Though the pattern gives instructions on how to make a cutout at the center back neck edge, I added this instead. It is very easy and I'll leave some instructions below.
I cut 4" (10.2cm) of 3/8" (1cm) grosgrain webbing and looped it through the 1/2" D-ring and stitched it on the center back neck edge of the jacket. To reinforce the loop, I stitched a square and sewed an X in the middle of the square. This is not a substitute leash attachment and I would not recommend it for a large dog.
I think this Warm & Dry Dog Coat turned out really well! George True seemed very happy and comfortable in it, and we had a fun walking (and photo) session.
