Friday, July 3, 2009

Rockin' the Granny Puppy Panties

So, a couple weeks ago, our littlest one entered into her time of, um, "bark mitzvah" as one friend put it. We had waited too long to have her spayed and so now, we're dealing with the results.

Husband was a little freaked out by a puppy having a period (previous traumatic experience involving the human variety) so it was left to me to find protective options for the little one. Which is fine. I am the mama afterall.

My brother in law (a vet tech for the Army) suggested we could even use baby diapers if doggy diapers were too much. Dog diapers, for the record, are re-freaking-diculous pricewise.... $15 for 12 of them. Human diapers cost $8 for 36...for a high end brand even. For a while we were cutting holes for her tail in some pampers until Lola discovered that she could chew through the diaper to make a hole. Which wouldn't be so bad if diapers didn't contain a powder that expands when it comes in contact with liquid to make little crystals. Let's just say Lola was very thirsty for a few days and had some less than pleasant expereinces on our walks until it got out of her system.

So on to plan B: cloth diaper. This was the original option we wanted to go with (espcially since that's the option we'd choose should we ever have non-furry children), but cloth puppy diapers are also really expensive: $26 for the size Lola needed...and she is a wee one. But we got one anyway since eating diaper crystals isn't exactly good for her. We really needed a few, though, since I wanted to be able to rotate through at least two so I could wash them.

I thought about knitting a back up, but thought it would take too much time. Then I thought I could maybe sew one for a little time and a lot less cash.

With the store bought diaper as my guide, I traced out a pattern onto an unfolded paper grocery bag. I bought some fun cotton fabric along with some snuggle flannel (for lining) and set out to get my studio in usable-enough shape to use my desk and sew at it.

It took a few days (mostly to get enough stuff put away in the studio that I could see my workspace) but in the end I busted it out. I'm sure I did some things wrong (I'm pretty sure I did the bias tape part wrong and there is probably a better way to do elastic) but I ended up with a functional pair of puppy panties that are way more cute and fun than the ugly expensive one I bought at the store...complete with velcro, elastic and edging. This may not sound like much but I think up to this point, the most complicated thing I've ever sewn in my life was a very basic cotton dress that my mom held my hand step-by-step more than 10 years ago as I made it. So this felt like moving from the sand box to the desert ovenight. And I did it solo.

Anyway, check it out:



Not too shabby, eh?

I've got some more fabric, so I'm going to make another one and try a different construction technique to see if I can figure out a better way to do it.



Visit thecsiproject.com

Friday, July 3, 2009

Rockin' the Granny Puppy Panties

So, a couple weeks ago, our littlest one entered into her time of, um, "bark mitzvah" as one friend put it. We had waited too long to have her spayed and so now, we're dealing with the results.

Husband was a little freaked out by a puppy having a period (previous traumatic experience involving the human variety) so it was left to me to find protective options for the little one. Which is fine. I am the mama afterall.

My brother in law (a vet tech for the Army) suggested we could even use baby diapers if doggy diapers were too much. Dog diapers, for the record, are re-freaking-diculous pricewise.... $15 for 12 of them. Human diapers cost $8 for 36...for a high end brand even. For a while we were cutting holes for her tail in some pampers until Lola discovered that she could chew through the diaper to make a hole. Which wouldn't be so bad if diapers didn't contain a powder that expands when it comes in contact with liquid to make little crystals. Let's just say Lola was very thirsty for a few days and had some less than pleasant expereinces on our walks until it got out of her system.

So on to plan B: cloth diaper. This was the original option we wanted to go with (espcially since that's the option we'd choose should we ever have non-furry children), but cloth puppy diapers are also really expensive: $26 for the size Lola needed...and she is a wee one. But we got one anyway since eating diaper crystals isn't exactly good for her. We really needed a few, though, since I wanted to be able to rotate through at least two so I could wash them.

I thought about knitting a back up, but thought it would take too much time. Then I thought I could maybe sew one for a little time and a lot less cash.

With the store bought diaper as my guide, I traced out a pattern onto an unfolded paper grocery bag. I bought some fun cotton fabric along with some snuggle flannel (for lining) and set out to get my studio in usable-enough shape to use my desk and sew at it.

It took a few days (mostly to get enough stuff put away in the studio that I could see my workspace) but in the end I busted it out. I'm sure I did some things wrong (I'm pretty sure I did the bias tape part wrong and there is probably a better way to do elastic) but I ended up with a functional pair of puppy panties that are way more cute and fun than the ugly expensive one I bought at the store...complete with velcro, elastic and edging. This may not sound like much but I think up to this point, the most complicated thing I've ever sewn in my life was a very basic cotton dress that my mom held my hand step-by-step more than 10 years ago as I made it. So this felt like moving from the sand box to the desert ovenight. And I did it solo.

Anyway, check it out:



Not too shabby, eh?

I've got some more fabric, so I'm going to make another one and try a different construction technique to see if I can figure out a better way to do it.



Visit thecsiproject.com

 
Design by Free WordPress Themes | Bloggerized by Lasantha - Premium Blogger Themes | Facebook Themes