I Wear Many Hats: The Dog Bonnet, a Tribute.

Hey Y’all,

Clothing can be so sentimental. 
Sometimes, it's the most tangible thing you can have to connect with someone that is gone. 
You can see them wearing it, touch the fabric that they once wore, note the creases and wear marks their body made in the garment.  It can be very moving to re-visit.

I wanted to share something I made a long time ago that is very special to me.  

Cotton Calico Bonnet, trimmed in goldenrod yellow grosgrain ribbon.

FRONT VIEW: Modeled by the Medium-sized Doggie dress form at work.

SIDE VIEW:  Earholes have self binding, bottom edge is bound in grosgrain ribbon. 
All hand-finished with tiny pick stitches.

BACK VIEW:  Bonnet is gathered and clean finished into a half-moon yoke.



EAR HOLE DETAIL: 3/8" satin rainbow ribbon was fitted under the ear to hold the brim in place. 
Ruffle brim has folded edge, and is clean finished to the main body with grosgrain ribbon, all hand-finished.




INSIDE VIEW:  All clean-finished inside for Doggie-proof durability!



This fully-functional cotton bonnet was specially created for Honey, our beautiful family dog who changed our lives forever.  Honey was a Yellow Lab/Chow mix, a stray, found abandoned in the little gulf town of Rockport, Texas in 1997.  Thanks to some very well organized small-town vets, we were able to research who she was and her past history.  Honey was originally named Sandy.  Her previous owners even had her fixed, but left her behind in the back yard when the moved away.

And there she was, months later, sitting at a gas station, ready to follow me home.  I called her “Honey” the moment I saw her, and the name stuck ever since.

She was like all Texas ladies I know, TOUGH and BEAUTIFUL.  Honey survived months of abandonment on the Gulf Coast, with the biggest & largest tick infestation I’ve ever seen, AND THEN went through a heartworm treatment! She was already 4 years old when she came into our lives, and lived over 16 years until we had to make the painful decision to put her down.    

Honey was gentle giant, a mother-dog who never fussed about anything….even little children riding on her back was just another day of fun for her, lol.  And boy, did she loved to dress up!  We adorned her in pink baby T’s, tiaras, bunny ears, cat ears (too funny) ….she was just a perfect joy to play with.    PERFECT.

I designed & made this little bonnet to fit her head, and Honey wore it every Halloween when she greeted the Trick ‘or Treaters at the front door with my Mom.  Our little Texas pioneer!

It will always be one of my favorite projects, and proudest accomplishments.

And here's Honey in her younger years....Ain't she lovely?!

-Kathleen, In Oakland