Finished! Emma's Bonnet

Hi Everyone,

Here's another little project I finished recently.  It's a dog bonnet for my friend's beautiful adopted puppy, Emma.

Ain't she adorable, y'all?? 

Meet Emma!

This bonnet was based off of Honey's old calico one.

A little technical sketch and measurements of Honey's original bonnet.

Pattern drafted of the brim, body, and crown based on Honey's bonnet measurements.

The pieces, all cut out in black & white polka dot cotton.  I cut an extra piece of the crown in plain black cotton, which will be the lining.  The brim is "Cut 2"  in self fabric and "clean finished" along the front and side edges.

The bonnet coming together:  The body is bound in black  bias tape at the edges of the ear holes.  The brim is gathered and about to be attached to the body.  The body is gathered into the crown, and will be sewn after the brim.

Brim is stitched to the body to the wrong side with grosgrain ribbon folded in half and layered on top.

Outside View #1:  The brim and ribbon trim is pressed to the outside and topstitched in place.  The body of the bonnet has been gathered and sandwiched in between the crown self and lining before sewing.

Outside View #2:  Grosgrain ribbon has been applied as binding to the bottom edge of the bonnet.

Inside View:  As you can see, this construction method "clean finishes" the inside of the bonnet with no raw edges.  Built tough.  Built to last.....That's how I roll!

Close up of the bonnet's brim detail.  (Sorry for the weird lighting...it  was a beautifully bright day!)  I created matching grosgrain bows that will sit on top of each ear.  Hella Cute!!!

And here's another view of the bonnet flat, with matching grosgrain ribbon ties tacked at the sides of the bottom edge.  The narrow plaid ribbon is tacked at the front and back sides, and sits under Emma's ears to hold the bonnet in place.

Finished!  A front view

....And a side view

Stay still, Emma!!!  The bonnet fits a little big all over, but she's gonna grow into it!

Emma and her lovely bonnet were going to make their debut at this year's Pirate Faire in Vallejo, until we found out that dogs were not allowed this year.
To bad, really...
Emma's a wiggle-worm of a puppy, but she's quite the well-behaved lady...except when she's trying to drink your beer...watch out!  She's a big fan!

I'm a Miller Lite gal myself....but to each her own!

-Kathleen, In Oakland

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