The best thing about making the Pocket Critter is how delightful it is to watch dogs play with it and work to get the treats out of the pocket. It’s not just the dog that’s having fun — we humans get to have fun, too! With this soft, interactive dog toy, I wanted to put the Ivy League Classics twist on a toy. Many dog toys are focused on being bright or eye-catching (or noisy). But this toy is more subtle and understated. It’s classic and huggable. And it’s not industrial-strength. Being soft and cuddly, and filled with stuffing, it’s…
Tag: fleece
Making the Pocket Critter Interactive Dog Toy
When I set out to design the Pocket Critter Toy, I zeroed in on creating something that would give dogs a mental challenge — a problem to solve — in order to get a treat. Rather than handing a dog a biscuit for sitting, with this toy the dog would have to nose around until they discovered the treats, then figure out how to get the treats out. The timeless-yet-cuddly materials I wanted the interactive toy to be soft and cuddly. So with this in mind, I focused on choosing fabrics that would be thick and strong yet soft and…
Stuffed Pocket Critters
This batch of Pocket Critters looks much plumper and healthier than yesterday! They’re ready for the pockets to be stitched on next.
A mix of Pocket Critters in progress
I brought a new batch of fabrics into my workshop to make some Pocket Critters. This group is assembled and ready to be stuffed. Then I’ll stitch the pocket on by hand.
Flannel and fleece dog jacket
We adopted a little dog from the shelter a few months ago, and as the weather cooled she needed a little jacket to ward off the shivers. Instead of buying one from the store, I decided it would be a great opportunity for a sewing project and used this wonderful tutorial as my guide. (And I got a kick out of how similar her dog looks to ours!) It was so much fun to make, and when I finished I seriously considered making myself a matching fleece-lined flannel — maybe one day. It’s just so soft and cuddly! Now I have…
