What I've learned knitting dog blankets

So many techniques, so little time!

There are so many interesting ways to knit like entrelac, intarsia or brioche -- the list is endless.

But there's a difference between learning how to do a technique and launching into the expense and time commitment of a full blown project. After all, what if you discover you don't like doing that technique?

And that's the beauty of knitting dog blankets.  Dogs can't recognize a knit stitch from a purl or a misstep in a pattern.  they won't complain that it's made out of acrylic yarn. They just want something warm to cuddle in on the concrete floor of an animal shelter. Research shows that when dogs are comfortable and not stressed, they are more adoptable.  It's a win for everyone.

How I used dog blanket knitting to improve my skills

I discovered knitting for dogs as a member of the El Segundo Slipt Stichers knitting guild, which provided handknit dog blankets to local shelters as part of their commitment to charity. I love dogs and I wanted to tighten up some of my skills and learn new techniques. Knitting for dogs allowed me to do what I wanted, make mistakes and be less than perfect while I worked.

My first goal was to tighten up my gauge and resolve long-standing issues with my continental knitting.

I've known how to do Continental knitting for decades, but my gauge was always loose and sloppy, making it impossible to do anything that had fit like sweaters or socks. Years ago, I switched back to English-style knitting for better control.

Dong a dog blanket gave me the "lab" time to focus on reeducating my fingers to a tighter tension. Even so, there was a noticeable difference between the tension of a knit row and that of a purl row. I decided to go back to English style -- but I have plans for trying Portuguese knitting and a knitting belt, both of which are supposed to be good ways to knit faster.  I'll be doing those tests on a dog blanket.

My second experiment was with entrelac, where bands of knitting lean in perpendicular directions.  It has a basket weave effect. It's not difficult once you get the hang of it, but it's challenging to get the "mental map" of what's going on with the stitches. then there's also the challenge of doing the triangles that begin and end each section at the sides. This was a perfect dog blanket project.  It took me time and a lot of mistakes to catch on, but I got it. I also understood I didn't want to do it any more. Understanding how it worked and getting a rectangular mat out of it was all I needed.

Tips for knitting dog blankets

There are few requirements for knitting a dog blanket for an animal shelter.  But keep the following in mind:

• The yarn has to be machine washable and dryable. Rescue organizations and shelters generally toss blankets, dog sweaters and toys into industrial machines for cleaning. Pick yarns that can stand up to that.
• Don't use patterns (or a gauge) that has holes or is so loose that a dog can get his claws caught in the knitting. Tighter gauge work better -- and also provide more cushioning.
• Size doesn't particularly matter. Shelters have kittens and chihuahuas all the way up to pit bulls and Great Danes. Make the size that you want.  If you're really concerned about it, you can go to a pet store (or Amazon.com) and look at the dimensions of dog beds or crates to get a target size.

Once you've finished a blanket (or several), you can either take it directly to the shelter to donate it. Some pet stores, like PetCo, have bins where they collect donations for shelters.