Handsome in...yellow!

One of the (many) items on my Q3 FAL list was a new collar for Archie:

Back in the middle of May, when Mam was getting ready to bring Eddie to live with her, Archie started to feel a bit left out and wondered whether he could have a new collar.  As you can see in the photo below, he requested a yellow one.

I think yellow might be my colour.  I mean, I know I suit blue, but I fancy a change to welcome in the summer.  And our new friend, of course.

 I decided (as you do) that I would make one because you don't get many yellow collars in pet shops. I'd seen photos of Tina's dog wearing handmade collars and got in touch with her.  She owns and runs Tikki London and she a pdf pattern for a dog collar (or cats, I suppose, if you're that way out) as well as all the hardware for them.  I also bought quarter of a metre of heavy weight interfacing for the inside, as recommended in the pattern.

It didn't take long to make the collar (I don't have any progress photos, I'm afraid, as I had barely got started before I was finished!) and Archie's very pleased with the results:

Handsome, aren't I?

I used variegated YLI quilting thread and a scrap of Warm and White wadding inside the collar, as well as the interfacing.  I didn't have a long enough piece of yellow fabric so I joined two pieces and then top stitched the seam allowances to add strength.

It makes a lightweight collar, but I think you could add webbing to make it sturdier as there seems to be enough room in the hardware to take another layer.  Archie doesn't really need to wear a collar because he isn't walked on a lead and doesn't need restraining at the front door when I open it, so the weight doesn't really matter in this case, he wears one because he likes wearing one and I think it makes him feel safe and secure.  If (when!) I make him another one, I think I'll use triple stitch to add extra strength to the stitching.  I used a Superior titanium topstitch needle for all the stitching and both it and the machine managed fine through all the layers (which was up to eighteen at one point).

I seem to remember that if I stand right here when people are in their gardens, I get food...

That's right, you toil away planting up the garden, and Mini Archie and I will supervise and tell you when you get something wrong.

Doesn't he wear it well?!

I'm linking this up to the end of quarter finishes link, don't forget to add your finishes!!

I know this has been a post full of photos of Archie, but I can't not end on an Archie photo, albeit one where he's in the background:

Just let her have the ball so she can throw it.  If you insist on snatching it up every time she twitches, I'm going to be waiting to catch it for a very long time...

Thanks for popping in!!