Life got ahold of me

Ray

I was planning on doing this amazing post about herdwick sheep and wool this week. However, yesterday something took all my research time. I realized when I was grooming Ray. That he was losing his coat really fast. The warm weather has had the buns all throwing their coats and I’ve been spending a good amount of time in the barn keeping them matt free and collecting fiber. Ray has lost so much that his tummy and sides are almost bald and now the weather has taken a turn for the colder. I ended up having to clip him down some to keep him from matting too much. I left about an inch of fiber on him everywhere I could. I don’t usually like to clip in the winter as plucking leaves more length but as he had plucked his belly and underarms clean I had to do something.

I searched and searched for the bunny sweaters I’ve used in the past but was unable to find them. The hubs ran to a couple places in town to find small dog coats but …no dice.

So what is a crafty girl to do ……knit a 3 hour bunny sweater!!!!!!

starting Ray’s Sweater

I hopped on ravelry and found a dog coat pattern to modify. I used Spunknit’s Knitted Dog Sweater Pattern by Lane Drogato.  For yarn I used some Lion Brand wool I had laying around. I shortened the neck by doing increases quicker because dogs have a long neck compared to a bunny. I didn’t worry about getting the increases in the pattern exactly right as I was trying to get it done before dark.

Ray’s sweater just after front legholes.

Then after the front leg holes I just continued knitting for 4 inches ( i do think I will go 5 inches next time) and bound off as I didn’t have to worry about a leg opening and I didn’t want the sweater to cover his backside just his sides and belly toward his front paws.

Ray’s bunny sweater finished except for weaving in ends

And Ta-da!!!! one 3 hour bunny sweater!!!!

Ray in his new sweater

I’m not sure he’s happy about it but he is definitely warmer.

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Tags: angora, angora rabbit fiber, angora rabbits, animal rescue, animals rescue maine, knitting, knitting blog, knitting patterns, knitting projects