FO: Dogosaurus Rex Sweater

[laikabear]

This is a sweater I made for my Doberman, Darcy. It's called Dogosaurus Rex by Patons, which is unfortunately out of print. The yarn is Knitpicks Brava (their new acrylic, which is great for acrylic).

Sorry the pics are not the greatest, but I took them in the AM and the light was rather shadowy.

I think this is a really cute pattern, but I'm very disappointed with the fit. Darcy (like most Dobies) has a very large chest measurement but a small waist. When buying clothes for her (she gets chilly and likes a T-shirt or sweater), I always found that the neck would stretch out, the sweater or T-shirt would pull down, and it would impede her front legs from moving forward. This is a problem I had with my previous Doberman, too. Even if you can find clothes large enough, they just don't fit right - they are made for more tubular dogs, not the Dobie shape.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'm all ears. I don't know enough to understand why this happens and tweak the pattern. :sad: I don't know if making the neck tighter would prevent it from slipping... or maybe this is just an inherent problem with knits and I should try to find a woven fabric (sewn) coat for her that can't stretch out.

You can see in the 3rd photo how the sweater has slipped WAY down around her neck, and then the front of the sweater is pushing back on her front legs.

[Jan in CA]

That is cute! Bummer that it doesn't fit quite right though. Maybe she needs a sweater that has a button or something at the "waist" to keep it down?

Kind of like this, but you could put the strap lower down?
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/side-button-greyhound-sweater

[GrumpyGramma]

That's too bad that after all that trouble, it doesn't fit right. It is really cute.

[laikabear]

I was asking a knitter on Ravelry that has a Dobie what she thought about the fit, and she thinks maybe short rows are the answer.

Like a big-chested woman, Darcy has a flat back, but just a really deep chest. So I measured her at 30", but she's more like a smaller dog with boobs! :rofl: 30" is probably meant to work for a bigger dog that is more tube-shaped.

So she was thinking maybe make a smaller size sweater, but add short rows to the front to give it more of a tight fit.

What do you think?

Now I get this idea conceptually, but I have to think about how I would execute it. I'm not the best at modifying patterns because I don't have a lot of experience. And I sure as heck have never had to increase the bust on anything! :teehee:

[RochesterKnitter]

Also, You may try separating the neck from the body.
i.e. divide for the armholes (front legs) so that there is a ring of fabric fitted to the neck, notches for the legs, a ring of fabric aorund the chest and then the panel down theback.
i.e. knit in the round (neck), then knit flat (shoulders), knit in the round (chest) then knit flat (back).
http://www.doggieclothesline.com/product/GP-black-cozy-dog-coat

And/Or, put a velcro closure on the neck so it can be adjusted to fit.

Or, try this type of design.
http://www.largedogshoppe.com/
http://www.chillydogs.ca/index.php/product/index/37

[salmonmac]

The sweater is beatifully done but not quite right for Darcy, I agree. See if this site (http://www.dobermantalk.com/doberman-related-chat/7175-doberman-sweaters.html) with its links has any helpful information. I wonder too if sites for greyhounds might have some patterns or suggestions.
The ides for short rows is promising since you want fewer rows on the back and more across the chest. This pattern (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/big-dogs-sweater) uses increases that may help solve the problem of fit.

[justplaincharlotte]

What a cute sweater! I'm sorry that the fit is off. :sad:

I like Jan's idea of using the greyhound pattern shaping so that Miss Darcy gets a good fit.

[nonny2t]

How great is this. Such a cute sweater and he or she looks great in it too.

[ArtLady1981]

Well, I have to admit...I don't see the fit issues that you do. But suffice it to say...the sweater will accomplish what it's intended to do: keep her backside and underbelly warm! You're way ahead of the game, having a dog that will keep the sweater on! I purchased a felted-like coat for my Treeing Walker Coonhound a few years ago. It took her minutes to rip it off. So then I tried sewing it onto her. Bah! It took her a few extra minutes to get out of that.

Your dog is lovely looking! So elegant! She is very fortunate to have a compassionate mistress!

[Antares]

This looks great, but I'm sorry to hear you aren't happy with the fit. Perhaps it can be her "lying down" coat!