Review: Best in Show

Best in Show: knit your own dog
by Sally Muir & Joanna Osborne, 2010
Collins & Brown

This book is mainly a bit of fun. All knitting doesn’t have to be sweaters and socks as we see here. Why not knit your own dog instead! Sally and Joanna will show you how you do it.
Divided into the breeds of dog there is a pattern for every dog lover. Whether your thing is a utility dog like the Dalmatians or a gun dog like the Labrador, there is something for everyone. Or as the authors suggest, you can also create your own mongrel. Mix the body parts of a Labrador with those of a poodle and get a Labradoodle.
I have always had a thing for English Bulldogs I made this my next project. The thing is, I have been making handmade presents for my husband's birthday this year. But alas, I already told him about most of them. So this bulldog will be the only surprise.
You can see the finished project on Ravelry (you will need to login to Ravelry). I found it very fun to knit in my own plied, recycled sweater yarn. But I must admit that I am not too impressed with the sewing up instructions. They were quite confusing. On the other hand the bulldog does seem like one of the most confusing dogs in terms of sewing because of the nose. So maybe if I had chosen another dog I wouldn't have had this problem.

I highly recommend this book as a fun way of doing something different when it comes to knitting.