Recycle your own dog from an old shirt and odd socks

A fun friend for Watson. Though he doesn't look too amused.
Here's how to make one yourself!

Here's what you'll need.
Except we didn't end up using the roll of baking paper to make a pattern.

We used a shirt that was meant for a 2-year-old.
Fold it down the back (the collar is on the right).

Jake realised that the arms looked like ears.
So we cut the nose out of the collar.

Here you can see where we cut. Now you may be thinking this nose is a bit long.
A bit more like an elephant/mouse/pig than a dog. You'd be right.
But as it is a gift for Petra, who is only 6 months old, I doubt she'll mind.
You might want your dog's nose a bit blunter. Up to you :o).
And if you want to cut rounder ears out, you can. 

Then Jake flattened out the shirt and cut carefully halfway
around the top of one sleeve...

And along the side seam (the sleeve is under his left hand).

And did the same the other side. Along the side seam
and up over the sleeve.

For fun, he tried it on. Cool! Check out that six pack!

This is the point when you can sew eyes on under the ears.
We didn't think about it at the time.
We were too excited and folded the sleeves in like this...

...folded the whole skirt over (so it looks inside out).

Pinned it (and tack it if you're sensible). It's ready to sew.

What about a tail???? Good point!
We cut one out of the front of the shirt.

Two pieces that look like this (with the right sides together).

Then sewed them together.

Like this.

Use a ruler to poke it right sides out again.

Now for the body. 

Jake did along the back up to where it got thick where the ears began.

That was where we realised our poor machine was going to have a
hard time sewing through all those layers of material. 

We used two needles but finally it worked :o).

We stuffed the tail with the insides of an old pillow.

Turned the body the right way out and stuffed it too. 

Fitted the tail inside the end of the body and sewed it on the machine.

Found four old socks that almost matched.

Turned them inside out and sewed the ends a bit shorter on the machine.
Old baby socks would look cuter perhaps.

Cut a nose and eye pupils out of an old black sock and cut a smile and
eyeballs out of the ends of the pink socks.
I'll sew them on by hand when I get a spare moment.

Looks like teddy needs putting back together again too.
Naughty Dr Watson. He's been reading Hound of the Baskerville's again!