Your dog will be a hit with a silk-flower-adorned collar. The flourish charms, whether at an impromptu backyard barbeque or a more formal affair, like a wedding (every wedding party needs a flower dog). The embellishment is temporary; affixed with a simple snap, the flower can be removed or changed at whim. Choose any flower you fancy, or pick according to your state’s or province’s official flower. Just don’t go with Arizona’s state flower, the giant cactus! And though the dogwood, the flower of both North Carolina and British Columbia, seems very apropos, the silk version will prove near-impossible to find at your local craft or dollar store. Our favourites? Classic roses (New York), camellias (Alabama), or friendly daisies. Get out a needle and some thread; this project’s a snap!

Supplies

1. Silk Flower      2. Thimble     3. Metal Snap     4. Needle + Thread

How-To

Step 1

Use an upholstery needle and thimble to stitch half of a snap to the collar. A fabric collar with be easier to sew through than a leather collar, but any collar will do, provided you can push the needle through.

Step 2

Stitch the other half of the snap to the base of a fabric flower. Those with a flat fabric bottom are easiest to work with. If your flower has a plastic base and stem, snip off the stem and sew through a couple of petals as close as possible to the plastic base.

Tip

Snap on more than just silk flowers. Adorn your dog’s collar with a flag for Fourth of July or Canada Day celebrations.

 

Fight Big Black Dog Syndrome with Flowers
Finally, your adeptness with accessories does real good

While you’re at it, why not whip up an extra flowered collar for your local shelter? Sad fact: dogs are judged by colour of their fur. 54 percent of shelters report that their inmates suffer from Big Black Dog Syndrome, and that these poor souls are often left behind while their lighter coloured compatriots are adopted. Language alone has stigmatized them—“black dog” is a common euphemism for depression—but the biggest problem they face is standing out to overwhelmed would-be adopters. Black dogs tend to blend into the background in shelters and are therefore often simply overlooked. But shelter s have reported an increase when their black dogs are accessorized, and if a simple bandana can make a difference, im agine the kind of attention a Barking Bloom collar could attract. The presence of tags, blankets, and toys all make a difference, too, so if you have extras kicking about, they’d likely make welcome donations. Get crafting!