Eddie is a rather rambunctious Toy Poodle puppy. He chews everything in sight. I think he gets taller every day, and then chews more things that he could not get to the day before. Currently he's pulling his bed across the floor. I haven't even looked-I just know. His bed is normally at my feet, and I just felt furry paws and fleece get dragged over them. Again.
He's done this before. It's routine now.
He's already destroyed several toys with his sharp puppy teeth, and I don't love the idea of repeatedly buying him more toys to destroy. Those things get expensive, especially when you have to keep buying new ones.
It's time for another experiment.
The DIY people of the internet tell me that I can make toys out of old t-shirts. Thank goodness for the internet DIY people and that rag rug that I thought I was going to make back in college and never quite gave up on.
I've started this project by combing the internet for various ways to make these supposed t-shirt toys. Eddie's started this project by chewing on one of his toys in a lesser phase of destruction, on top of my feet (the bed is back where it belongs, but he's only half in it).
The good news? Apparently I can make dog toys out of all sorts of items I have at home. I'm sticking with the t-shirts right now though. I'm going with the rope style toy, because I know Eddie likes these, and he just completed the destruction of one from the store a few days ago.
Here's what I'm following: T-Shirt Rope Toy
Here is the timeline of my attempt to make a DIY t-shirt dog toy.
25 minutes: I cut the fabric from the t-shirt to make 12 strands, as specified.
This takes an extra few minutes because Eddie wanders into the bathroom and starts chewing on the wicker hamper again, and I have to retrieve him. -5 minutes for dog distractions. Estimated 20 min total.
10 minutes: I stretch the fabric so that it curls over itself to make "yarn" and group it into four groups of three strands each. King Edmund is now asleep.
5 minutes: I realize I don't know how to start this braiding thing, even with the pictures, and consult the Internet. When the Internet tells me only to use two strands, I decide I'll just start with a big knot. Then I realize the picture on the original instructions is a dog toy with a big knot on one end. This is what I get for not paying enough attention.
10 minutes: I struggle with making the first knot, and can't figure out why every time I try to make a knot, there is no knot. Eddie wakes up and notices that I am working with strings of fabric, and wants to eat them. He successfully grabs one strand, which I get away from him, then another, which I also get away. He dejectedly goes back to his bed, and falls asleep again. I at last realize the correct combination of loops, and make my first knot. YES. Success.
25 minutes: I now have the hang of the braiding pattern, and I braid away. It gets easier as the strands get shorter, and I stop once I have a toy of the right size, tie it off and cut the extra ends.
Project complete!
Total Time: 75 minutes for a beginner with a distracting dog.
My Non-Expert Tips:
1. I knotted the end of each of my three-piece strands to keep them together and stop tangles and confusion. I would have untied those knots when I got to the end if I had used all of the "yarn." I didn't use all of my yarn though, so I just cut them off.
2. I think I used less than a yard for each piece, ultimately, because I have a small dog. I'll put the extra towards making a back-up toy, perhaps.
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| I'd say he likes it |
So, was it worth it?
Non-Expert Assessment of Difficulty Level: Medium...Easy with some practice
Cost of Supplies: T-shirts: $0
All of the T-shirts were free, and I got them all over 5 years ago. Almost everyone I know has at least a few of these, or knows someone who has a number of these.
The only cost to this toy was time.
Here's what's available in stores:
Small rope toy: $2.99-$5.99
Large Rope toy: $5.99-14.99
Additionally, a small dog with sharp puppy teeth (Eddie...) will destroy a rope toy in less than two months. Then I have to take the rope away and replace it. I can save the cost of repeatedly replacing the toy with one I have to buy at the store if I make it from old T-shirts.
I would say this experiment was a success. I'll monitor Eddie and his new toy for further results.
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