Project Puppy Protection

This cozy little angel may not be in the wildest of settings, but he is snuggled up in the only habitat he has ever known. Tucked up inside his brand new sweater he looks as safe and peaceful as any wild youngling coddled safely in their den. His mother rests quietly on the sidelines with a watchful eye. Like any creature in the wilderness, if her baby were in danger you would see just how wild she can be. We may live domesticated lives, but the wilderness lives deep within us all.

New life is the purest form of creation we can be witness to in our short lives. It was an honour to help this little fella get his best start in the world.

Project Puppy Protection came to me as a complete surprise. I had posted some small hand-knit kitchen items on the Facebook marketplace a few months prior. Honestly, I had completely forgotten about the ad when a new inquiry came in on the listing. A lovely woman was seeking someone to make itty bitty sweaters for some newborn pups. Alberta was deep in a harsh winter chill and the poor babies were having trouble keeping warm, due to their tiny stature. I was immediately on board with the cutest project proposal I had ever received!

I got each puppy's mini measurements and colour request then set out to grab supplies. My quest for the perfect yarn led me to the den of temptation, Michaels. Focusing my mind, and trying to ignore the urge to binge on art supplies, I hastened toward the rainbow walls of yarn. They had a perfect selection of wonderfully soft yarn that wouldn’t be too fluffy for the puppies to go adventuring. A sweater is no good, after all, if you can’t go anywhere in it! I wanted to make sure these cuties would be safe and cozy wherever they may roam.

Planning out the miniature design was a bit of a trick. The puppies were all different sizes and had very teeny legs, so sleeves were out of the question. I ended up going with a turtleneck-style sweater vest that would be cozy and maneuverable. The chest has an inverted diamond shape to allow maximum mobility as they learn to walk. I decided to create a gem-style shape with the body, aiming for a fuzzy Ring Pop look. Working with a red, green, and blue colour selection made for perfect little ruby, emerald, and sapphire gems.

It took about a week to complete the project. All of my free time was devoted to those little gems. By the last day, I was beyond excited to deliver the finished product! With any luck, I hoped to get a quick peek at the little darlings as I made the delivery.

The moment of truth arrived the following day. To my surprise, I was invited in to meet all three puppies. They were the most adorable fuzzy jelly beans I had ever seen! It was a fun challenge getting their tiny figures into the roomy new sweaters. They had been sized to grow into since puppies grow so quickly.

The grandest challenge of all was getting a few snapshots of the little models in their new attire. I must have taken at least eighty pictures trying to capture the frolicking puppies in a moment of stillness. They rambled about the room at an impressive speed, wobbling like miniature penguins on their unsteady legs. Thankfully, they tuckered themselves out quickly and I was able to sneak in a few last-minute shots. In the end, I settled for one sleeping beauty, and a gallery full of blurry fuzz balls.

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