Knitting for pets has lots of advantages. Have you ever spent a month knitting a scarf for a sister or nephew and when the big day comes to present it,

Erika's chicken shawl

they just don’t seem to value all the time and effort you put into it? It languishes in a closet somewhere, never to be seen again. Not so with knitting for pets! Your little dog will strut around proudly in that knitted doggie sweater you worked so hard on. Not only can you knit dog sweaters, you can also make dog collars, dog and cat toys and much more.

You don’t have to limit yourself to knitting for dogs and cats either. A friend of mine even made a pattern for this unique chicken shawl! If you have a chicken of your own, you can find the pattern on Erika’s RedShirt Knitting blog.

I’ve collected a great listing of free patterns online for knitting for pets and wanted to share them with you.

Speaking of knitting patterns for dogs, have you ever heard of “dog blogs?” I hadn’t until recently when I stumbled across several dozen of them. My dog Molly has been bugging me to start her own blog, so I thought, “Why not?” If you like dogs, maybe you’d like to check out Molly’s Blog and leave a comment for her.

In the meantime, here are some free knitting patterns for dogs, cats and other assorted pets:

Knitting Central Pet Patterns – does your cat need a knitted cat mask? Well, maybe not, but Knitting Central’s Pet Patter page has dozens of great ideas, from beds, sweaters, afghans, collars and toys for dogs, to knitted cat scarves and hats, catnip toys and felted kitty beds.

Lion Brand also has a selection of knitting patterns for dogs, mostly dog sweaters, but some cat beds and pet afghans. Some of the dog sweater patterns use fun fur and are really cute.

About.com has a small collection of knitting patterns for pets too. There are some cute knitted cat toys there that my cats would like.

BellaOnline’s Dog Editor has collected a great listing of gifts for dogs, including some knitted items. If you do other types of crafts, there are some good ideas too.  I loved her recipe for dog biscuits!

Here’s an article on eHow about how to knit a dog harness too.

One of my favorite patterns is by CoCoKnits for a felted dog collar. Since I have an Australian Shepherd and a Lab who refuse to wear sweaters, I think a

knifty knitter loom for dog collars and leashes

new knitted dog collar would be a great project for them.

If you like the knifty knitter and have a chihuahua, here’s a cute sweater pattern by Linda’s Loom Room You could probably adapt the pattern to a larger dog by using a larger loom. Here’s another one by Kathy Norris Designs and a colorful dog sweater by the LoomLady.

If you like using the knifty knitter and you’d like to make dog collars or leashes, this knifty knitter cording loom

Molly would love a knitted dog toy.

works really well. You can also felt your project after you’re done for extra strength and a snazzy look.

If you don’t mind spending a little money, here are some great knitting for pets books:

Pet Projects: Animal Knits Bible

Dress Your Dog: Nifty Knits for Classy Canines

Knitting for Cats

So, if your relatives disappoint you with their reaction to that knitted piece of art you gave them for Christmas, knit for someone who appreciates it! Knitting patterns for dogs, cats and other assorted pets are great for beginners because your lovable pet won’t notice a dropped stitch or blooper.

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