It's a wonder I've gotten any traction on any knitting since our newest addition arrived several weeks ago.  

In early May, we had welcomed Ming Ming, the sweet but pensive puppy, and worked hard to get her out of the chair she appropriated. Then her sister Jessie became available, and the DH said Jessie would be the best thing for Ming Ming. Little did he know that he would be the one at home doing doggy laundry.

                                Ming Ming is on the left and Jessie is on the right. 

So now we have a nursery of sorts, with seven-month-old, lovable and inquisitive girls whom I don't trust alone for a second. They come from Critter Cavalry Rescue in Nashville, through Paws New England and Petfinder.com.

  

Somehow, I've been able to get a a little knitting done. A couple, three projects unstuck . . . but I was wandering until I got into a riff on eyelets - leafy eyelets.   

One day, yet another leaf lace knitting pattern sprang to life on the needles, simple but eye-candy, I thought, quite pleased with myself. Surely, someone else has thought of this one before, but I haven't looked. And yet it was inspired by something I've seen somewhere . . . I just can't remember.

Anyway, I tried this pattern out using Tahki Cotton Classic, a reliable, sturdy mercerized cotton in a DK weight. It has excellent stitch definition, particularly with these embossed little leaves. Not to mention the fact that it is offered in 128 shades. And it does not mind being dragged through the back yard like a trophy by a 50-pound dog who has inherited genes from the pointer and lab families. A little soil and doggie drool may be mixed in with the stitch pattern, but that is reversible with a little water and dish soap.

For the structure of my oversized swatch, I chose the architecture from Knitting Lace Triangles, by Evelyn A. Clark, which has already provided me with one excellent adventure. (See previous post.)

So where are we headed here? A small triangle, with a border, equals an eyelet doggie bandana!  Ming Ming models.  

The triangle starts in the center, on the side that goes against the neck. The border "fringe" around the edges is worked in garter stitch during the bind-off row.

Now we are off to a second bandana, with some modifications to make the tie easier and more secure for active girls.