Dog mom or dog dad gift: a portrait of their dog, from the dog

A gift from the dog

The dog can't shop, so someone has to do it for them: a partner, the kids, a roommate. A portrait of the dog, signed from the dog, is the kind of gift that gets a laugh first and a long look after.

Write the card in the dog's voice. A few to borrow:

• "To my favorite human. Thanks for the walks, the treats and the good spot on the couch. Love, Biscuit."
• "Happy Mother's Day from your shadow. I'll be right behind you, as usual."
• "Dad, I made you this. Okay, someone helped. Your boy, Max."

The dates, and when to start

Three weeks allows a few short evenings of stitching, a practice piece first, and the rinse, drying and finishing at the end, with a little room for a busy week.

Who makes it

You don't need to have stitched before. The pattern marks every stitch with a dot, and a line portrait uses two stitches: back stitch for the lines and satin stitch for the eyes and nose. You can practice both first in the free 3D Stitch Simulator.

Kids can be part of it without touching a needle: they can pick the photo, write the card from the dog, and help wrap it. Leave the stitching to an older child or an adult.

Getting the photo without asking

• Check a shared phone or computer for a photo of the dog, face toward the camera, both eyes sharp.
• Ask another family member to send one. They'll enjoy being in on it.
• Choose one dog per photo. For a two-dog home, stitch two hoops and give them as a pair.

There's more in how to choose a photo for a pet portrait.

Wrapping it up

Back the hoop with a felt circle so it looks finished from both sides, turn the screw to the top, and wrap it in kraft paper with twine. Tuck in the original photo, so they can see where it came from. Write the dog's name and the year on the back in pencil. See how to frame embroidery in a hoop.

Questions people ask

Keep going

• Gift ideaPersonalized dog gift: their dog, their name, stitched by youHow to personalize a stitched dog portrait: the name, a date, a nickname, the layout in a 6-inch hoop, and details that make it theirs.
• Gift ideaGift for a dog lover who has everything: make oneFor the dog lover who has every dog mug already: their own dog, stitched by you, for a birthday, a housewarming or a thank-you.
• Gift ideaDIY Christmas gift for a dog lover: stitch their dogStitch a portrait of their dog for Christmas, with a week-by-week plan to finish by December 25.
• How-to guideHow to choose the right photo for a pet portraitThe light, angle and framing that make a photo stitch well, and the checks a photo has to pass.
• How-to guideHow to frame embroidery in the hoop (gift-ready)Re-hoop, gather, back with felt and hang: a gift-ready finish for a hand-stitched pet portrait, with the three backing methods compared.
• Free toolThe free 3D Stitch SimulatorPractice back stitch and satin stitch on a 3D hoop you can turn, zoom and flip.