I have been a seamstress since I was in junior high school, making many of my own clothes to get a better fit. Skirts, lined welt pocket blazers, blouses, dresses, bedspreads, quilts and draperies have all been projects completed. My interest in sewing crossed over into all the whippet gear I saw.
During the years of participating in the various whippet activities of lure coursing, conformation showing and obedience I began to make my own equipment. Lure coursing slip leads, lure coursing blankets, martingale leads and martingale collars all followed traditional designs, embellished by wonderful trims. I began making them just for myself, but then found that others were interested and willing to purchase a well made collar or lead. It was a natural progression to expand the numbers of collars and leads and I began to bring them to the various events for sale. In 2015 I added a line of coats – not just the traditional fleece jackets, but also beautiful, durable fabrics such as Minky, Velboa and pleather (a wind and waterproof washable leather). Eventually I progressed to booth spaces at all breed shows and the American Whippet Club National Specialty. This is the booth setup at the AWC 2018 Specialty.
Northwind Designs has been a hobby business since 1985. Although the business has grown over the years, I still handle each collar and coat personally. I am a meticulous seamstress – I use the same techniques on dog coats and collars that I use to make professional quality garments for human wear. I pay particular attention to details; stitching strength and quality, thread is carefully chosen to match the trim and webbing color. All my products use first quality hardware and fabric and I am perpetually searching far and wide for ribbons and trims that are interesting and of the finest material. I strive to produce an excellent product and customer satisfaction is paramount to me.
Wholesale pricing is available. I work with a number of pet stores, greyhound rescue groups and have provided product to many all-breed and sighthound groups. I have done trophies for English Cockers, Boxers, Salukis, and of course, Whippets. If you’re interested, please e-mail for details.
I hope you enjoy viewing the product and information on Northwind Whippets. Thanks for visiting and I hope you will recommend us to your friends.