A Dumbarton grandmother has switched from knitting for her family to making jumpers for man’s best friend.

Marian Henderson, 76, practised making items for her six children and 13 grandchildren before deciding to switch to creating dog jumpers.

She knits the woolly warmers at the town’s Artizan Shopping Centre Art Gallery and Community Hub and has helped raised funds for the famous Battersea Dogs Home in London.

Marian said: “I’ve been knitting for years. In fact the first real thing I made was when I was 16 and knitted a black sweater with a yellow stripe for my boyfriend at the time.

“My youngest daughter was getting fed up of me knitting blankets all the time. She lives down south and fosters Labradors so she suggested I could make something for them.

“She bought me a knitting pattern – it was a special one and the money raised from buying it went to the Battersea Dogs Home – and that was where it started.” She added: “It’s mainly small dogs, chihuahuas and things like that, as I think they feel the cold more. They also don’t like wearing anything too big and bulky so my coats seem to fit them nicely.

“Then again, I have just had an order from a lady who wanted coats for her two bull mastiffs so that was a bit of a challenge. I’ve done one and it took me 200g of wool. She’s bringing the dog in to try it on and if that fits then I’ll get started on the second one.” Another client is a regular customer who owns Labradoodle puppies that need woolly coats for when they are small and comes to Marian to knit each one to order.

Marian has had the prefect background for her business, happily knitting for all three sons, three daughters, eight grand-daughters, and five grandsons over the years.

She said: “People appreciate the fact that it is hand-knitted. They like hand-knitted things for their babies and people these days treat their little dogs like babies – they’re very much part of the family.” Since being widowed, Marian has enjoyed the experience of coming to the hub and meeting other people producing and selling their work.

She said: “I’m just quite happy to get out of the house, come up here and meet all these different people at the Artizan. It’s getting busier all the time and more people are coming but not everyone knows that we are here.” Louise Scott, marketing manager for the Artizan Shopping Centre, said: “Marian is another example of the tremendously talented people there are in and around Dumbarton.

“We always wanted the Community Hub at the Artizan to be a place where people could get together but it is just amazing the wonderful range of abilities and skills it has showcased.” The Artizan Art Gallery and Community Hub is open in Unit 9 of the shopping centre from 10am to 4pm on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays and from noon to 4pm on Fridays.