LOOK: Cats in hats and Hogwarts scarves

CATS wearing fanciful hats and Harry Potter inspired scarves turned a recent Sunday gathering of cat lovers at the Ayala Triangle Garden into something like a dress rehearsal for Halloween.

​The hats and scarves are creations of Nina Sharlene Briones who expertly crochets these novelty pieces for a living. 

Photos above by Allyza Tolentino

Two years ago, Nina took a crochet hook and yarn to create glass coasters, dog hats and pet carriers. It was only fairly recently when she made her first cat hat for a cousin joining a pet fair. Little did she know that more people would want the same for their cats until the orders start coming in.

Nina tapped a friend to help her fulfill the orders she's been getting for customized pet hats. She said they could each finish three simple hats a day or two if the design is a little complicated. With an eye for creating original designs, Nina decided to call her home-based business Just One Of A Kind Handcrafted Products.

“I work hard and devote my craft into these creations. I cannot please everybody but the customers I have encountered so far are wonderful to work with. Their sample photos are challenging but these help us to improve our craft. Our products are sold online and we get orders through recommendations from previous clients,” said Nina.

Nina only charges P175 for every cat hat she crochets (plus shipping cost). She expects to get more orders for pet hats and other wearable pieces as Halloween approaches. In the near future, she said she would like to extend her product line to include pet sling carrier, pet diaper cover, pet dresses, fun character costumes, coasters in animal themes and more.

To order a crochet piece for your cat and other small pets, visit Just One Of A Kind Handcrafted Products (JOOAK) in Facebook. -- METROPETS©