SUPPLIES
- Fabric
- Corrugated cardboard
- Velcro
- Needle
- Thread
- Glue
Overview
Dog clothes serve a practical purpose by keeping pets warm and dry in cold or wet weather. You can make a coat that fastens and a matching cap without a sewing machine and without much effort. The coat has long ties that attach underneath with Velcro. The cap fastens under the chin and is stuffed with a heavy cardboard brim to keep your dog's face dry. Use water-repellent fabric to make a rainy day outfit and a heavier fabric for a coat that protects against winter weather. Thicker material in a hat is more difficult to sew, but it will hold its shape better.
Step 1
Measure your dog's midsection from his back down both sides. Write down the length and the width. Measure underneath for the length of the two straps that will hold the coat on. Make each 2 inches wide (1 inch for small dogs). Allow room enough for the coat to overlap the straps.
Step 2
Cut the fabric for the body of the coat in the dimensions you measured. Cut two long narrow pieces for the straps according to your measurements.
Step 3
Cut four 2-inch pieces of Velcro. Stitch them to either end of the narrow fabric strips so they can attach to each other. Sew these strips on the ends of either side of the top of the coat so they stretch across. Your dog's coat should fit comfortably underneath.
Step 4
Measure the top of your dog's head where you want the cap to fit. Write down the dimensions. Make a half-moon shaped brim out of cardboard in a size long enough to cover her face, with 2 extra inches on the flat side. Measure and cut two long narrow strips of fabric for ties that will attach under the chin. Attach 1-inch pieces of Velcro to one end of both fabric ties.
Step 5
Cut a circle of fabric in a diameter twice as large as the head size. Trace the cardboard brim onto the fabric. Trace it a second time, adding 1 inch all around to this piece. Cut out all three pieces.
Step 6
Glue the same-sized piece of fabric on the underside of the cardboard brim. Glue the larger piece to the top of the brim, turning it under along the curved part to hide frayed edges. Do not glue the last 2 inches on the flat side of the half-moon. Set the brim aside to dry.
Step 7
Hem the edges of the cloth circle that forms the cap while the brim is drying. Run a piece of thread along the bottom of the cap circle and pull it tightly to gather it. Sew the gathered bottom onto the open unglued cloth end of the brim. Sew the strips that fasten under the chin to either side of the cap behind the brim.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- TIP : The design of the coat is flexible. Cut the fabric wider and more like a cape if you want extra room along the back. Cut it more snugly to keep the dog warmer in winter. Adding a lining will give her an extra layer in snow or rain.
For a larger dog, you can use three straps underneath instead of two to secure it.
If you wish, you can make the cap in a lighter fabric than the coat to make it easier to sew. The brim will give it strength. If you want to make the cap fit more snugly, sew elastic into the bottom edge.
