How to Make a Walking Jacket for Your Pet

Clothing for pets can be rather expensive. Using baby or children's clothing can be uncomfortable for your pet as their front legs do not align with a human's arms. Some pets truly benefit from wearing something on their body to keep in warmth. You might be surprised what types of coats you can make for your pet. By using old jackets or sweaters in a novel way, you can make a simple, unique and comfortable jacket for small- and medium-sized pets.

Things You'll Need

Old jacket or sweater
Sharp scissors
Needle and thread
Tailor's measuring tape or thick string
Dark-colored marker

Instructions

- 1
  Measure your pet's chest and head diameter with a measuring tape or a thick string. Measure the length of your pet from the base of its neck (just below the collar) to where the tail meets its rear end.
- 2
  Find an old sweater or jacket with a sleeve large enough to fit over your pet's chest. A large or extra large jacket has a remarkable amount of space where the sleeve meets the shoulder.
- 3
  Remove the sleeve from the jacket/sweater where it connects to the shoulder.Cut lengthwise down the sleeve, stopping before cutting through the wrist area. Leave the hole intact as you may be able to reuse that section as a nice head-hole for your pet -- if its head can comfortably fit through.
- 4
  Place the sleeve on your pet by putting your pet's head through the wrist hole. Cut the fabric on the wrist band only if your pet's head does not fit through the hole. Face the seam down so that the fabric drapes over your pet's body. Mark the areas where the leg holes should be cut.
- 5
  Remove the fabric from your pet and cut leg holes according to your markings. Stitch the rough edges together with thick thread to finish the leg holes. Place the jacket on your pet, making sure that the underside only covers the ribs and leaves the tummy open. Cut excess fabric if necessary to ensure proper movement for your pet.