How to Make Dog Apparel

Not only can canine apparel be a fashion accessory for the best-dressed pooches, it can also serve a useful purpose, protecting them from rain and other inclement weather. To begin your own fashion line for your dog start with a basic coat, a moderately easy and fun sewing project that should take a few hours to complete.

Things You'll Need

  • Material of your choice, preferably upholstery or waterproof (especially if you're making a raincoat)
  • Measuring tape
  • Scissors
  • Thread to match the material
  • Needle appropriate for the material you chose
  • Black marker or chalk
  • Velcro, approximately 1 inch wide by 14 inches long
  • Tape
  • Grid paper
  • Pattern
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure your dog from her collar to the base of her tail, then measure her width from between the shoulder blades, behind its front legs and up to between her shoulder blades again.

    • 2

      Use those measurements to size your clothing on grid paper, with each square equaling 1 inch by 1 inch. Using chalk or a marker, trace the pattern grid on the backside of the material and then transfer the design onto the gridded material, one block at a time.

    • 3

      You should then have the pattern fully drawn on the fabric. Cut it out out, and with your dog standing upright try the design on her, adjusting it where needed. Remove the design from the dog.

    • 4

      Fold and sew a 1/4-inch seam around the design and cut the Velcro into 2-inch pieces.

    • 5

      Place and sew two pieces of Velcro at the neck band and two pieces at the belly band, then place and sew the corresponding pieces at the neck and belly.