DIY: Sew a Dog Vest Coat

Even though your pup has a nice fur coat, when the temperature dips and the rain or snow is falling, your dog may need the extra protection and warmth a dog vest coat can provide. You can easily sew your best friend a coat of his own with a recycled crew neck, long-sleeved T-shirt, sweater or sweatshirt.

Things You'll Need

  • Recycled crew neck, long-sleeved T-shirt, sweater or sweatshirt
  • Marker
  • Measuring tape
  • Scissors
  • Sewing machine
  • Thread
  • Straight pins
  • Velcro
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Instructions

    • 1
      Be earth-friendly and recycle your clothes.

      Turn your recycled top inside out and drape it over the back of your dog.

    • 2

      Determine how long you'd like the dog vest to be and mark it.

    • 3
      Use a flexible measuring tape to measure your pup's belly.

      Measure from the side of the shirt under your dog's belly to the other side of the shirt to determine the placement and length of the belly strap. Mark on the sides of the shirt where you need to sew the belly strap.

    • 4
      Cut close to the seam, not on it.

      Follow the seam lines and cut the sleeves off of the shirt. The seam should be on the sleeve that you cut off, not on the body of the shirt.

    • 5

      Keeping the sleeves inside out, use the seam as a guide and cut the cuffs off the sleeves. These are going to be the straps that wrap from the sides of the coat under your dog's belly.

    • 6
      Use a sewing machine for accuracy.

      Stitch 5/8 of an inch from the edge where the cuff was on both sleeves. Turn the sleeves right side out.

    • 7

      Lay each belly strap flat and measure to determine how long they need to be to wrap under your dog's belly and to overlap the ends with Velcro. Mark with a straight line and cut.

    • 8

      Take the body of your shirt and fold it in half the long way. Follow the seam line of the collar and cut about 2 inches below that. Depending on the size of your dog, the neck strap may need to be bigger or smaller. Just as the belly strap ends will overlap and attach to each other with Velcro under your dog's belly, this neck strap will wrap to the front of his neck and do the same.

    • 9

      Keep the shirt folded in half and shape the bottom edge of the dog jacket. If you want a straight edge, you're all set. If you'd like a slightly rounded edge, cut a straight line and then make a slight curve up to the side. You could also make it pointed, zigzagged or scalloped, as you wish.

    • 10

      Unfold your shirt and lay it flat. It should look like a wide-armed tank top.

    • 11

      Cut the sides of your shirt apart but leave the shoulders together.

    • 12

      Fold the top layer of your shirt up to the shoulder straps, leaving the bottom layer flat. You should now be looking at the outside front of your recycled shirt or sweater.

    • 13
      Remove the pins before sewing over them to avoid breaking the needle.

      Lay the straps on top of the front of the shirt. The edge of each strap should be lined up with the sides where you marked. Pin them in place.

    • 14

      Fold the top layer back down over the straps and the other shirt layer.

    • 15

      Match the edges of the bottom and top layers and pin them in place. Leave a space at the bottom big enough for you to insert your hand to turn the dog jacket right side out.

    • 16

      Sew around the jacket 5/8 of an inch from the edge. Start at the bottom on one side of the turning gap and end on the other side of the turning gap.

    • 17

      Turn your dog jacket right side out.

    • 18
      Use the pressure foot as a guide for top stitching.

      Fold the open edge at the bottom of the jacket to the inside and stitch closed. For durability, stitch around the entire jacket again, ¼ of an inch from the edge.

    • 19
      Use strips of Velcro to attach the straps.

      Cut four pieces of Velcro: two loop sides and two hook sides. The length of your Velcro strips will be determined by how long your straps are.

    • 20

      Lay the dog jacket flat and overlap the belly straps and the neck strap as you would on your dog. Position and pin one hook strip of Velcro to one belly strap and one loop strip of Velcro to the other belly strap. Do the same for the neck strap.

    • 21

      Sew the Velcro to the straps.

    • 22
      You can create an entire wardrobe for your dog.

      Dress your dog in his new jacket and show him off to the neighborhood.