How To Make a Tuxedo T-Shirt for Dogs

A tuxedo T-shirt for your dog is cute, charming and while not ideal for formal occasions, a whimsical project for an afternoon. Dog T-shirts are practical, particularly for very short-haired dogs. While a heavy coat can be too warm indoors or in the spring and fall, a cotton knit T-shirt can provide just enough warmth for your dog. You can make this simple tuxedo T-shirt for your dog using recycled fabrics, so it's even a free or very low-cost sewing project.

Things You'll Need

  • Old T-shirts in black and white (choose appropriate size for dog)
  • Scissors
  • Sewing machine and black thread
  • Needle and thread
  • Tape measure
  • Fabric marker
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure your dog. The first measurement should be around the neck. Allow some amount of breathing room and wearing ease in this measurement. Measure the chest at its widest point, typically right in front of the front legs. A dog with a larger girth will probably need more room to move. Take a length measurement from the base of the neck to the base of the tail. You may also want to measure the distance between his front legs, across his chest.

    • 2

      Draft your dog tuxedo T-shirt pattern. This will be a basic two-piece pattern consisting of a back panel and a chest panel. To speed up sewing, the ribbed collar on your human T-shirts will be re-used to serve as the collars of your dog T-shirt. Start by cutting either the front or the back of the black T-shirt to the length of your dog. Remove the neck ribbing from the other side of the black T-shirt. Save the other half of the T-shirt for another project. Mark the sides of your new dog T-shirt by creating a line from the bottom up on each side. The center section should measure one-half of your dog's chest measurement. Use a saucer or plate to curve the sides outward for the front legs, retaining the original sleeve seam if necessary or simply creating a sleeve shape out of the fabric for a smaller dog. Reshape the bottom of your tuxedo T-shirt into a neat curve. Trace the shape you have made onto the white T-shirt and cut it out, creating a concave curve along the bottom of the chest piece. Cut away the white neck ribbing.

    • 3

      Sew the black neck ribbing onto the white chest piece for your dog's tuxedo T-shirt. Sew the two T-shirt pieces together at the shoulders and side seams. Hem each sleeve opening and the bottom of the chest and back pieces with neat 1/4-inch hems.

    • 4

      Cut a rectangle of black knit from the scraps cut away from the back piece of your dog's T-shirt. Size this rectangle appropriately for your dog. About 4 inches by 1 inch is suitable for a small dog, but you may want a much larger bow tie for a bigger dog. Cut a second small rectangle, approximately 2 inches by 1 inch for a small dog.

    • 5

      Stitch up the long side of each rectangle. Seam the two short ends of the larger piece of fabric together. You now have small loop of black fabric. Gather the center of this together and wrap tightly with the smaller rectangle of fabric. Use a needle and thread to stitch this into place, forming a bow tie. Sew the bow tie securely to the front neckband of your dog's tuxedo T-shirt.