How to Sew a Costume for Your Pet

Many people find it a great deal of fun to dress their pets in festive costumes to celebrate holidays or special occasions. Some pets enjoying playing dress-up while others need a little extra coaxing to keep their costumes on. For best overall results, sew a costume for your pet that is simple, comfortable and is easy for you to take on and off. Pay close attention to how materials fit under your pet's stomach, around its feet and on its head.

Things You'll Need

  • Felt fabric
  • Scissors
  • Measuring tape
  • Wide-band ribbon
  • Elastic headband
  • Elastic
  • Needle and thread
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Instructions

    • 1

      Take one measurement of your pet from the base of its neck to its hip bones, and a set of measurements around its middle, its hindquarters and its forequarters.

    • 2

      Select a comfortable, easy-to-sew fabric that doesn't require hemming, such as felt. Cut the fabric to your measurements.

    • 3

      Decorate your costume material following whatever theme you select. Try to work with lightweight decorating materials that won't be too heavy on your pet. For example, you can trim white felt in multi-color pom-poms and add felt circles to the surface for a clown motif; add white felt stripes to a red felt background for a candy cane costume; trail an orange felt background with green felt leaves for a pumpkin; or add ruffled ribbon or tulle to pink felt for a ballerina outfit.

    • 4

      Sew three bands of wide silk ribbon to the edge of each side of the fabric where it meets when wrapped over the back and under the belly of your pet. The ribbon should be long enough for you to tie comfortable bows around your pet's middle without the ribbon dragging on the ground.

    • 5

      Make matching footies for your pet costume by cutting felt circles one inch smaller than the measurement of the top of each of your pet's feet. For example, if the diameter of your pet's paws is approximately three inches, make your circles two-and-a-half inches in diameter. You want to make sure your pet will not be tripped by the footies.

    • 6

      Sew an elastic band to parallel sides of the circle so the footie can slide over your pet's foot and rest on top of its paw. Make sure the band is not too tight that it cuts off circulation.

    • 7

      Finish your costume by sewing a headpiece for your pet's outfit. To ensure you don't obscure your pet's vision, consider purchasing an inexpensive elastic headband and decorating it to match the rest of the costume. The headband can slide over your pet's head, resting in front of or behind its ears. To tighten the headband, simply gather excess fabric and tie it off with a piece of thread and cut off the ends.