How to Make a Cross-Stitch on a Dog's Collar

Embroidered dog collars add some flair to your dog's appearance. Hand-embroidered dog collars come in many colors, and are available online and in pet specialty stores. Instead of spending money on these collars, you can enhance a plain soft-fabric dog collar right at home. Whether you want to add your dog's name or your phone number on the collar, or merely dress it up with some designs, you can use cross-stitch to give it a homey folk-art look.

Things You'll Need

  • Table
  • Embroidery transfer pen
  • Embroidery floss
  • Needle
  • Scissors
  • Liquid detergent
  • Paper towels
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place a dog collar horizontally on a table in a well-lit room. Face the outer part of the collar toward you.

    • 2

      Use an embroidery transfer pen to make X marks on the collar in the pattern you desire. Make the X marks and the pattern as large or small as the width of the collar will allow. The ink of an embroidery transfer pen is water-soluble and is only used to outline the pattern. Skip this step if you just want to make one single cross stitch and not an entire pattern.

    • 3

      Thread a needle with embroidery floss in the color of your choice.

    • 4

      Place the collar in your nondominant hand, and hold the needle between the index finger and thumb of your dominant hand. Stick the needle in the collar from the back to the front. If you made a pattern, use it as a guide and start X at the top left corner of the design.

    • 5

      Make a cross stitch. Pull your needle and floss through the fabric, leaving a 1-inch piece of floss hanging at the back of the dog collar. Your needle must exit the collar at the right bottom corner of the first X.

    • 6

      Stick the needle in at the left upper corner of the first X, so a diagonal line forms. Pull the needle through to the back of the collar.

    • 7

      Re-enter the collar from behind, and emerge from the left bottom corner of the first X. Hold the 1-inch tail of floss at the back of the collar horizontally, so your stitch crosses it and secures it to the fabric. Finish your cross stitch by pulling the needle through the right upper corner of the X.

    • 8

      Follow your pattern and use the same stitching method for each X. You want the top thread of each X to slant in the same direction.

    • 9

      Weave your needle through two or more stitches at the back of the collar to finish your embroidery. Cut the floss with scissors to release the needle and excess floss. Repeat this process with each individual part of your design or different color of embroidery floss.

    • 10

      Hand-wash the collar with mild liquid detergent to get rid of the ink marks. Dab it with a paper towel and let it air-dry before putting it on your dog.