DIY Dog Bandana

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One of my favourite things about going to BlogPaws is the chance to meet so many other fabulous bloggers. I am super excited to be meeting up with Cat from the popular YouTube channel Nailah Bone and the Adventures of Puppy and Cat this week.

Bandanas are such a great way to help your dog get a little festive without going full blown costume. We love them and we’re so excited to be sharing this easy tutorial that Cat created for a DIY Dog Bandana.

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DIY Dog Banadanas

by Cat of the Adventures of Puppy and Cat

I’m not big on dressing my dog up. Nailah has worn some Halloween costumes, has a coat for when it’s under 20, and she’s even got a rain coat (my dog hates the rain). But besides those special occasions she’ll usually be found going au natural… except for her bandanna. 

I love doggy bandannas. They’re cute, simple, and fun to match with a dogs leash and collar. Niles used to have a couple when she was in her adolescent stage but after being bored with the offered fair, I can only take so much paisley, I gave up on them. When I moved in with my mom things changed. She’s a pretty accomplished seamstress and always willing to help me out. So when I asked if she knew how to make this doggy fashion item she happily informed me she did. 

I was excited! But maybe a bit too excited. Before I knew it Niles had a doggy wardrobe that nearly rivaled mine! She had bandanna’s in almost every color and pattern imaginable. If there was a holiday we were sure to have one to match it, even seasons were covered! She was my doggy fashionista! 

As time went on I started matching her bandanna’s to our video themes. If we were making decorated PB cookies for the holiday’s she’d be wearing her winter sweets bandanna. Was spring in the air as we were making an Earth Day DIY? Then she’d have to be sporting her cherry blossom one. You get the picture, I was obsessed and apparently other people noticed. I got a request from one of our YouTube subscribers for a How To on making them so I decided to do just that.

How to Make A Bandanna for Your Dog 

To make your own custom made dog bandanna you’ll need some fabric of course, thread to match your fabric, scissors, pins, measuring tape, and a sewing machine. Once you’ve got all your items rounded it you can start crafting! The first thing you’ll need to do is decide on how big you want your bandanna to be. You can either go with the pattern we’ve come up with, will probably fit dogs from 20 lbs to 60 lbs, or you can make your own. If you decided to cut out a custom pattern you’ll need to measure your dogs neck, leaving enough space for you to squeeze a finger between their neck and the tape. You’ll also need to add on some extra length so that you’ll be able to tie the bandanna on when it’s done. 

Once you’ve got your pattern you can get to work on the fabric. Fold your pattern and place it on top of your folded fabric on the desired section. Then you’ll need to secure it in place with some pins. 

When you’ve got everything pinned down you can get cutting. Since we don’t like having frayed ends on our bandanna’s, and we imagine you don’t either, we suggest leaving about 1/4 inch of fabric around your pattern. This will allow you to create a hem and keep your work of art from getting tattered from daily use. 

Speaking of hems, it’s time to make one! Fold over the excess fabric and pin it in place. The trickiest part here is getting the bottom corner and the ties of the bandanna to stay. When you’re folding these parts pretend you’re wrapping a present, one fold should go under the other. 

Now that we’ve secured our hemline it’s time to sew everything in place! You’ll want to have your stitches as near the top of the hem as possible, making it impossible for the fabric to flap around. 

Once the final stitch is in place you’re ready to outfit your pup with their new bandanna.

If you need more visuals on how to create these doggy fashion accessories make sure to watch our video! 

We hope you and your dog will enjoy this cute little craft!

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Do you dress your dogs up in bandanas? Will you share a picture in the comments?

Cat is dog Mom to a high energy herding dog, an Australian Shepherd, named Nailah. With a dog that needs to have her mind and body worked on a daily basis, obedience training, stimulating toys, exercise, and nutritious treats are all part of what Cat considers to be a balanced lifestyle for her pet. Since she view these things, along with other fun dog mom projects, as more of a necessity than a luxury she has found herself driven to create many of these items on her own, making her a DIY kind of dog mom. Get in on puppy and Cat’s adventures by following them on Facebook, Twitter, G+, YouTube or Pinterest.