A matching leash and collar are ideal for your fashionable four-legged friend, but what about adding a bow tie to their wardrobe? DIY bandanas, leashes and handmade bow ties are bound to let Fido stand out from the pack and also show your love for your furry sidekick. This project uses a fat quarter of Organic Cotton Sateen or other relatively sturdy substrates and can be made in no time flat. So pick your (or your dog’s!) favorite pattern and let’s begin! 

Dog in a teal handmade bow tie sitting in front of a teal wallpapered wall, wooden stool, and teal pillows.
Featured Collection

What Are the Best Designs For a Dog Bow Tie?

No matter how you orient them, fabrics with non-directional ditsy designs are bound to make a statement. While you can use a directional print if you’d like, using a small non-directional design with a smaller print will allow the design to show up and shine. If you find a design you like but it is scaled too big for your project, you can send a message to the artist via their Spoonflower shop to request a custom-scale change. 

Check out our pet-approved designs to find the right one for your pooch or purr-fect cat! Got scrap fabric you want to put to use? This is the perfect time to pull it out if it’s the same size as the required measurement for this project. (However, if your pet is small, you might find you’re able to get away with using less fabric!) 

Video Tutorial: How to Make a Dog Bow Tie

Follow this step-by-step video to see how to make a dog bow tie. Subscribe to our YouTube channel to see all the tutorials and stay up to date on the latest post. Grab your supplies, prop up your device at your sewing station and let’s create! 

Materials

What You Will Need to Create a Dog Bow Tie

Steps to Make a Dog Bow Tie:

Woman at a sewing table lifting fabric. A sewing machine is to the left of her. Behind her are spools of thread, a mannequin and other sewing machines on a shelf.

Step 1: Cut Out Your Fabric.

 Cut two 10.5″ x 3.5” (26.67 cm x 8.89 cm) rectangles and a smaller 5″ x 3” (12.7 cm x 7.62 cm) rectangle.

Columned photo with hands feeding fabric, print side down, through a sewing machine. The right image is hands cutting fabric design down, with a rotary blade.

2. Stitch Your Fabric.

Pin the two larger rectangles together, right sides in. Sew them together with 1/4” (0.6 cm) seam allowance, right sides facing. Clip the corners and trim the seam allowance to 1/8” (0.3 cm).  Turn the fabric right side out.

Columned photo with the left image being hands smoothing the fabric, design side up, with hands on either side of the fabric. The right image includes hands holding the fabric folded in half and pinned for sewing.
Hands feeding folded fabric, design side up, through a sewing machine.

Step 3: Create the Bow.

Tuck in the raw ends of the rectangle and press with an iron. Fold the strip in half and stitch the opening closed. Flip the tube so the seam is on the inside and in the middle of the rectangle. Scrunch the fabric to make the bow tie shape. If you would like, hand stitch the cinched fabric to keep the bowtie shape. This step is a… cinch!

Hands showing fabric folded in half, then another half

4. Create the Bow Tie Center.

Fold the smaller rectangle in half lengthwise, right sides facing and stitch together with a 1/4” (0.3 cm) seam allowance. Turn right side out and fold in half. Stitch across the end to secure the tube and flip the fabric so the seam is on the inside. 

Pro Tip:

If you have a dog collar that doesn’t have a thick buckle, you can change your seam allowance on the skinnier rectangle to fit accordingly. We recommend doing a test with scrap fabric to determine the optimal width.

Columned photo with hands displaying finished dog bow tie. The other image is the finished dog bow tie through a dog leash.

5. Finish the Bow Tie.

Insert the bow through the hole and then through your pup’s collar. Get ready to say “bow wow!” While your dog or cat is wearing their bow tie, be sure to supervise them. You don’t want to miss a photo-op or their hint to untie the bow tie.

Shop Dog Bow Tie Designs

Cascade (Navy)  by leanne_hatch

All_the_Dogs by lizmytinger

Gypsy Heart – Blue by shopcabin

shop more pet project designs

Frequently Asked Questions

HOW DO YOU MAKE A SIMPLE DOG BOW TIE?
Cut out your fabric, stitch the fabric, create the bow, create the bow tie center and finish the bowtie.
WHAT ARE THE FABRIC MEASUREMENTS NEEDED FOR A DOG BOW TIE?
Two 10.5” x 3×5” (26.67 cm x 8.89 cm) rectangles and a smaller 5” x 3” rectangle (12.7 cm x 7.62 cm.) Although if you have a smaller pet, you could get away with smaller pieces of fabric!
HOW DO YOU TIE A BOW ON A DOG?
Slip the bowtie center—the square—through the dog collar, then slip the bow—the rectangle—through the extra space between the bowtie center and the leash.
WHAT IS THE BEST DESIGN FOR A DOG BOW TIE?
We suggest selecting a non-directional design. This way the pattern won’t get lost in the small amount of fabric shown in the end result.

More Pet Projects

How to Sew an Easy Dog Bandana

How to Make a Pet Collar with a Matching Leash

DIY Bandanas for Under $3

Learn How to Make a Customizable Dog Bed Cover

Wondering what else you can make for your fur baby? Follow this video tutorial to create a DIY bed cover for your furry friend… It’s unique, made with love, and most importantly, washable.
Ready, Set, Sew!