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!
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
- 1 fat quarter of Organic Cotton Sateen or other quilt weight cotton
We’re using the design Cascade Navy by leanne - Pins
- Scissors or Rotary blade
- Ruler
- Seam gauge
- Sewing machine
- Thread
Steps to Make a Dog Bow Tie:
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.
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.
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!
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:
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.
So many interesting ideas. Thank you for sharing.
These dogs are really adorable and they are really cute. Thanks for sharing it.
These are adorable! Thanks for sharing. It would also be a good project to donate to animal shelters for their photos of adoptable pets.
Fantastic idea! Thanks!!!
I was so thrilled to find this pattern! That is, until I realized I have my darling Dobermans wearing slip collars, that are the type of collars that tightens up and, if they are wearing the correct size, can’t slip out of them. You slide them over the head, not click on. I think they’re called Martingale collars. However, my parents and a sister have standard poodles! Yes!
There are martingale collars with buckles. Go to Yellow Dog Design to see/order them. I send each rescue dog hone with one of these and a matching leash.
You could create open loop to wrap around the collar that would close with Velcro
My pup has the same problem! I decided to use elastic 🙂
Made a few of these tonight for my make dog and my grandpuppies for Christmas. I wish I had moe time and material to come up with a bigger bow tie pattern, only because my grandpuppies are meat heads (American Bullies). Their heads are so fat, I’m not sure if the ties will end up looking too small on them. But fits my beagle mix just fine. Thanks for the instructions, they will be so cute in pictures.
My husband will be getting a service dog this week and I can’t think of anything nicer than a bow tie when meeting the family. Thanks so much for sharing.
What a great idea! You could even make them matching bow ties.
Thanks so much!!