I've found another outlet for crafting! His name is Jasper.
Today, I spend about ten minutes making him a super easy dog bow tie out of felt.
Felt is the perfect project for this quick tie, as it doesn't fray when you cut it, it's easily available in lots of colors, and it's super cheap. I used safety pins for this project, hence the quick and dirty name. Jasper won't be running or playing in his bow tie, so I feel comfortable with it having safety pins. It will mostly be for special occasions, like a proper bow tie should be! If I didn't have quilt stuff all over my sewing area, I would have sewed it. Use your best judgement to determine what's best for your dog.
I started with an almost full sheet of green felt. Jasper's 'official' color is red (that's just what color his collar from the shelter is), but I didn't have any red felt. I thought that he would look good in green too.
I didn't take any measurements for this bow tie, because it's the type that attaches to his collar and doesn't go around his neck. Use your own judgement about how big to make yours. I provide approximate measurements, so if you have a Jasper size pup it will look great. Scale up or down as needed.
I cut a wide piece of felt along the longest edge of my felt piece. It was about 4 inches wide and 11 inches long.
Then I folded the felt piece in half and cut triangles on the fold, about 1/2 inch wide at the base and three inches long, on both sides of the fold. This will create a cleaner look when the bow tie is folded and gathered.
Then I cut the strip to go around the middle, about 10 inches long and 1 inch wide.
I also cut some 'tails' for the tie, and I just eyeballed those. They are about 3 inches wide and 4 inches from base to tip. They aren't perfect, but no one can tell! Also, the strip shown below is too short, so go with the measurements above. I re-cut my strip and didn't take a picture, boo.
Take your long tie piece, and use safety pins (or whatever method you want to use) to join the ends. You now have a bow tie circle. Match the ends that you just joined to the smallest part of the front of the tie. Smooth the circle until it lays flat.
Take your long strip of felt and tie it around the middle of the tie. It might take a couple of tries to get it how you like it. Don't tie it too tight.
Adjust your bow tie as needed, pulling the sides until they are even, and perfecting any folds that appear.
Flip the tie over and pin the 'tails' to the underside of the bow tie.
Now you are ready to stick it on your pooch!
I tied the tie on his collar with the extra length from the felt strip, then I used two safety pins to attach the sides of the tie to his collar so that it would lay flat. When I used the safety pins on his collar, I made sure to start them from the bottom, as opposed to the top, so that if they came undone they wouldn't jab him. The smooth part of the pin with the catch was next to his skin. Does that make sense? I highly doubt that they will come undone with the low-energy activities he will be doing while wearing this bow tie, but you never know.
Now that I've made one, I'm thinking about safety pin-free designs that I can make for him. I think some Velcro sewed to his collar would do the trick, then I would sew Velcro on his tie. I would love to have him wear his tie on his walks! Such a dapper dude.
He looked super handsome, even though he was confused as to why he needed to wake up and get off the couch for this. He has a hard life, I tell ya.
Thanks for reading! Best wishes and love from Portland.
Today, I spend about ten minutes making him a super easy dog bow tie out of felt.
Felt is the perfect project for this quick tie, as it doesn't fray when you cut it, it's easily available in lots of colors, and it's super cheap. I used safety pins for this project, hence the quick and dirty name. Jasper won't be running or playing in his bow tie, so I feel comfortable with it having safety pins. It will mostly be for special occasions, like a proper bow tie should be! If I didn't have quilt stuff all over my sewing area, I would have sewed it. Use your best judgement to determine what's best for your dog.
I started with an almost full sheet of green felt. Jasper's 'official' color is red (that's just what color his collar from the shelter is), but I didn't have any red felt. I thought that he would look good in green too.
I didn't take any measurements for this bow tie, because it's the type that attaches to his collar and doesn't go around his neck. Use your own judgement about how big to make yours. I provide approximate measurements, so if you have a Jasper size pup it will look great. Scale up or down as needed.
I cut a wide piece of felt along the longest edge of my felt piece. It was about 4 inches wide and 11 inches long.
Then I folded the felt piece in half and cut triangles on the fold, about 1/2 inch wide at the base and three inches long, on both sides of the fold. This will create a cleaner look when the bow tie is folded and gathered.
Then I cut the strip to go around the middle, about 10 inches long and 1 inch wide.
I also cut some 'tails' for the tie, and I just eyeballed those. They are about 3 inches wide and 4 inches from base to tip. They aren't perfect, but no one can tell! Also, the strip shown below is too short, so go with the measurements above. I re-cut my strip and didn't take a picture, boo.
Take your long tie piece, and use safety pins (or whatever method you want to use) to join the ends. You now have a bow tie circle. Match the ends that you just joined to the smallest part of the front of the tie. Smooth the circle until it lays flat.
Take your long strip of felt and tie it around the middle of the tie. It might take a couple of tries to get it how you like it. Don't tie it too tight.
Adjust your bow tie as needed, pulling the sides until they are even, and perfecting any folds that appear.
Flip the tie over and pin the 'tails' to the underside of the bow tie.
Now you are ready to stick it on your pooch!
I tied the tie on his collar with the extra length from the felt strip, then I used two safety pins to attach the sides of the tie to his collar so that it would lay flat. When I used the safety pins on his collar, I made sure to start them from the bottom, as opposed to the top, so that if they came undone they wouldn't jab him. The smooth part of the pin with the catch was next to his skin. Does that make sense? I highly doubt that they will come undone with the low-energy activities he will be doing while wearing this bow tie, but you never know.
Now that I've made one, I'm thinking about safety pin-free designs that I can make for him. I think some Velcro sewed to his collar would do the trick, then I would sew Velcro on his tie. I would love to have him wear his tie on his walks! Such a dapper dude.
He looked super handsome, even though he was confused as to why he needed to wake up and get off the couch for this. He has a hard life, I tell ya.
Thanks for reading! Best wishes and love from Portland.
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