So, the chestnuts are roasting on your open fire and your nose has been sufficiently nipped by Jack Frost. But… what about your pets?
Despite the fact that they’re (probably) incapable of feeling festive and have absolutely no idea what Christmas is, that doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t receive a little extra love during the holiday season.
Besides buying gifts, Christmas-themed pet costumes seem to be the go-to for getting your fur babies into the festive spirit. However, when you live in the Southern Hemisphere where it’s WAY too hot to force your dog to don an ugly Christmas jumper, this can be a little tricky.
This year, I was determined to find a solution; and that’s when I stumbled upon pet bandanas and decided to make some of my own.
Supplies
To create your very own dog or cat bandana, you will need:
- Fabric- the amount will vary depending on the size of your animal, but generally speaking, give yourself at least half a metre to allow for any mishaps.
- Your pet’s collar
- Fabric scissors
- A sewing machine (or needle and thread)
- A pattern (optional)
Designing the shape
I have a little bit of sewing experience, but when I first started this project I wasn’t particularly confident in the pattern making department.
I started out by researching online and stumbled upon this INCREDIBLE article by Spoonflower which takes you through a simple design in a huge amount of detail.
To begin with, I measured my pet’s collars and used their handy template, but upon completion, I realised that I should’ve sized up and the collars were too thick to fit through nicely.
After I’d made five using the pattern, I felt comfortable enough to create my own freehand pattern to suit my needs, but the method I’ll be (briefly) showing you is still largely inspired by Spoonflower’s.
In essence, the shape is a triangle sitting on top of a wide rectangle.
Cutting
After you’ve made your pattern and pinned it to your fabric, you’ll need to cut it out.
Always make sure you’re using SHARP fabric scissors or a rotary cutter, otherwise, the edge may be choppy and a little uneven which makes it very difficult to sew.
You should also take this opportunity to iron the fabric to remove all of the creases, as well as slightly fold the edges and iron them down to create the start of your hem.
Sewing
Now comes the (somewhat) tricky part.
Start by sewing around all of the edges to secure the hem. If your pet is going to be wearing this for more than a day, this part is crucial, as it stops the edges from fraying and/or completely unravelling. It definitely doesn’t need to be perfect, but anything is better than nothing in this case.
Next, you’ll simply fold the rectangle section in half to create a loop for the collar, and sew it down (leaving each end open so the collar can slip through).
You’re done
That’s literally it.
Now that you’re done, all you have to do is slip the collar through the loop and attach it to your willing pet.
Jimmy
Jimmy (also known as Chummy, Jimbo, or Jimmy-bo) is our five-year-old Maltese x Shi Tzu.
He is a (sort of) intelligent bundle of energy who has five great loves:
- Cake
- Chicken
- Chasing his tail
- Chasing flies/ants/moths
- Being told he is a ‘good boy’
Despite being incredibly photogenic, he is not much of a model, and prefers to keep his face away from the lens.
Despite this, Jimmy absolutely adores being dressed up (because he knows he will receive an immense amount of praise and validation) so he was definitely stoked to receive and wear his bandanas this year.
Unfortunately, I have yet to capture a stunning image of him wearing them (as he moves at such a rapid rate), so instead I will leave you with this GIF.
Earl
Earl (also known as Earl Grey, Early, Turdy, or Monkey Face) is our eight-month-old Ragdoll x Himalayan Persian kitten.
Earl is what some may call an enigma.
On one hand, he thoroughly enjoys being in the presence of his chosen human of the day, receiving belly rubs, sniffing and licking toes, and getting a nice pat.
On the other hand, he despises being picked up. He tolerates a cuddle for approximately 30 seconds, before giving three periodic warning meows, and peacing out.
Through taking these images, I have discovered that Earl’s biggest fan is Earl.
As soon as the camera was pointed in his direction, he was in his element. He posed, he blinked seductively, and he really gave this shoot his all.
However, when it came to taking a picture with his mother, he was not overly impressed.
Macadamia
Macadamia (also known as Maccas or Macca Pacca) is our long-haired bundle of ‘I don’t knows’.
She is (unfortunately) our resident Grinch this year, and was not willing to participate in the festivities. So much so, that she immediately bolted away at the very presence of the camera.
Perhaps I will be able to show her to you one day, but you’ll have to subscribe to my newsletter for that.
And there we go!
If you end up creating a festive bandana for any of your pets, PRETTY PLEASE share some pictures with me (my social media links are below).
Until Friday, 😉
Perfect just what I was searching for! .