Dressed in funny pants or a dressa small dog involuntarily evokes affection in many. There is already a whole fashion industry in the world that provides these miniature animals with special cosmetics, hairstyles and, of course, offers stylish clothes. Sometimes some dog owners pay more attention to their pets than to themselves. A real paradise is created for pets: beautiful velvet beds and pillows, baskets, various toys, comfortable dishes, all kinds of accessories. And, accordingly, an exclusive wardrobe is selected for them. For girl dogs, owners most often choose clothes such as sundresses, dresses and tops with skirts. Small dogs are dressed in shorts and pants in combination with T-shirts and blouses. If you like brutal and stylish macho, then you can put a bright T-shirt with a cool inscription on the powerful torso of a bulldog. Bright vests also look very funny on such animals. If your pet needs an outfit for a special occasion, you can find real evening dresses or an elegant suit with a bow tie in stores. Many dog breeds can wear any clothes from the store - the main thing is that the size is right. Owners of miniature pets are especially lucky in this regard, because there is a whole fashion industry for them. But certain dog breeds with a special body structure, for example, a muscular bulldog or a fragile and graceful Chinese crested, require specially tailored clothes - custom-made outfits. But you can make them yourself.
Preparation
To make you happy with the results of your work,surprised your friends and, most importantly, sat well on your dog without causing any discomfort, you need to understand that clothing for animals has certain features. And you should definitely pay attention to this, because only in this case you will be able to sew models that are not just beautiful, but also comfortable. If you have ever wondered what kind of dog clothes are sold in stores, you could see that the offered items are universal and do not provide for differences, for example, for long-haired and short-haired animals. You need to know that if your pet belongs to shaggy dog breeds, then when sewing you should avoid inserting elastic bands into the cuffs, since in those places on its body where they will rub against the fur, unaesthetic lumps can form. Instead of zippers and ties, it makes sense to sew Velcro and buttons into clothes, because otherwise you can hurt the animal if its fur gets pinched when buttoning. To sew things for dogs that will not differ in appearance from store-bought ones, and in functionality will even be able to surpass them, you cannot do without a sewing machine. With its help, the clothes will be more neat, and you will spend less time on the work than it would take for the manual process. Additionally, you will also need:
- temples
- tracing paper
- scissors
- chalk or soap
- threads and needles
- thimble
- centimeter
- pins
As for materials and fabrics, then for sureyour old clothes that are gathering dust in the closet will do. Old sweaters and husband's shirts will also do. But if you want to create a glamorous outfit for your pet, the choice of fabrics in the store is so wide that finding what you want is not a problem at all. Do not forget about the fittings, without which it is just as impossible to sew clothes for dogs as for us, people. Therefore, stock up on buttons, elastic bands, Velcro, rhinestones and sequins right away. If you want to sew a fashionable and practical wardrobe for your dog yourself, you simply need patterns. Ready-made options can be found without much difficulty, but we suggest being as original as possible and trying to make them yourself, because there is no particular difficulty here. Below are described the methods of constructing patterns and sewing, helping to make the most popular clothes for your four-legged pets.
Overalls and pants universal
Dog owners know that sometimes animalsIt is extremely necessary to protect the coat from rain, snow and dirt. Your small breed pets especially need this, because they are very sensitive to cold. Therefore, the jumpsuit is simply irreplaceable, because it is very comfortable. When choosing fabric for it, you should give preference to lightweight and moisture-resistant materials: raincoat fabric, microfiber, bologna, etc. If your goal is warm clothing, you will need a lining, which can be made removable. Just do not forget that for long-haired dogs, the fabric that will be inside the jumpsuit should be smooth and slippery to the touch to avoid the appearance of unsightly tangles on the animal. The described pattern will consist of three parts, namely: two side panels and a wedge with which they should be fastened on the dog's belly. As for the fastener, it is supposed to be on the back in the form of buttons, a zipper (if the animal has short hair), buttons, etc. You can insert elastic bands or Velcro into the cuffs — the choice depends, again, on the length of your pet's fur. To begin with, you should take the main measurements necessary for constructing the pattern. Using a tape measure, determine the length of the dog's back and its paws, the height at the withers, the distance between the front paws and the volume of the chest. All the measurements taken should be transferred to the pattern paper and connected. This way, you will get a pattern for the side of the overalls. It can be transferred to the fabric, not forgetting about the allowances for the seams. As for the method by which we sew, you should initially connect the two main parts - the side panels. Leave a reserve for the length of the paws and adjust it after trying on by inserting elastic bands or Velcro. Now the most difficult part is adjusting the width of the second part - the wedge - to the dog. The comfort of your pet's movements depends on how correctly you calculate its size. Therefore, it is better to do this after the side parts are sewn together. The only thing left is to come up with a fastener. The easiest way is to sew a flap with Velcro along the length of the wedge, but if you want, you can tinker and sew in a zipper. For rainy weather, the clothes should be supplemented with a hood. In general, only your own imagination can stop you. If you do not know how to sew at all, but still want to try to make some kind of toilet item for your pet with your own hands, then a blanket is the easiest and most successful way out for beginner craftswomen. This clothing, like a jumpsuit, can be warm, having a synthetic padding as a lining, serve as protection for the dog from the rain, if made of raincoat fabric, and also protect from the scorching sun on summer days when using linen or cotton for sewing. Sewing a blanket is very easy. The pattern will be a rectangle in which:
- the larger side is the sum of the dog's back lengths from the collar to the root of the tail and abdomen to the last rib plus the hemispheres of its neck;
- The smaller side is the semi-grip of the animal's breast in the widest possible place.
In the resulting pattern, do not forget to makea hole where your pet's head will be. The clothes themselves need to be trimmed with piping, and strings need to be sewn on the sides, with the help of which the blanket will be held on the dog. A more complex option could be a blanket with holes for the paws and a strip with a Velcro fastener. If desired, add a hood to this clothing or make a beautiful collar.
Dress for miniature breeds
Dresses suit the little lady dog very well.Owners buy or sew their own everyday clothes for their pets, and real festive outfits for going out, glamorous and charming. The fabrics chosen for this are very different. Although, of course, for everyday use, natural materials are still preferable, since any dog tends to suffer from heat. Therefore, you do not need to additionally create a "greenhouse effect" by dressing it in synthetics. The proposed option for cutting and making a dress for your miniature dog is perfect for both summer walks and going to visit. Everything depends on what fabrics you will use in the work on its creation. In any case, the material should be light and thin, so that the clothes do not restrict the dog's movements and do not cause any inconvenience, otherwise your pet will simply refuse to wear the outfit, and your work will go down the drain. Using a tape measure, determine the volume of the animal's body and chest, the distance between the paws and the length from the beginning of the neck to the middle of the body. The pattern will consist of three main parts: the back, the chest and the skirt. As in the first case with the overalls, transfer the measurements you made to tracing paper so that you get two independent drawings. As for the skirt, you don't need a pattern, since you will only need to take a piece of fabric equal in length to the volume of the dog's body multiplied by two, and up to twenty centimeters wide. After you cut out the back and chest of the future dress from the fabric, sew them together on the sides. The neckline should be treated with a satin ribbon, decorated with rhinestones or beads. Now you can sew on the skirt, and stitch its edge with the same ribbon or piping.
Shirt and waistcoat for the pet
If you are the lucky ownerminiature male dog, you will probably want to dress your pet in a fashionable shirt or a cute vest. After all, it is not only young ladies with dogs who need to look stylish and elegant, right? Using the example of how a shirt is made, you can make a top or a T-shirt for your pet. And a vest will suit not only miniature dogs, but also large representatives of this family. So, to sew this clothing, you should take measurements. Determine the length and volume of the body and front legs of your pet using a centimeter. The pattern will include two main parts - the back and the lower sides (you need two of them). Transfer the measurements you have taken to cutting paper and connect them together to get the outlines of the necessary parts of the model. Do not forget about the neck opening and seam allowances. Now cut out the parts of the future shirt from the pre-selected fabric. After basting and trying on, you can proceed to the final sewing. To make the clothes fit well and look good on the dog, add Velcro fasteners and make a stand-up collar. As for the vest, it is even easier to make. You can use different fabrics, because it all depends on the purposes for which you want to sew this type of dog clothing. If you need it to keep your pet warm in the cold, choose thick fleece or soft drape. For the summer, any fabric you like will do, the main thing is not to forget about naturalness. The basis for the pattern will be: the length of the back and chest to the last rib of the dog and the circumference of the body and chest. Transfer the measurements you have taken to the pattern paper. But it should be noted that you will again have two parts - the back (made of two halves) and the bottom. After you have the drawings of the necessary parts of the vest in front of you, transfer them to the fabric, baste them and try them on. If necessary, adjust on the dog, and then sew. The fastener that is supposed to be on the back can be made in the form of a Velcro strip or you can insert buttons.
Boots for crumbs
Dog shoes are often a necessity,especially in bad rainy weather or on frosty days. It is not difficult to do it yourself. You need to take measurements from all four paws of the pet, putting them on paper and tracing along the contour (immediately make allowances for seams). Then determine the height of the limbs from the floor to the wrist joint and the thickness at the widest point. Since you already have the pattern of the sole ready, proceed to the drawing of the bootleg. It will be a rectangle in which the length is the height of the future shoe, and the width is the thickness of the paw. Now transfer the results to the fabric, cut, baste and sew. Make the outer part of the sole from leather or thin rubber, and the inner part from felt and the main fabric. To make it comfortable for the dog, sew the sole with the outer seam to the bootleg, which can then be impregnated with glue for waterproofing. As for fixing the shoes on the paws, it is better to use a regular sewing elastic band. Remember that your dog needs to run and jump on a walk. So make small slits at the level of the wrist joint and thread an elastic band through them. After adjusting, sew it or leave the ends for tying, securing them with knots so that they do not come out of the holes. If you do not want to sew, then remember that many dogs need a personal wardrobe not for the sake of beauty and fun. Therefore, buy them something that can protect them from bad weather. After all, in our climate, miniature short-haired animals simply freeze, so clothing is an absolute necessity for them. Warm overalls are designed so that they do not restrict the dog's movements and allow your pet to frolic in the fresh air to their heart's content. In addition to overalls, warm coats and fur coats are also sold for miniature breeds. When your pet is cold, you will always be able to notice it - it immediately begins to shiver violently. Also, make sure that the dog does not overheat - it is not good for it either. If there is not much frost outside, then you can put a jacket on the animal, and in rainy weather - a raincoat. And do not forget about the boots! You yourself, as the owner, will be pleased that the dog does not have to wash its paws when returning from a walk. We recommend reading:
