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Transform your pup into a holiday hound with this easy-to-make bandana that slips right over their collar

Over the collar dog bandanas are such a fun way to add to the holiday cheer and this tutorial will have your four legged friends becoming Christmas elves in no time! You can sew this together in about 1/2 hour and use up some of your fabric scraps. It’s a great sewing for beginners project, something to sew and sell or for your dogs of course!

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SUPPLIES

• Rotary Cutter
• Heat Erasable Pen (optional)
• Straight Pins &/or Fabric Clips
• Tailor’s Clapper (optional)
• Turning Tool (optional)
• Thread
• Iron (I used this one)
• Ironing Board
• Sewing Machine
• Embellishments like jingle bells, sequins, pom poms, beads, or buttons (optional)

If you prefer to have an ad-free, printable PDF pattern, you can find it in my Etsy Shop >

There are three parts to the collar and you can use 2 or 3 different fabrics depending on the look you want. I used the same fabric for A (the piece that creates the collar channel) and B (the fun triangles that hang down) and a contrasting fabric for C (the pointed collar piece.) You can also use a different fabric for each piece.

Because of the triangles and having to turn the project right side out through the collar channel I only designed 2 sizes instead of 3 like I did for the simple over the collar bandanas from squares of fabric.

Below are charts that show you the finished sizes and the fabric cuts you need for each.

You can adjust the sizing of fabric B if you want the points longer or shorter as well as the size of fabric C if you want the bottom bandana size larger. Simply cut the same width as shown in the chart and adjust the height. Changes won’t impact the directions, just the finished look of your dog bandana.

🎯 SHORTCUTS TO SPECIFIC TOPICS:

05:45 Sew bandana back to center fabric
06:42 Sew bandana front to center fabric
07:16 Sew dog bandana points together
08:39 Turn dog bandana right side out
09:14 Finish dog collar channel
09:44 Add jingle bells

HOW TO MAKE AN OVER THE COLLAR CHRISTMAS DOG BANDANA

Please read all instructions before beginning. Seam allowances are ¼”.

I made my Christmas dog bandanas simple so they would sew up quickly. You can of course create them to fit your vibe by adding more embellishments. Some ideas include adding a dog name or saying on the collar channel with machine embroidery or heat transfer vinyl if you are a Cricut or other cutting machine user. You can add ribbon or trim, beads, sequins and more! (If you try any of these I’d LOVE to see what you do! Please send me a photo or tag me on social media.)

STEP 1: CUTTING YOUR FABRICS

CUT THE TRIANGLE FABRIC

• In sets of 2, right sides together if you are using a print with a right & wrong side, place your triangle fabrics on your cutting mat along the lines. If If you are making the large dog bandana, make sure you have them vertically oriented – 4″ w x 5″ h.
• Cut into triangles by cutting from the top corner to the bottom center. Use the mat grid as your guide or make a mark for the center of the bottom edge. (fig. 1)
• Repeat for all 5 sets of fabric, pin them together as you cut so they are matched and ready to sew.

CUT THE BANDANA FABRIC

• Place your bandana fabrics right side together and line up horizontally on your rotary mat grid.
• Using a heat erasable pen or other marker, mark ¼” down from the top on each side.
• Find and mark the center point on the bottom edge.
• Cut between the top ¼” mark and the bottom center mark on each side to create the bandana triangle. (fig. 2)

figure 2

STEP 2: SEW THE TRIANGLES

• Sew the two long sides of each triangle set with ¼” seams, leaving the top edge open.
  • TIP: To make it easier to know where to pivot your needle when you get to the point you can put a ruler ¼” from the second side and draw a line. (fig. 3) When you get to the line you know to leave your needle down, lift your presser foot and pivot.
• Trim the point. Because of the angle of the point there is very little room for the seam allowance when turning. You will have better results if you cut at angles down each side – being careful not to cut the stitching – rather than just cutting straight across. (fig. 4)
• Turn each triangle and use a turning tool or other object to carefully push the point out as well as possible.
  Press flat and trim the extra seam allowance along the raw edges so they are straight.

STEP 3: BASTE THE TRIANGLES TO A BANDANA TRIANGLE

• Place the triangles on one of your bandana triangles (fabric C), matching the raw edges with the top raw edge. Begin on the left and the right, placing the outside points at least 1½” from the edge so they won’t get caught in seam allowances when you sew the bandana triangles together. Evenly space across and pin or clip in place. (fig. 5)
• Baste together, 1/8″ from the raw edges.

figure 5

STEP 4: PREPARE THE COLLAR CHANNEL

• Place the collar channel (fabric A) face down on your ironing board.
• Turn the short edge in ¼” and press. (fig. 6)
• Turn over another ¼” to encapsulate the raw edge and press.
• Repeat with the other side.
• Sew both sides in place with a matching thread.

STEP 5: ATTACH BANDANA TRIANGLES TO THE COLLAR CHANNEL

• Right sides together, place the second bandana triangle (fabric C) on the collar channel (fabric A), lining up the raw edges. (fig. 7)
• Pin or clip in place and sew with a ¼” seam allowance.
• Press seams towards the collar channel.

Repeat with the bandana triangle that has the points basted on it. (fig. 8)

figure 8

STEP 6: SEW THE BANDANA TRIANGLES TOGETHER

If you fold the dog bandana in half, matching the raw edges of the point, you will notice that the decorative triangles stick out (fig. 9) or for the small size, they will be too close to the seam allowance.

• To make sure you won’t catch the triangles in the seam allowance, fold them towards the center and pin. (fig. 10)
• Now fold the dog bandana in half, matching the raw edges of the point and pin in place. (fig. 11)
• Sew with a ¼” seam allowance.
• Trim fabric around point.

STEP 7: TURN RIGHT SIDE OUT AND FINISH

• Before turning right side out, carefully put your fingers through the collar channel holes and remove the pins holding the triangles in place.
• Once you have removed the potential implements of pain (the hidden pins), turn the dog collar right side out through one of the sides of the collar channel.
• Press.
• Topstitch across the collar channel where it meets the 5 triangles.
• Add embellishments as desired to the triangle points. (fig. 12)

figure 12

Get ready to sleigh the holiday season with your stylish pup! Make your Over-the-Collar Dog Bandana now and let the festive fun begin! 🐾🎄

— LOVE THIS IDEA? —

If you make a Cathedral Window Ornament and post on Instagram be sure to tag me (@artisttarareed). Follow my YouTube channel for new sewing projects and tips every week.

🎄 Tara Reed

P.S. Is there a sewing tutorial you’d love to see? Leave me a comment and I’ll add it to my idea list!

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