Wedding Bow Tie for Dogs

Materials needed: Quarter-yard of black (or other color) of linen (or other black fabric) Velcro dot or square Youve thought of everything when it comes to your wedding. Youve taken care of every last detail, from the decorations to the foods to the party favors. Theres nothing left to do but to actually walk down that aisle. Itll be fabulous. All your family and friends will be there, as well as your other friend, your dog. Oh yeah, the dog. What will he wear? It doesnt have to be anything fancy; how about an ordinary, black tie? Thatll work! Make a tie for your pooch by using a piece of black linen or other fabric. The size you cut the pieces will be based on the size of your dog. First, cut the collar piece. Measure around your dogs neck and add an inch and a half to that measurement. This will be the length of the collar. To determine the width decide how wide you want the collar to be, double that amount, then add a half-inch to that measurement.

Fold the collar in half, lengthways, so that the right sides of the material are facing each other. Stitch across one short end and down the length of the collar. Remove from the machine and turn the collar right-side-out. A long, skinny item, like the handle of a wooden spoon, can help you turn the narrow collar the right way. Stitch the opening shut. Overlap the ends of the collar, mark the area where they meet, then stitch a Velcro piece on one side and the opposing piece on the other side.

To make the bow itself, decide how long and wide you want it, according to the size of your dog. It can be helpful to cut and scrunch a piece of paper and hold it up to the dog to get an idea of the size you want. Generally speaking, the fabric you cut will be a square, not a rectangle. So, the width measurement will also be the length measurement. Cut two pieces of fabric using the paper as your pattern. Stack the two squares so that their right sides are facing. Sew around three sides, remove from the machine, and turn the square right-side-out. Sew the opening shut. Cut a short piece of ribbon - not too wide and not too narrow - and use it to finish the bow. Overlap the ends of the ribbon, position them on one end of the collar, and tack them using the machine or a few hand stitches. Your dog is going to look fabulous at the wedding in his new, black tie. Have a feamle dog instead? Instead of making the bow part of the collar sew on a fabric flower!