DIY Dog Dress/Shirt Tutorial

I recently cleaned out my closet, and, as usual, I had way too many old t-shirts. As I sorted the pile of clothing to donate, it occurred to me that an old t-shirt would make a great doggy dress for my chihuahua, Gracie. A few snips and stitches later, Gracie had a custom outfit, and I had one less t-shirt to donate. The process was so easy that I decided to make a tutorial. To just make a shirt, skip the last step.

Supplies:

• Old t-shirt
• Pattern: Print the pattern image at the bottom of this post. Resize if needed until the length is approximately the same length as your dog’s back. The easiest way to resize is to use the enlargement feature of a photocopier. Photo editing software will also work.
• Printer paper
• Pen or fabric pencil
• Iron
• Scissors
• Pins
• Thread
• Needle
• Lace trim for dress

 

Step 1: Pick a t-shirt or other clothing item to use as your fabric.

Step 2: Cut the t-shirt into a big rectangle so that when folded lengthwise, the pattern will fit on the fabric.

Step 3: Iron the fabric to smooth out any wrinkles and make cutting easier. Fold lengthwise with the right sides facing each other.

Step 4: Place the pattern on your folded fabric and align the top of the pattern with the folded edge of your fabric. Pin the pattern to the fabric if you need to. Trace the pattern on to the fabric with a pen or fabric pencil.

Step 5: Cut your fabric along the lines you just traced. Cut the arm holes a little bigger than the pattern (i.e. ¼ to 1/2 inch extra) to ensure a comfortable fit.

Step 6: On the wrong side of the fabric, pin the cut under each arm hole and sew. Any basic stitch such as a running stitch will do.

Step 7: With the wrong sides of the fabric on the outside, pin the center seam together and stitch closed. Remove pins and turn the fabric inside out. If you are making a dog shirt, congrats! You’re done! Read on if you would like to make a dress instead.

Step 8: Pin the trim along the bottom of the shirt. Stitch into place, then remove pins. Voila! An upcycled t-shirt becomes doggy couture!

The Shirt Version

 

Printable pattern