If you have a short-haired dog, a small dog, or an older dog, you know how cold they can get when the weather starts to get chilly. Dog coats and sweaters can be expensive, and if you need multiples, it can put a dent in your wallet fast!
Fortunately, you can make your own dog sweaters out of old clothes or with some sewing skills! Take a look at the seven DIY dog sweater plans you can make today to get your dog’s wardrobe ready for winter.
The Top 7 DIY Dog Sweater Plans
1. Upcycled Dog Sweater by You Make it Simple
| Materials: | Old sweater or sweatpants |
| Tools: | Scissors |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
This DIY Upcycled Dog Sweater requires a little sewing skill, but it’s still super simple. If you have an old sweater around, it’s a quick sewing project that gives you a beautiful sweater for a dog (or cat!).
The tutorial includes sizing information with measurements to ensure you get the perfect fit for your pup. You can also watch a video tutorial and download and print the sweater patterns to make things easier. Get sewing!
2. No-Sew DIY Dog Sweater by Refashionista
| Materials: | Upcycled sweater or sweatshirt, fleece strips |
| Tools: | Home sewing machine, Serger (optional), scissors, pins, pattern |
| Difficulty: | Moderate |
This basic plan to convert old sweaters or sweatpants into a dog sweater couldn’t be easier! The process is the same, whether you’re using an old sweater, a long-sleeved shirt, a sweatshirt, sweatpants, or another article of similar clothing.
All you need to do is cut off the sleeves, or the pant legs, to the appropriate length for your dog. The torso of the sweater forms the torso of the dog’s sweater. If you’re using pants, the crotch of the pants covers your dog’s chest, and the waistband is the collar/head opening. It’s really that easy! If you want to have fun with it, the tutorial shows some cute plans to make the sweater a little fancier.
3. DIY Upcycled Homemade Dog Sweater by Two Blue Houses
| Materials: | Old sweater |
| Tools: | Scissors |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
This Upcycled Homemade Dog Sweater is based on Martha Stewart’s Wool Cardigan Dog Coat pattern, but this creator did a few things differently to make the project her own. You can buy a sweater or use an old or upcycled one, but it’s best to find a sweater that’s close to your dog’s size. If the sweater is too big, you may need to pin and sew a bit.
Once the sweater is sized properly, you simply take it off, cut off the edges, sew whatever needs to be sewn, and it’s ready to go! She also offers tips for adding cute touches like beading on the collar, but that’s up to you.
4. No-Sew Dog Sweater from Old Sweaters and Sweatpants
| Materials: | Old sweater, beads (optional) |
| Tools: | Sewing kit or sewing machine, scissors, safety pins, measuring tape |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
This DIY No-Sew Dog Sweater is made from an old sweater, taking a lot of the work out of the process for you. It’s also listed as “dachshund-friendly” for this long-backed breed and similar dogs.
For small dogs, this plan only uses the sleeves (perfect for long dogs), but you can use the full sweater for larger breeds. It’s a snap to create since all you need to do is cut a few holes and lines.
5. How to Sew a Dog Sweater by Sew What, Alicia?
| Materials: | Flannel fabric, Velcro |
| Tools: | Measuring tape, marker, sewing machine |
| Difficulty: | Moderate |
If you want to make a sweater from scratch, this is the perfect tutorial for you! This Dog Sweater requires sewing skills but the tutorial walks you through the entire process, patterning, sewing, and all, to the finished product.
Best of all, with this tutorial, you have the option to add special touches, choose the fabric, and have full control over the process. You can hand sew this pattern, but it will be much easier with a sewing machine.
6. No-Sew Five-Minute Dog Sweater by Cut Out + Keep
| Materials: | Old sweater or sweatshirt |
| Tools: | Scissors, pen, straight edge, sewing kit (optional) |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
This No-Sew, Five-Minute Dog Sweater is easy to make and uses old clothes, so you can get rid of that favorite old sweater or sweatshirt. The tutorial is easy to follow and shows you just what to cut to get the perfect fit for your dog.
Unlike some other tutorials, this one shows you how to get a nice, fitted sweater with clean edges. If you want to sew some parts to embellish your sweater, that part is covered, too.
7. Old Sweater into Adorable Dog Sweater by eHow
| Materials: | Old sweater or sweatshirt |
| Tools: | Scissors, straight edge, measuring tape, pen, straight pins |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
This DIY Dog Sweater is another no-sew option that’s quick and easy to make out of an old sweater or sweatshirt. The tools are things you probably have lying around the house, and you can use your old clothes or shop at the local thrift to find the perfect sweater.
This tutorial also includes some detailed information to measure and pattern your sweater out, ensuring it will fit your dog when it’s complete. It requires some math, but nothing too crazy!
Summary
With all these tutorials, you’re ready to make your dog a unique and special sweater for those chilly fall or winter days. You can choose upcycling, no-sew patterns, sewing projects, or whatever you’re comfortable with, and there are plenty of tips to embellish the sweaters and make them your own. Have fun!
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Featured Image Credit: mariekek, Unsplash
