Tuesday Tutorial --- Dog Coat

My goal this last month of this year is to have a new tutorial for you each week.   Today I am sharing with you a dog coat I made for our small dog,  Shadow.      This would be a great gift for your pet for Christmas.

You can make a couple of changes if you want to try making it for a larger dog.    Just measure your dog from his neck to his tail and from the middle of one of his sides to the middle of his other side to get your pet's dimensions.   Widen and lengthen the pattern to those sizes,  adding the extra inches along the fold edge and along the bottom.    You will also most likely need to lengthen the under belly strap.
The batting is optional depending on where you live.   Use the batting in very cold climates.

Supplies

1/2 yd of fleece
1/2 yd of flannel
optional---1/2 yd of cotton batting
two pieces of velcro,  2 inch x 3 inch and 2 inch by 1 inch
matching thread

Pattern pieces can be downloaded here.
Piece One
Piece Two

Instructions

Tape the two coat pattern pieces together at points A and B.    From the fleece, flannel and batting if you are using it,   cut one pattern piece on the fold from each.   One side of the front closure tabs needs to be cut on the second cutting line.

Cut one strap piece each from the fleece and flannel fabrics.

Lay the strap pieces right sides together and sew in a 1/4 inch seam allowance,  leaving one short end open for turning.   Turn right side out and topstitch around the edges.

Next lay the fleece right sides together on top of the flannel.   If you are using the batting,  place this underneath the flannel.  Pin together.  

Take the strap and insert it inside the fabric so that the fleece is facing the fleece side of the strap.  Pin together.

Stitch all around the coat,  leaving the opening at the bottom unsewn so you can turn the coat right side out.
Clip the two curves at the sides of the collar and then turn right side out.   Pin the opening closed.   Topstitch all around the coat along the edge.

The last thing you need to do is to sew the velcro to the front straps and the under belly strap.
Sew one half of the velcro to the flannel side of the straps.

Turn the coat over and sew the other velcro pieces to the fleece matching the under belly end of the strap to the same area on the coat where the strap will meet it.

And that is all there is to it,   Here is the finished coat.   This is an under an hour project for an experienced sewer.    Shadow loves his coats and lives in them all winter.

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial.   Next week I will have a tutorial for an easy Christmas table runner.
Copyright 2001  Bette Shaw