DIY PET SCARVES

 Our church recently did a Furry Friends Blessing in the Park and some of the members of the Blankets of Hope quilting ministry made different sized scarves for the pets. Some of them tied and some you just slipped over the collar. 

Since we have cats, I made smaller ones that slipped over their collars. They were so easy and so much fun. I took lots of pictures as I made some to be able to share the process with you since it doesn't really require a pattern so you will be seeing pictures not always from the same print.

Before I go any farther, I should admit to just a little bit of OCD. The good news it doesn't affect every aspect of my life. The bad news is in the areas it does affect, I come off sounding like I am really micromanaging and that's not good. I sound that way when I write up tutorials such as this one. I apologize now and hope you will still continue to read this post and appreciate it.

I had to go buy Charlie and Parker new collars because I think we donated the ones we bought them when we first got them because they hated them. I wasn't really sure they would wear them now that they are three, but they do. Charlie is happier than Parker, but every time I find Parker's on the floor somewhere or notice that he isn't wearing his, I put it right back on. Charlie has never removed his. I will be making them a Christmas one after Thanksgiving so they will be festive. Right now Charlie is wearing sunflowers and Parker is wearing pumpkins. They look so cute.

I measured around their necks and decided an 8.5 inch square would be big enough and it was.

1) First I cut a square 8.5 inches.

2) Then I folded it in half vertically with the pattern.

3) I lined the bottom of the "rectangle" with a horizontal line on my cutting mat so that the cut edges opposite the fold also lined up with a vertical line on the mat.

4) I lined up the edge of my cutting template with the lower edge of the fold and then 2.5 inches down from the top on the cutting edge opposite the fold and

cut two triangles off. (Discard the triangles for another project.)

When you open it up, it should look like this.

5) Cut the point off the scarf. This is to reduce the bulk at the tip. If you don't cut off enough, just snip off a little bit more.

6) Now you are ready to move to your ironing board. You will be turning the edges under about 1/4 inch and pressing them down.

Start with the top side edges first and

then down the diagonal sides.

Once you have done this, you will start back with the sides and fold them one more time and press.

If you need to pin it help hold it down, do that. It doesn't really matter which diagonal side you start with. Fold one side again and press. (Pin if is helps.)

When you fold the first diagonal side for the second time, you can cut off any excess. (Look closely at the picture.)

Then fold the tip down to the fold so that when you fold the other diagonal side down,

the tip will look like this. Pin as needed. 

Press the top of the scarf under 1/4 inch once.

7) Now you are ready the sew the folded hems on the machine stitching close to the folded edge.

It depends on which diagonal side you started folding first the second time, but when you are stitching down the hem as you go around, stitch to the end of the top hem at the point. It might be hard to see in this picture. Maybe it will be easier in a picture of a finished scarf.

8) Once you have stitched down the hem along the bottom 4 sides, you will fold the top portion down to make the casing. 

You are bringing the top fold to the point in which the diagonal sides start. Pin if it helps you.

This will cover up where the hems meet so don't worry if it didn't look good before. (Remember I have some OCD issues with some things I do.) 

9) Stitch close to the edge across to form the casing. Remember I only folded this edge down once. That reduces some of the bulk.

AND you are finished. All you have to do is push the leash through the casing at the top.

Here are some I made for the Pet Blessing... (and Charlie and Parker)

This size would work for a small dog also.