We are welcoming another guest blogger with the most adorable project to the blog today! Caitlin is the owner of An Enchanted Box on Etsy, where you can find her charming tutus & tutu dresses, including darling dog tutus! She guided us through the steps of crafting a doggie tutu with The Hair Bow Company supplies below, but if you aren't a DIY'er yourself, you can find a selection of tutus available ready to go at An Enchanted Box!
Independence Day is the perfect opportunity to parade your pups in their own special Patriotic Doggie Tutu! A few supplies from The Hair Bow Company and these easy directions, and you’re ready to create a 4th of July costume that you’ll love!
Materials:
Royal Blue 1.5” Crochet Headband
Tulle:
Red
White
Royal Blue
Additional Items:
Scissors
Recommended:
DVD Case
Step One: The Waistband
The first step in making your doggie tutu will be measuring the waist of your pup. Generally, I have found that the standard 1.5” crochet headband works well for dogs 10 – 45lbs but of course this depends on the build of your dog. If you need the waistband to be larger, simply take two of the 1.5” crochet headbands and cut along the seam to open them up. Then stitch by hand or, with your sewing machine set to a zigzag stitch, sew them together to make it the adequate length. You want the doggie tutu to be snug enough that it doesn’t spin around or fall off but loose enough that they are comfortable.
Step Two: Cutting the Tulle
I recommend cutting your tulle strips to 10” in length. If you are using just one 1.5” crochet headband this means you will need a little less than 8 yards of tulle per color. If you have a taller dog, then you may consider making it longer but 10” is usually plenty for the doggie tutu. Just a tip, the standard DVD case is 5” in width thus it will speed up the process of cutting the tulle considerably if you use it to wind the tulle around before cutting.
Step Three: The Pattern
To make the striping bold, make each color three holes wide and then switch to the next color. Therefore, the pattern will be: Red, Red, Red, White, White, White, Blue, Blue, Blue, Red, Red, Red, etc. If you want your stripes to look more blended, then switch colors every hole.
Step Four: Counting Squares
Beginning at the seam, count how many squares are along the bottom of your 1.5” crochet headband (it doesn’t matter which you use as the bottom or top). Now, divide that number by three as we will be adding tulle to two-thirds of the headband. If your number does not divide evenly by three then make the extra numbers part of the skirt because a little extra fluff never hurt anyone! You do not want to add tulle to one third of the headband as this part will sit along their belly. This will make your life much easier as they will be able to walk, sit and do their business without you worrying about the tutu getting dirty – trust me! Make sure that the seam is in the one-third section under their belly so that it does not show.
Step Five: Attaching the Tulle
Once you have cut the tulle and determined where the two-third square begins, it is time to attach the tulle! You will be tying three strips of tulle around the solid square of the bottom row. Take three strips of tulle that you will be threading into the hole above the square, layer them on top of each other and then fold them in half to find the center thus making your tulle 5” in length. To attach the tulle to the 1.5” crochet headband you will implement a basic Larks Head knot. Don’t worry, it’s not one of those complicated knots! All you do is take the tulle and, going in the direction away from you, push it through the hole and out the other side a couple inches to create a loop. Take the tails of your tulle and pull them all the way through the loop you made, and, presto!, you have yourself a Larks Head knot. You’re just going to repeat that until you’ve reached the end of the two-third mark, being sure to switch colors in keeping with the three-hole pattern. To get a cleaner look to your Larks Head knot, roll the tulle between your fingers just before tightening it as this will keep all the fibers close together.
Step Six: You Did It!
Way to go! You are a fairy godmother in the making, having created this doggie tutu for your special pup! Now they are ready for the parade, fireworks and, of course, picnics!
You’ll find this completed doggie tutu and more available on my store at www.etsy.com/shop/AnEnchantedBox
Resources:
Photos, DIY & Crafting Expertise courtesy Caitlin of An Enchanted Box
Special thanks to Ralph for being a perfect dog model!
You can find tulle here at The Hair Bow Company.
You can find crochet headbands here at The Hair Bow Company.
Want a ready made doggie tutu? You can find them here at An Enchanted Box.