Turn Your Old Sweater into a Cute Pet Jacket This Winter!

Even with their built-in fur coats, our pets can get chilly during the winter months, especially if you live somewhere with frost or snowfall.

Want to keep your dog warm and cozy on your walks this season without spending a ton on specialized pet apparel? Luckily, it’s easy to take your old sweater from the donate pile and turn it into a stylish jacket for your dog with this fun and simple DIY craft that can be done with or without a sewing machine. 

What You’ll Need

All told, this project shouldn’t take you more than ten minutes to complete. 

All you’ll need is:

• A permanent marker 
• Fabric shears or scissors
• An old sweater that you don’t mind taking apart 

A sewing machine is also useful but optional.

Step-by-Step Instructions 

1. Select the sweater you’re going to use. While making your selection, make sure that the arms of the sweater are approximately the same size as your dog’s body. If you don’t own a sweater that fits this specification, you can always find one for cheap at a thrift store or garage sale.

2. Following the shoulder seam closely, carefully cut off one arm of the sweater.

3. Have your dog lay down and then place the cut sleeve over his or her body to check sizing. You can also use this time to plan what cuts you’ll make. These include the spots where the front leg holes should go, which you should mark with your permanent marker. 

Make sure to leave a couple of inches of extra fabric at the neck area so that you can create a fold-over collar.

A good rule of thumb is to have the sleeve’s vertical seam run along your dog’s underside so that the longer piece of the fabric will cover your dog’s back, leaving enough of their belly exposed to allow easy bathroom breaks.

4. Cut off the sweater’s wrist area and fold it over at this new seam to create a collar. A sewing machine is best to make sure the collar doesn’t unfold. 

5. Cut out the leg holes. We recommend pinching the fabric to create clean cuts.

6. You may have to make some small adjustments by trimming an edge here and there. You can perform this step after your dog has already tried on their attractive new outfit to make sure you’re making the right changes.

Wondering how a sewing machine and other crafting tools could up your DIY game significantly? Contact us with any questions today at GoldStar Tool.