18 Jul DIY Sunny Dog Bandana

This week’s DIY is bound to be the cutest dog bandana you’ll make all season. Crafted with Dollar Tree fabric and topped off with a happy little felt sunshine that’s hand-stitched with love, it’s a look that’s guaranteed to bring smiles. 

It’s quick, it’s cheerful, and it’s the perfect accessory for picnics, pup playdates, or just soaking up the season in style.

So grab some felt and fabric scraps and let’s craft something that’s sure to make tails wag!

You’ll need…

• ¼ – ½ yard light blue fabric
• Scraps of yellow and orange felt fabric
• Fabric glue
• Black embroidery thread and needle
• Scissors and pinking shears
• Measuring tape (optional)

1. The size of your dog bandana will depend on the size of your dog’s neck. As a guideline, you’ll start with a square piece of fabric for the base that is:
   – 14 to 18 inch in size for small to medium sized dogs
   – 22 to 26 inch in size for large to extra-large pups
   Fold your square in half (diagonally) until the two points align and cut along the fold using pinking shears, so that you end up with two triangles of fabric. You’ll only need one triangle for this project. So the other can be set aside or used to make a second bandana. 
   Tip: Skip the first step and use a bandana your pup currently has as a template for the size and shape of fabric you need.
2. Cut a small 3 inch circle shape out of yellow felt for the body of the sun. Set aside.
3. Cut a 4 inch circle shape using the orange felt. The size and shape of this circle doesn’t have to be exact. You basically want this piece to be a bit bigger than the sun’s body. 
4. Now cut this larger orange circle into quarters, and then cut the quarters in half so you end up with 8 small pie-shaped triangles. These will be the sun’s rays.
5. Lay the rays out in a circular pattern with the tallest points facing the middle and the pie wedges evenly spaced apart. Use fabric glue to adhere the sun’s yellow body on top of the rays.
6. Cut two tiny circles from the orange felt for cheeks and glue them onto the sun’s face.
7. Using black thread, stitch two eyes and a sweet smile to give the sun a cheery personality.
8. Glue your sun embellishment to the fabric bandana in the lower corner area of the triangle.

That’s it! A little glue and a few quick stitches is all it takes to give your pup’s look a sunny personality all their own. Tie the bandana loosely around your dog’s neck, creating a chic double knot. Be sure that it’s not too snug. You’ll know it fits perfectly when you can easily get a few of your fingers in between their neck and the cloth.

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