How to sew a dog bandana (over the collar, all sizes)

To sew a dog bandana that slides onto the collar, cut an outer piece and a lining piece on the fold, sew them together, turn them right side out, topstitch the edges and stitch a channel across the top for the collar. A medium dog bandana (neck 12 to 16 inches) finishes at 9 x 7⅝ inches and takes about 30 minutes, or about 45 with a bow. The collar threads through the channel, so you need no elastic, snaps or hardware.

TL;DR

• An over the collar dog bandana has a channel along the top edge. Your pet's own collar slides through it, so nothing ties or snaps.
• Choose the size by neck measurement. Dog sizes run from XS (neck 7 to 9 inches) to XL (neck 20 to 24 inches), and there is a separate Cat size for cats on breakaway collars. For a dog between two sizes, take the smaller.
• One fat quarter is enough fabric for both layers of a Cat through L bandana. The XL needs ½ yard per layer.
• Pick Classic (a point), Scallop (petals) or Bow. The Sewzy Collar Bandana pattern has all three, and it is a Premium pattern.
• A bandana is decoration only. Take it off when your pet is unsupervised, crated or playing rough, and use only a breakaway collar for a cat.

What is an over the collar dog bandana?

An over the collar dog bandana has a channel sewn along its top edge, and the dog's own collar slides through it. Nothing ties around the neck and nothing fastens on the bandana itself. To swap one bandana for another, unbuckle the collar, slide it out of the channel and thread it through the next one.

The Sewzy Collar Bandana pattern is made this way. It is reversible, with an outer fabric and a lining, so one bandana gives you two looks. It has three styles that share the same channel: Classic, with a point; Scallop, with a row of petals; and Bow, which adds a bow and a knot. It is a beginner pattern. Classic and Scallop take about 30 minutes, and Bow takes about 45.

What size dog bandana do I need?

Choose the size by your pet's neck measurement. Wrap a soft tape measure around the neck where the collar sits, then find that number in the table. If a dog falls between two sizes, take the smaller one.

Cat is for cats only, on a breakaway collar. For a dog with an 8 to 10 inch neck, use XS or S.

Check the collar as well as the neck. The channel takes a collar up to 1 inch wide in the Cat, XS and S sizes, and up to 1½ inches wide in M, L and XL. A wider collar will not thread through.

Dog bandana for small dogs

XS (neck 7 to 9 inches) finishes at 5½ x 4⅞ inches, and S (neck 9 to 12 inches) finishes at 7 x 5⅞ inches. Small dogs vary a lot, so go by the tape measure rather than the breed. Both sizes take a collar up to 1 inch wide, so measure a chunky small-dog collar before you cut.

Dog bandana for medium, large and XL dogs

M (neck 12 to 16 inches) finishes at 9 x 7⅝ inches, L (neck 16 to 20 inches) at 11 x 8⅞ inches and XL (neck 20 to 24 inches) at 13 x 10 inches. All three take a collar up to 1½ inches wide.

Cat-size bandana

The Cat size fits a neck of 8 to 10 inches and finishes at 6 x 5¼ inches. Use it only on a breakaway collar, which is made to release if it snags. Take the bandana off whenever the cat is unsupervised. A dog with the same neck measurement should use XS or S instead.

How much fabric do I need for a dog bandana?

For Cat through L, one fat quarter is enough for both layers, or use two fat quarters for two prints. XL needs ½ yard for each layer. The ⅜ inch seam allowance is already included in the pattern, so you cut on the line.

The Bow style needs a scrap for the bow and the knot: 7 x 7 inches, or 9 x 9 inches for the XL.

What is the best fabric for a dog bandana?

Choose a woven cotton that presses crisply: quilting cotton, cotton lawn, chambray, linen-look cotton or flannel. Skip stretch knits and slippery satins, because the channel needs to keep its shape. Thin fabric can take a layer of light fusible interfacing, which is optional. Wash and dry the fabric before you cut, since a bandana will be washed often.

How do I sew a dog bandana, step by step?

You need your fabric, matching thread, pins or clips, a chopstick for pushing out the points, an iron and a sewing machine. The seam allowance is ⅜ inch. These are the eight steps of the Collar Bandana pattern in short. If you have not printed a PDF pattern before, read how to print PDF sewing patterns first.

1. Measure and pick a size. Measure the neck, check the collar width against the table above and choose your size. For a dog, take the smaller size if you are between two.
2. Cut. Place the pattern piece on the fold and cut one outer and one lining. Mark the casing dots on both pieces. For the Bow style, cut the bow and knot from your scraps.
3. Sew the outer and lining together. With the outer and lining right sides together, stitch from one casing dot down the sloped edge, round the point or scallops and up to the other dot. Backstitch hard at both dots. Then stitch the top edge from corner to corner. The short side bits between each dot and its top corner stay open: these are the collar openings.
4. Trim and turn. Trim the point and clip the top corners, taking care not to cut the stitches. Turn the bandana right side out through one opening, push the point out with a chopstick and press it flat. Tuck the seam allowances of the opening inside.
5. Topstitch the edges. Topstitch ⅛ inch from the edge along both sloped edges and the top edge. Leave the opening edges un-topstitched for now. This holds the lining in place and gives the bandana a crisp outline.
6. Stitch the collar channel. Stitch the channel line straight across from dot to dot, 1½ inches below the top edge for Cat, XS and S, or 2 inches below it for M, L and XL. Then edgestitch each opening edge separately, so the channel stays open at both corners. The strip between the channel line and the top edge is where the collar goes.
7. Make the bow (Bow style only). Sew and turn the bow and knot pieces, then add the bow to the bandana as the pattern shows. Skip this step for Classic and Scallop.
8. Put it on. Thread the collar through the channel from one opening to the other, buckle it and center the bandana. Check that two fingers still fit under the collar.

The Collar Bandana pattern page links short how-to videos on clipping curves, topstitching and sewing an over the collar bandana, which help with steps 4 and 5.

Which style should I choose: Classic, Scallop or Bow?

• Classic has a clean point and is the simplest to sew. Choose it for a first bandana. About 30 minutes.
• Scallop has a row of petals along the lower edge. You clip more curves, so go slowly when you turn it. About 30 minutes.
• Bow adds a bow and a knot made from scraps. It takes about 45 minutes and suits gifts and holidays.

How do I make a Christmas dog bandana?

For a Christmas dog bandana, use the Bow style and sew it in plaid or red and green flannel. Flannel is one of the fabrics the pattern lists, and it is soft against the neck. Because the bandana is reversible, put the Christmas print on the outside and a plain fabric on the lining, then flip it over in January.

Cut a matching bandana from the same fabric as the gifts you are sewing for the owner. Browse handmade Christmas gifts to sew for ideas, or see all the Christmas sewing patterns. It is also a quick gift for a friend's dog: ask for the neck measurement first.

Is a dog bandana safe for my pet?

Treat a bandana as decoration, not as something to wear all day. The American Kennel Club's advice on collar dangers is to remove a dog's collar when the dog is unsupervised, crated or playing rough, and that if in doubt, remove it. A bandana that slides onto the collar should follow the same caution. These are our recommendations:

• Take it off, collar included, when your pet is unsupervised, crated or playing rough.
• After you put it on, check that you can fit two fingers under the collar.
• For cats, use only a breakaway collar.
• If your dog chews fabric, skip the bandana.

What else can I sew for my dog?

The same fabric can make a whole set. All four of these are Premium patterns in Sewzy:

• Fabric Dog Collar: about 45 minutes. A quilting cotton cover over webbing, in sizes XS to XL, with an optional bow tie and leash.
• Dog Treat Pouch: about 30 minutes. It finishes at 5 x 6 inches, and one fat quarter of outer plus one of lining makes two pouches.
• Dog Cap: about 60 minutes. One fat quarter each of outer and lining makes any size.
• Dog Sweater: about 60 minutes. It is sewn from sweater knit, fleece or French terry.

Make it with Sewzy

Sewzy is a sewing pattern app for iPhone. Each pattern includes all of its sizes, so the Collar Bandana covers Cat through XL in one place. Print the PDF at home on letter-size paper, or take the A0 file to a copy shop, then follow the step-by-step guide. Many pattern pages also have short how-to videos. Some patterns are free, such as the Scrunchie and the Drawstring Bag, and you can find them on the free sewing patterns page. The Collar Bandana is a Premium pattern. Read more about the Sewzy sewing app, or get Sewzy on the App Store.

Related guides: how to sew a fabric dog collar with a buckle.