How to sew a dog sweater: fleece or knit, sizes 3XS to 3XL

To sew a dog sweater, measure your dog's back length, chest and neck, pick the matching size, and cut a back and a belly piece from a stretchy fabric like polar fleece, sweater knit or French terry. Sew the side seams, leaving the leg openings, add a ribbed neckband and leg cuffs, then join a lining and cut a small leash hole. The Sewzy Dog Sweater has nine sizes, from 3XS (back 6 inches, chest 12 inches) to 3XL (back 22 inches, chest 34 inches), and takes about an hour.

TL;DR

• Measure three things: back length (collar to base of tail), chest (widest part, just behind the front legs) and neck (where the collar sits).
• Size: pick the size closest to all three. Go up if your dog is between sizes or deep-chested.
• Fabric: polar fleece, sweater knit or French terry outside, a soft knit inside, and rib knit for the neckband and cuffs.
• Needle: a ballpoint or stretch needle and a slightly longer stitch, about 2.8 to 3 mm.
• Time: about 60 minutes, beginner level.

How to measure your dog for a sweater

Use a soft tape measure, with your dog standing.

• Back length: from the base of the collar to the base of the tail, along the spine.
• Chest: all the way round the ribcage at the widest point, just behind the front legs.
• Neck: around the neck where a collar sits.

Chest is usually the measurement that decides it, because a sweater that is tight on the chest is uncomfortable. If your dog is between two sizes, or has a deep chest, go up a size.

Dog sweater size chart

Go by the tape measure, not the breed. Two dogs of the same breed can be quite different sizes, and a long, low dog may need a different size for back length than for chest. The pattern lists the fabric amount for every size.

What fabric is best for a dog sweater?

A dog sweater needs stretch, so it goes on easily and moves with the dog.

No rib knit? Cut the ribbing from the ribbed cuff of an old sweater. For a directional print, cut the back with the print running from head to tail, not sideways.

What you need

• Outer fabric, lining and rib knit for your size.
• A ballpoint or stretch needle, and polyester or wooly nylon thread.
• A walking foot, which helps knit layers feed evenly (optional).
• A small square of fusible interfacing to back the leash hole (optional).

The ⅜ inch seam allowance is included on the back, belly, neckband and cuff pieces, and there is none on the folds.

How to sew a dog sweater, step by step

These are the steps of the Dog Sweater pattern in short. If you have not printed a PDF pattern before, read how to print PDF sewing patterns first.

1. Measure your dog. Back length, chest and neck, then pick the closest size.
2. Cut. Print only your size and tape the pages. Fold the outer fabric and cut 1 back and 1 belly on the fold, then the same in lining. Cut 1 neckband and 2 cuffs from the rib knit, with the most stretch along each strip.
3. Mark. Mark the two leg-opening notches and the chest line on every back and belly piece. Mark the leash hole on the outer back only; you cut it later.
4. Join the outer back and belly. Right sides together, sew each side seam from the collar corner down to the first leg notch, skip the leg opening, then sew from the second notch to the end of the belly. Do the same for the lining.
5. Hem the edges. The back is cut on the fold, so there is no center-back seam. Hem or bind the raw edge at the end of the belly and the tail end of the back.
6. Attach the neckband. Fold it in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and join the short ends into a ring. Mark quarters on the band and the neck opening, pin them together and sew, stretching the band to fit the opening. The band is shorter than the opening, which is what makes it hug the neck.
7. Attach the leg cuffs. Fold, join and quarter each cuff the same way, then sew it into the leg opening, stretching it evenly. This keeps the opening snug against the leg instead of gaping.
8. Join the outer and lining. Slip the outer sweater into the lining, right sides together, with the side seams and cuffs matching. Sew around the tail end and any open hem, leaving a gap. Turn right side out through the gap, press and edgestitch the gap closed.
9. Cut the leash hole. Cut a short slit through both layers at the mark on the center back, just behind the neckband. Zigzag around it, or back it with interfacing first, so it does not run.
10. Fit and finish. Try it on. Two fingers should slide under the neckband, the cuffs should sit against the legs, and the back should reach the base of the tail without dragging.

Quick version: unlined fleece

Fleece does not fray, so you can skip the lining for a fast sweater. Sew the outer only, then bind or simply leave the raw edges at the leg openings and hem. It is lighter and quicker, and still warm for a walk on a cold morning.

Tips for sewing knits and fleece

• Use a ballpoint or stretch needle and a stitch of 2.8 to 3 mm. This stops skipped stitches on knit. If they still happen, see how to fix skipped stitches.
• Stretch the band, not the fabric. When you sew the neckband and cuffs, stretch the ribbing to meet the opening, never the other way round.
• Do not press the ribbing directly. Use a press cloth, or just finger-press.
• Thread bunching underneath? It is usually the upper threading. See thread bunching under fabric.

Safety and the leash hole

The leash hole lets a leash clip reach your dog's own collar or harness underneath. The sweater is not a harness, so never clip a leash to the sweater itself. Check the fit as your dog moves, watch that it does not rub under the front legs, and take the sweater off indoors if your dog gets warm.

Make a matching set

A sweater plus a Collar Bandana or a Fabric Dog Collar in the same print makes a lovely gift for a dog owner. See how to sew a dog bandana for the bandana. The Dog Sweater is a Premium pattern in the Sewzy app, with printable pieces for all nine sizes and a photo for each step. More dog makes are on our dog sewing patterns page.

Care

Machine wash cold on a gentle cycle in a laundry bag, then lay flat or tumble dry low, so the ribbing keeps its stretch. Do not iron the ribbing directly.