Remember to post pictures of your dog in costume to your social media using #SmellyDogCostume2020
What You Need:
-Black Feather Clip – Joann.com: Black Ostrich Feather Clip $4.49
-Wire Fabric Ribbon – Joann.com: Silver Offray 2.25"x9' Quest Sheers
Wired Edge Ribbon $3.19
-Silver Mardi-Gras Beads – Partycity.com: Metallic Silver Bead Necklace 4 for $1.00
-Fabric Tape Measure
-Stapler and Staples
-Scissors and/or Cutting Blade
Instructions:
1. Measure your dog using the fabric tape measure and write down your answers:
A) the length of your dog’s back from the neck to the front of the back legs.
B) the girth of your dog’s chest around the thickest part of the rib-cage, and add 12 inches, and divide by 2.
C) the distance from where your dog’s front arm attaches to his/her body, up to the neck.
D) the distance between your dogs arms, on the chest, and add 2 inches. Now divide
that by 2.
E) the width your dog’s arm at the point it attaches to the body, and add 1 inch.
F) the circumference of (or circular distance around) the top of your dog’s head and it’s jaw at the thickest point, and add 1 inch. This will be the size of the neck hole that has to fit over your dog’s head...not too tight, not too loose!
G) the girth of your dog’s waist, where the belt will be worn, and add 24 inches (enough to tie a very large bow).
2. Lay the black trash bag flat on a table to cut out the dress pattern. Starting on the pull string side, using measurement A, cut across the bag, cutting off the bottom section of the bag. Now you have a cylinder shaped bag, open on both ends.
3. Keep the trash bag flat on the table, same as step 2, and measure in the opposite direction, measurement B. At this point, cut a straight line from the pull string side to the bottom of the bag. Keep the section you measured and throw away the other piece. You now have a large rectangle with a pull string on one side. The pull string side will become the neck of the dress.
4. Lay the rectangle flat with the neck (pull string) side on your left. Fold the rectangle toward you, in half. Now use your stapler to “sew” a seem. Insert staples about 2-3 inches apart from the neck to the hem, and you once again have a cylinder shaped bag, open on both ends. The stapled seem will run along your dog’s belly.
5. Keep your dress flat with the neck (pull string) side on your left and the belly seem closest to you. Now use measurements C and D. Measure along the belly seem, distance C, starting at the neck and make a mark. At that mark, measure out in the opposite direction toward the back of the dress, distance D and mark a small “X”. (don’t forget to divide by two in step 1.D.) This measurement is the distance between the legs with an added 2 inches, then divided by 2)
6. To cut the arm holes, start at the “X” and draw a line from left to right, the length of measurement E, parallel to the belly seem. Keeping the dress flat, use scissors or a blade to gently cut through both layers along the line.
7. Pull the strings together and cinch the neck line to measurement F, and tie a bow. Turn the trash bag inside out and your dress is complete!
8. Use measurement G to cut the wire fabric ribbon. This will be the belt.
Slide the dress over your dog’s head and put her front feet through the arm holes. Securely tie the belt around your dog’s waist and create an obnoxiously large bow on your dog’s back. Double or Triple up the beads and place around your dog’s neck so that they are not too tight, but also so that they do not drag or create a tripping hazard. Lastly, clip the feathers to your dog’s head or ear as a hat. And voila! Presenting Moira Rose!
