How to Make a Simple Dog Bandana

I learned how to make a simple dog bandana so I could make some for our dog, Kogee, for Christmas. Easy DIY dog bandanas are great gifts to give your sweet K-9 companion for Christmas, their birthday, or just because! Sewing a simple tie on dog bandana is a quick and easy DIY project that only has three steps to make one. You can make a dog bandana in less than 15 minutes!

Every evening I pick out a bandanna for my dog, Kogee, and match it to the outfit I have picked out for the next day. In the morning he gets so excited when I approach him with his homemade dog bandana that he shoves his head right into it! I even made a bunch of homemade hair scrunchies (here’s our DIY hair scrunchie tutorial) in the same fabric to match my dog’s bandana so we can really match everyday!

We started putting dog bandanas on our dog, Kogee, since it makes him easier to see when he’s outside running around our property. I like to make him bright colored bandanas since those colors really stand out.

It probably costs me less than 25 cents in fabric to make a DIY dog bandana. They are so quick and easy to make that even people without a lot of sewing skills can make one!

How much fabric do I need for a dog bandana?

Just like making DIY hair scrunchies, making dog bandanas is a great project to use fabric scraps. You can also use fat quarters since they are sold in small cuts of fabric.

When we go to thrift shops and yard sales, I always keep an eye out for fabrics that would make a cute dog bandana since these fabric prices are usually even less than at the fabric store.

For a small/medium size dog bandana, you need a piece of fabric 12″x14″.

For a a large/extra large size dog bandana, you need a piece of fabric that is 25″x30″.

DIY Dog Bandana Measurements

There are lots of free dog bandana patterns out there on the internet. To make a dog bandana for our dog Kogee, I used one of his store bought dog bandanas as a pattern. When I was making a smaller size dog bandana for my friend’s little dog, we made a smaller pattern by reducing the size of the original pattern we had made for our medium size dog, Kogee.

If you don’t have a dog bandana to use as a pattern, you can easily make your own pattern with these basic size measurements from a chart we found online:

• Size Small/medium: 12″ triangle height, 14″ triangle width
• Size Large/X-Large: 25″ triangle height, 30″ triangle width

What material do you use to make a dog bandana?

Since dog bandanas can get dirty and covered in dog hair, it’s best to make dog bandanas from washable fabric. I recently took my dog Kogee outside after putting on a fresh, light colored, clean bandana. We went outside to run around our property and it had rained the day before so it was a mud pit everywhere. When we came back inside, Kogee’s bandana was caked in mud from him frolicking in the mud with me!

Washable fabrics that work great to make DIY dog bandanas are cotton, cotton/polyester blend, fleece and knit fabrics. You can also make upcycled dog bandanas by cutting the fabric out of an old shirt.

If using a fabric like fleece or knit, make sure it doesn’t have too much stretch to the fabric. The fabric can have a little stretch but nothing super stretchy.

How do you make a no sew dog bandana?

When I first started making dog bandanas for our dog Kogee, I used fleece and upcycled knit fabric that didn’t have a lot of stretch. Since fleece and knit fabrics don’t fray on the edges when cut, there’s no need to sew when making a dog bandana.

To make a no sew dog bandana, use your pattern and cut out the dog bandana from a type of fabric that doesn’t fray. Once it’s cut, it’s all done and ready to use with no sewing needed!

When I was first learning how to make dog bandanas, I made a dog bandana cut out of cotton that frays on the edges. To reduce the amount of fabric fraying, use scissors like these that are made specifically to help reduce the fraying on cut fabric edges.

Easy DIY Dog Bandana Tutorial

Here is how to sew a dog bandana:

Materials needed to make a dog bandana

Fabric

scissors

dog bandana pattern (we made our own pattern based on the measurements listed above)

3 Steps to make a dog bandana

Step 1: Place the dog bandana pattern on the fabric and pin in place.

Set 2: Cut out the fabric.

Step 3: If you have a serger sewing machine, the next step is really easy. All you have to do is serge a straight line down each raw edge of fabric and you’re all done!

If you don’t have a serger sewing machine and have a standard sewing machine, you can use a zig zag stitch and sew down each raw edge.

For a more finished look without a serger, press each zig zag stitched edge of fabric under 1/4″ and pin in place. Sew a straight stitch along each side of the bandana down the center of the 1/4″ strip that is folded under to create a hemmed edge.

When you’re all done, tie the two ends of the bandana together in a knot. Then place the bandana around your dog’s neck and see how cute they look!

There are so many variations for making homemade dog bandanas like these 17 different dog bandana patterns  at DIY Craftsy. So cute and easy to make!