Dog Costume Patterns
Dog Capes

Ready for some fun? Use our dog costume patterns to make two simple dog capes. If your dog likes people, he or she will love the attention. If not, maybe you’ll be the one to lap up the compliments!

Cape One is at left, Cape Two is at right. These sample capes were made from fabric at hand. We would use a shinier, heavier fabric to make the actual dog costumes.

ESTIMATED TIME FOR EACH

• 20 minutes to one hour

MATERIALS AND TOOLS

• One yard fabric in your chosen color
• Matching color thread
• About 1/2 yard cord, ribbon or thick yarn (to match or contrast)
• A pair of cloth scissors
• Pins
• Sewing needle or sewing machine
• 2 or 3 sheets of newspaper*
• Black or colored marking pen*
• Masking or other tape*

Dog Cape One

MARKING THE POINTS:

1. Tape the newspaper sheets together
2. Have your dog stand still with another person's help
3. Drape the newspaper over your dog's back and shoulders
4. Mark a spot (#1) on the paper near your dog's tail
5. Mark two others (#2 and #3) at the bottom of your dog's tummy on each side
6. Mark two more at your dog's shoulder points (#4 and #5)
7. Take the newspaper off your dog and lay it on a flat surface

CONNECTING THE DOTS:

1. Draw a straight line through #1 parallel to the bottom of the newspaper
2. Draw straight lines through #2 and #3 parallel to the sides of the newspaper
3. Mark the points where #2 and #3 intersect the #1 line as A and B
4. Draw a line from mark #4 to point A or B, whichever is on the same side
5. Draw another line from mark #5 to point A or B (the lines you just drew should NOT cross)
6. You should now have something that looks like a cape
7. Cut it out, tape the edges of the newspaper pattern to keep it together, and test it on your dog

MAKING THE ACTUAL CAPE:

1. Pin your fabric or paper to the newspaper
2. Cut around the edges
3. If your fabric needs it, sew seams around all the edges
   Jo says: I suggest you fold the edge twice so it won't unravel and you won't see any raw edges if the cape flips inside out
4. Make a one inch (25mm) hem at the collar edge
5. The ends should be left open
6. Thread your cord or yarn through the tube that's been created
7. Sew the cord or yarn down at the entrance points, making sure your ties are left
8. Try the finished cape on your dog and send us a photo!

Dog Cape Two

1. Drape the fabric over your dog
2. Have the length to go from the collar to near the base of the tail
3. Have the width come down to the bottom of your dog’s belly
4. Mark the boundary areas and cut off the excess material
5. You should have a rectangular piece of fabric left
6. If the fabric needs it, make seams of the edges
7. Save the remaining fabric to cover a matching hat

FINISHING THE CAPE:

1. Leaving about 4 inches (100mm) of thread on each end, run a basting stitch along the collar end of the cape
2. Pull on each thread end to gather the material
3. When you have it gathered as much as you want, pin your cord, ribbon or yarn over the gathered material
4. Sew it down by hand
5. Time to see how it fits on your dog!