Handsome DIY Dog Shirt Collar

Learn how to make a DIY dog shirt collar out of a men’s button up shirt. This simple sewing project is only one seam and a cute accessory for any dog.

I love upcycling and working with a men’s button up shirt. There’s so many fun projects you can make out of one shirt.I had a men’s shirt that I had taken some pieces off, but it still had a lot of fabric and potential left.

With Spring and Easter coming, I wanted to make a collar for my dog. I know there will be dogs in family pictures, weddings, and Easter pictures, and this is a really fun and easy way to make a dressed up accessory for your dog.

What is Upcycling?

Upcycling is to reuse material to create something better than the original. I usually use this to describe when I’m sewing adult clothing into clothing for children or I’m sewing clothing into an accessory or house item.

Why reuse a men’s button up shirt?

A men’s button up shirt is made from great fabric like cotton shirting or cotton flannel. This is a comfortable fabric to wear and an easy fabric to sew.

There’s lots of great details to reuse like the front button placket, the front pocket, and the curved shirt hem. There’s also a lot of fabric in one shirt so it works for most projects.

Love to sew? Try one of these sewing projects:

• Dog sewing projects
• Men’s shirt sewing projects
• Upcycled gift ideas

DIY Dog Shirt Collar

Supplies

• Men’s button up shirt with an intact collar – use the measuring instructions to make sure the neck is the right size!
• Seam ripper
• Sewing machine
• Coordinating thread

Measuring

Measure around your dogs neck. Use that measurement to get the shirt size you will need. My dog is a medium to large sized dog and fit in a men’s medium shirt collar. If you have a tiny dog, then you might need to go down to a child’s size shirt.

Use your seam ripper to carefully start removing the shirt collar and band from the shirt. When the band is sewn to the shirt the process involves sewing it two different times, so when you are seam ripping there are two rows of stitching on top of each other to remove. It’s a little more time consuming than a regularly stitched seam.

Remove the collar and band completely from the shirt. You might have to trim fabric of the shirt seam allowance if it’s stiched into the front button or buttonhole.

When the collar is removed the bottom section is open.

Pinch the bottom section closed, and sew it closed with your sewing machine. Be careful around the buttonhole and button. If you have to remove the button to stitch this section closed, you’ll have to sew the button back on.

Check to make sure the button and buttonhole still work. You finished!

Put the collar on your dog and admire your work!

If you make something using this sewing project, I’d love to see! Please share it on social media with the hashtag #heatherhandmade and tag me!