Making Dog Collars!

I’ve been making dog collars for a few years now.  I started making them for my own dogs and eventually started making them for my families’ dogs as well.

 

I just love changing dog collars with the season.  After a while it was just so much nicer to have custom, homemade collars versus store bought ones!

 

Over time I began selling them locally.  I first began in the store where we take our dogs for “day care”.  It’s a Wonderful place called Pet Play House and the owner was very encouraging about selling my collars.

 

They’ve been in her store for a couple of years now.

 

Just this summer I began selling them in another local shop, Scraps.  The owner was equally supportive.  I have really enjoyed working with both of them.

 

Unfortunately, they aren’t a product that sells in large volume or very fast so it’s not a “quit your job and work at home” kind of thing.  Just something that makes extra money on the side.

 

It’s creative and fun.

 

Just recently I needed to replace our dogs’ collars and my Mom and sister’s dogs’ collars as well. 

 

Here’s what our dogs’ collars looked like…

Definitely in need of repair!

 

I found some cute fabrics and went to work!

 

 

I start with a 100% cotton fabric and fuse it to a heavy fusible interfacing. 

 

 

Actually, the fusing and pressing of the fabrics takes the longest.   From there I fold the fabric into thirds and sew along each long edge.

 

At this point, things move along quickly.  I add the hardware and voila- Dog Collars!

 

I did have to get a semi industrial machine from my local quilt shop in order to be able to sew through all of the layers.  It gets PRETTY thick and my regular sewing machine could not take it!

 

Now, I can sew through the layers like butter!

 

Here’s what they look like once they are half way done. 

 

 

And here they are with all of the hardware attached, ready to go to their new owners!

 

Sewing is AWESOME!  Until next time!

 

Heather