How to Make a Tiny Sweater

Make a sweater that will keep your tiny dog warm.

Clothes come in all shapes and sizes, made to fit any creature that needs the additional warmth from wearing a sweater. Small breed dogs, such as Chihuahuas or terriers, often wear sweaters or jackets in the colder months to help maintain body heat. With smaller dogs, it may be difficult to find a sweater with the right fit or thickness. Reconstituting your old clothes may solve this problem. It is simple to create a tiny sweater for your dog out of an old crew sock.

Things You'll Need

• Long crew sock
• Scissors
• Fabric measuring tape
• Chalk pencil
• Needle
• Matching thread

Instructions

1. Lay the sock on a work surface and press it flat. Make a horizontal cut about 4 inches from the top of the sock, removing the top portion. Set this aside.

2. Make a diagonal cut along the tip of the toe, removing the end. It isn’t necessary to measure this portion, but remove any curved material from the toe. Discard the toe end and set the middle portion aside.

3. Lay the cut top portion of the sock on a work surface and press it flat. Position the piece so that the hemmed portion is at the top and the cut portion is at the bottom. Use a fabric measuring tape to measure the sock horizontally, or from side to side. Determine the middle point. Make a straight, vertical chalk line down the center of the sock.

4. Thread your needle and tie a slip knot at the end. Sew a vertical line along the left side of the chalk line. Start at the bottom and stitch to the top, sewing the front and back of the tube together. Tie off and cut the thread when finished. This creates one sleeve for the sweater.

5. Stitch a second vertical line to the right of the chalk line. This is done exactly as the left side, but leave the chalk line unstitched in the middle. Tie off and cut the thread to finish the second sleeve. Carefully turn each sleeve inside-out, putting the seam to the inside.

6. Cut along the chalk line, separating the two sleeves. Do not cut any of your stitches.

7. Lay the middle portion of the sock on your work surface and press it flat. Locate the middle of the heel and the curve on the top of the sock. Lay the fabric measuring tape in a diagonal line, connecting the two points. The line will run parallel to the diagonal cut from the toe.

8. Position the cut end of one of the sleeves up against the fabric measuring tape. Move the sleeve end along the diagonal line until it is about 1 inch up from the heel. Mark a chalk line along the width of the cut sleeve end and the measuring tape. Make the line slightly shorter than the width of the sleeve.

9. Cut a slit in the sock, following the chalk line. This will be the attachment point for the sleeve. Mark an identical chalk line through the slit on the inside of the sock. Turn the sock inside-out.

10. Cut a second slit along the chalk line, creating the second sleeve attachment point. Thread your needle and tie a slip knot in the end of the thread.

11. Insert the sleeve into the slit, hemmed end first. Push it down into the sock, but leave about 1/4 inch sticking out the top. Sew around the cut end of the sleeve, attaching it to the slit. Tie off and cut the thread.

12. Insert the second sleeve into the remaining slit, exactly as the first sleeve. Leave 1/4 inch sticking out the top. Sew around the edge of the sleeve. Tie off and cut the thread.

13. Turn the sock inside-out. Fit the tiny sweater onto your dog. The heel of the sock will sit at the dog’s chest with his front paws through the sleeves. Roll down the long neck of the sweater.

References

• Itchmo: How to Make a Dog Sweater from a Sock