How to Make Dalmatian Spots on Clothes

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Things You'll Need

  • Black crafter's felt

  • Self-adhesive Velcro tape

  • Scissors

  • White or off-white clothing

A Dalmatian's spots make it highly recognizable.
Image Credit: Jupiterimages/liquidlibrary/Getty Images

Dalmatians are an immediately recognizable dog breed, with their rangy frame and signature dark spots on a white background. Thanks to the Disney company's marketing efforts, even children who've never seen a Dalmatian in real life can identify one in a heartbeat. This quick recognition means that adding Dalmatian spots to white or off-white garments creates an easy and effective costume for adults and children alike. Permanent spots can be added with paint or ink, but leave the original garments unusable afterwards. However, temporary spots are just as easy and won't harm your clothing.

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Step 1

Cut the black felt into irregular rounds, approximately 2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Bear in mind that a real Dalmatian's spots aren't perfectly circular.

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Step 2

Snip the Velcro tape into 1-inch lengths with a pair of heavy-duty scissors.

Step 3

Separate the lengths of Velcro into male portions, which have the stiff hooks, and female portions, which have the soft fuzzy loops.

Step 4

Peel the protective backing from the male lengths of Velcro one by one, and stick each piece of the tape to one of the black felt "spots." Press firmly to make a good seal with the adhesive.

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Step 5

Strip the backing from the female lengths as well, and distribute them around the clothing in various places. Bear in mind that a Dalmatian's spots tend to be clustered irregularly, not evenly distributed across its fur.

Step 6

Stick each black felt spot into place by mating up the male and female halves of the Velcro tape.

Tip

Finish the costume with a set of dog ears and some face paint, if desired.

When you're finished with your Dalmatian costume, peel the self-adhesive Velcro from the clothing and wash it normally. The adhesive should leave no residue on the fabric.

Self-adhesive Velcro tape can be found at hardware, craft and department stores.

Don't make the spots too large, or they'll suggest a cow rather than a Dalmatian.

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