DIY Pet Birthday Bandana

Thanks to Cricut for sponsoring today’s post; all opinions are my own.

Do you celebrate Pet Birthdays in your home? Our dog Pumpkin turns two years old this month, so I thought it would be fun to make him a personalized pet birthday bandana to wear. These bandanas are simple to make and can be personalized for your pet’s special day or any occasion. Here’s how to create your own.

DIY PET BIRTHDAY BANDANA

You’ll Need:

Your favorite cotton/cotton blend fabric (1/2 yard for small or medium size dog, 1 yard for large dogs)

Scissors

Sewing machine and thread (if you don’t have a machine, you can do the sewing by hand)

Cricut Joy, Explore Air 2, or Maker cutting machine

Cutting Mat

Cricut Iron-On Vinyl (I used white, but you can use any color you like)

Cricut Starter Tool Set

EasyPress Mat or folded towel

EasyPress 2

Sewing Your Bandana

STEP 1: SIZE YOUR FABRIC.

First, measure the length of your pet’s comfortably fitting collar. Then, add 9″. This new number is how long your bandana will need to be to tie around the neck. Lay the fabric right side up and fold the top right corner down to form a triangle until the length of the folded edge is equal to your number of inches.

STEP 2: TRIM OFF THE EXCESS FABRIC.

Cut the fabric at the bottom of your triangle. The folded triangle will become your bandana, and you can save the rest for a future project!

STEP 3: SEW THE CUT EDGES.

With the triangle still folded (right sides together), pin around the edges, then sew a 1/4″ seam around the two open edges of the triangle. Make sure to leave a few inches open so you can turn it right side out.

STEP 4: TURN AND TOPSTITCH.

Use the opening to turn the triangle right side out, then press the fabric with a warm iron. Tuck in the raw edges of the open spot and pin them in place. Top stitch around the entire triangle 1/4″ from the edges. This will not only close up the opening, it will also give the bandana a finished look and help it to lay flat.

Personalizing Your Bandana

Now comes the really fun part, personalizing the bandana for your pet! You can apply his or her name, a number, or a phrase like, ‘it’s my birthday,’ etc.

Step 1: Choose or create your design in the Cricut Design Space app.

Pick your favorite image from the many choices available in the app, or use the text feature to write your own message. For my focal point, I used the font “Mini Monograms – Stitched” and typed a 2.

Then, I typed the word “I’m” above the 2 in the font “Everyday Fonts – A is for Alice.” Next, I selected both layers and used the Weld action to combine them into one.

Once your design is the way you want it, make sure to size it to fit your bandana. I made my image about 2″ wide by 3″ tall.

Step 2: Send the image to your machine.

Click “make it,” then check to be sure your settings are correct. Set the material as “iron-on vinyl,” and make sure you mirror the design. Place the iron-on vinyl with the shiny side down on your cutting mat, then load it into the machine. Let the Cricut work its magic, and cut your design.

Step 3: Weed the image.

Pull off all vinyl that isn’t part of your design. All that’s left should be the exact image you want to transfer, attached to the clear carrier sheet.

Step 4: Preheat your EasyPress and bandana.

Use the Cricut Heat Guide to determine the right temperature and time limit for the type of fabric you used, then set your EasyPress accordingly (mine called for 30 seconds at 315 degrees). Place the bandana on top of your EasyPress Mat or clean folded towel and preheat it for 5 seconds.

Step 5: Adhere the vinyl to your bandana.

Place the bandana on the mat, then position the vinyl design on top. Use the EasyPress to apply heat for the amount of time specified by the heat guide. Flip your bandana over and apply heat to the back for an additional 15 seconds. Wait until the clear plastic is cool to the touch, then gently peel it away.

All that’s left to do is tie the pet bandana around your furry friend’s neck and celebrate their birthday or whatever occasion you like!

If you create a personalized pet bandana, I’d love to see how it turns out! Be sure to share your photos in the Amy Latta & Friends Facebook group so we can all be inspired (and see your adorable furry friends). Don’t forget to pin this post for later and/or to share with a friend!