DIY dog bandana size

How do I measure for a DIY bandana?

1. Stand the dog square. Use a soft tape where a flat collar sits, on the skin, not over the coat.
2. Snug the tape, then leave room for two fingers. That reading is the neck.
3. Add about 8 inches on the long edge for the knot. Pick the smallest square that covers it.
4. Fold corner to corner. The point rests on the chest, and the knot sits at the side or the back.

What matters when I cut fabric myself?

A DIY bandana is still a measuring job before it is a sewing job. Cut one square from cotton or similar fabric that can take a wash. The five starting sides on this site are 15, 18, 22, 26, 30 inches. Add about 8 inches past the neck on the long edge so the corners can knot.

Mark the square with a ruler, not by eye. A side that is short by half an inch becomes a long edge that is short by about seven-tenths of an inch after the fold—enough to force a tight knot. Press the fold once so the diagonal is crisp before you take it to the dog.

Skip decorative hardware that can catch. Leave raw edges only if the weave will not fray into the mouth; otherwise hem or use a rolled edge that stays flat under the knot. Test the fit with the dog standing and again with the chin down before you call the piece finished.

If you are making a set for a litter or a shop batch, cut from each dog's tape, not from one middle size. Breed ranges on this site are starting points for adults, not a pattern envelope.

Measure where a flat collar sits and leave room for two fingers, as in common dog-apparel measuring guidance from the American Kennel Club. Then use this site's square chart rather than a clothing size label.