The Chic Canine: How to Make Imaginative Bows for Your Dog
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For many people, dressing up their dogs is a fun way to strengthen the bond and make a fashion statement. Depending on what kind of accessories and clothes you want for your dog, beautifying him or her can be expensive.
Fortunately, here are tips on how to make imaginative and inexpensive bows for your dog:
1. Determine how long you want the bow to be. Before you begin, you need to first determine how long you want the bow to be. A bow that is too long may make your dog look smaller and a bow that is too short may not be easily visible. If you want to make a single bow for the topknot between your canine’s ears, a 2.5-inch long bow may be ideal and if you want to make two bows for a small dog, 2-inch bows tend to work best.
2. Determine how wide the ribbon will need to be. If you have a small dog, the width of the bow should be no more than 1.5 inches. To create a balanced look, you may have to experiment some with varying bow lengths as well. A bow that is wide but too short may not look appealing on a dog.
3. Choose a color or pattern. The best thing about making bows is that you can have plenty of fun choosing colors and patterns. You can choose colors that complement your dog’s fur. The rich red coat of an Irish setter will make green bows stand out beautifully. If you really want to make a statement, you can choose colors and patterns that complement your own attire. If you wear an outfit with lots of purple shades, you can make a matching bow for your dog. Given that bows are relatively easy and inexpensive to make, you can have lots of dog bows handy to complement your entire wardrobe.
4. Choose a design. There are plenty of bow designs to choose from to make for your dog, and you can adapt the design of your bow according to the width of your ribbon. However, one of the most popular designs is the bow tie. Since a bow tie typically only takes about 5 minutes to make, you can have your pooch looking its best in no time. To create a bow tie, you will need ribbon and a needle and thread. Fortunately, if you plan to glue an ornament or design over the thread, you don’t need to worry about the thread matching the ribbon. With your materials in hand, here are the instructions you need to follow:
- Fold the ribbon in half and mark the center
- Turn the ribbon so that its wrong side is facing up
- Apply a thin line of glue along the center line
- Fold both ends of the ribbon toward the center and glue it down
- Once the glue is dry, use a threaded needle and sew through or wrap around the center several times
- Tie the bow onto your dog
Creating bows for your dog can be a fun and rewarding experience. With the right materials and practice, you can easily make bows to make you and your furry friend stand out.