Make a Dapper Bowtie

It is now officially the season of holiday parties. Don’t let your man-dog go naked, or worse yet, walk around dressed like a Christmas tree. While he may not be able to follow you into the theatre to go see the new James Bond movie, he still appreciates a dapper look and sensibility. I have my so-called “manly” aspects (I love beer, action movies, sipping whiskey, fast cars and filthy jokes) and along with them, I have an aversion to do-it-yourself projects that don’t involve loud dangerous power tools or that involve going to a fabric store. But who says men and woman like me can’t be crafty? So get out your scissors, a scrap of thick fabric and a glue gun and let’s make a BOW TIE that will make your pooch feel like he too is sipping whiskey and suavely charming party guests by the fireplace with his snappy lines and Bond-worthy attire. A little style goes a long way, and if you can find a good scrap of fabric, this item should take under 10 minutes to make.

Get your supplies. Most importantly, you’ll need a scrap of thick material such as leather, felt, flannel, canvas, fleece, or an old article of clothing folded a few times. It must be thick (remember, you want it shaken, not stirred). For your tools, you’ll need strong scissors and a hot glue gun. Cut one larger rectangle of fabric (mine was around 8″x 6″), one short thin strip (mine was around 6″x 1″), and if you don’t want to attach the bowtie to a collar, then also one 1″ strip that is long enough to tie at the ends and fit your dog’s neck. None of the measurements need to be exact, and the cuts can be nice and rough.

Flip the big piece upside down and squeeze hot glue down both long sides.

2. Fold as show, to the width you’d like your bowtie to be.

3. Glue both ends

4. Fold as shown and press down to secure as glue dries

5. Flip over

Squeeze the center sides of your bowtie until you like the shape.

Grab your smaller strip of fabric, and place it over the center of your bowtie.

Flip the bowtie upside down with the small strip still in place. Squeeze a dab of hot glue on the top center of the underside of your bowtie as shown above. Cut the tie strip to size.

Press the end of the strip against the glue. Real men don’t care if they burn themselves but if you are a wimp be careful not to burn yourself. No one will know you didn’t.