FASHION FOR MY PET

Would you like to learn how to make a dog collar that really stands out in a crowd? Whether your goal is to save a little money or to pull out all of the fashion stops in "dogue" couture, you can make something that is super cute for your best friend even if you have just a little bit of sewing ability.

Following the instructions below, you can adapt our tutorial to make dog collars that will dazzle the imagination! For dogs of all sizes, from big dogs to little dogs, this sewing project is a fun and easy accessory to make for your favorite dog. Let's get started now so your dog can be sporting a spiffy ribbon dog collar later today.

For an awesome, personalized collar, use your creativity to bling it out for a girly dog collar, or make a boyish tough-guy collar for your boy dog. Let them model it at your next dog park outing and you'll both be stars!



How to Make a Dog Collar - Dog Collar Hardware and Supplies Needed:
How To Make a Dog Collar
Completed Project Photograph:


Step 1 - How to Make a Dog Collar

After purchasing your supplies, you will thread your machine with coordinating thread to the webbing and ribbon that you've chosen, and cut a piece of webbing that is six inches longer than your dog's actual neck measurement. Cut a piece of ribbon that is seven inches longer than the neck measurement.

Instructions here are for the simplest type of dog collar - one that is not adjustable. If your dog is fully grown, this collar will last you a very long time. If your dog is a puppy or still growing, make this style first to learn how to make a dog collar (basic style) and later you will be able to understand more complex instructions for adjustable collars

Before you begin sewing, you can heat seal the ends of nylon or propylene webbing to keep the ends from fraying. WARNING!! Do not try this with any natural material (cotton or hemp) or you WILL start a fire, and only try this if you feel totally comfortable and are an adult or have an adult present!). This only works with non-natural materials like nylon or polypropylene. To heat seal the end, use a lit candle with an open flame, and bring the cut edge of the webbing close to the flame. It does not actually have to touch the flame to melt the webbing edge and seal it. Once you see the edge of the webbing melt a little, take it away from the heat source and allow a few seconds to cool. Repeat with the other edge of the webbing, if desired. Please do this process only if desired, and understanding that it is done at your own risk.

Layering your choice of grosgrain or printed riboons over the webbing so the "right sides" are both facing up, you will see that there is a 1/2" overlap of the ribbon at each end. Pin these ribbon ends over the edges of the webbing, and then turn the pinned strip right side up on your sewing surface to begin to sew them together. Sew each edge of the ribbon to the webbing, staying close to the edge, but making sure that you sew through both ribbon and webbing. (Figure 1)



Step 2 - How to Make a Dog Collar

After you have stitched the ribbon to the webbing and the ends of the ribbon have been folded over the webbing and stitched, you are ready to progress to Step 2.

Unclip the buckle, noticing the slight curvature to the pieces. The buckle should have a slight outward curve as it clips around your dog's neck when the collar is completed.

Take the "male" end of the buckle and thread the right side of the sewn piece through the opening of the buckle, making sure that the buckle curve is followed correctly. Pull the webbing through the opening and loop back through, with about three inches that will be sewn down. (See Figure 2). You can flip the collar to the right side and sew across the width of the collar to secure this first half of the buckle.



Step 3 - How to Make a Dog Collar

Next, flip the collar over again and sew across the width of the collar one more time to secure the 3" flap. (NOTE: In my photo - See Figure 3 - the flap is shorter than three inches, but I make them longer now).



Step 4 - How to Make a Dog Collar

You're almost halfway finished with the tutorial on "How to Make a Dog Collar!" See, it isn't hard, when you follow along step-by-step, right?

This next step has a few different parts....

First, thread on the D-ring and let it fall somewhere in the middle of the collar. The other end that you sewed already will keep it from falling off completely. Then, thread on the remaining "female" end of the collar buckle and loop about three inches back through to the back of the collar. (See Figure 4) Remember to follow the curvature of the buckle. Now, go find your dog!

Before you sew this step, fit the collar to your dog's neck. It should be comfortable, and not easily slip off his/her head. Usually, it is advisable to fit two fingers under the collar to ensure that it is not too tight, but you can use your own judgment for your dog. Once you have it fit properly, carefully pin the collar so you will not lose the measurement.



NOTE: If you have a dog that has a smaller width head than neck, you will need a different type of collar entirely - a martingale collar - a style that is designed for Greyhounds and other sleek-headed sight hounds

Step 5 - How to Make a Dog Collar

Once you have your dog collar pinned for the proper fit as described above, go back to the sewing machine and sew across the width of the collar to secure the female end of the buckle in its proper position.

Then, stitch another parallel line across the width of the collar about 1/2" away from the stitching line you just made. This helps to space the D-ring away from the buckle, so that they do not conflict with each other.

Now, slide the D-ring in place next to the seam you just stitched (Figure 5), sandwiching the D-ring in place and stitching just on the the other side of it to secure it.



Step 6 - How to Make a Dog Collar

You could actually stop at this point and go clip it on your dog, but Step 7 is so much fun, I am sure you will want to keep on going! (See Figure 6 for the complete, yet un-embellished collar.)


Step 7 - How to Make a Dog Collar

Now comes the really fun part! Use tiny buttons, rickrack, jewels, chain- anything that you can sew on by hand- to make your dog collar really cool. I chose little pink buttons, and sewed them on to the center of every other flower (see Figure 7). Your ribbon design might help you decide what embellishments to choose.

That's it! Ta Da!! You have a unique, fashion collar for your favorite furry friend- and you made it yourself at a fraction of the cost of a store-bought collar!


We hope that you enjoyed this tutorial, and will check back soon for more cool stuff from our website.

See you at the dog park!

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Han Chinese clothing

Dynastic China
Main article: Han Chinese clothing
Traditional Chinese clothing is broadly referred to as hanfu with many variations such as traditional Chinese academic dress. Japanese clothes and Chinese clothes are very similar. Depending on one's status in society, each social class had a different sense of fashion. Most Chinese men wore Chinese black cotton shoes, but wealthy higher class people would wear tough black leather shoes for formal occasions. Very rich and wealthy men would wear very bright, beautiful silk shoes sometimes having leather on the inside. Women would wear bright, silk coated Lotus shoes under their bound feet. Male shoes were mostly less elaborate than women's.
[edit]Civil and military officials
Chinese civil or military officials used a variety of codes to show their rank and position. The most recognized is the Mandarin square or rank badge. Another code was also the use of colorful hat knobs fixed on the top of their hats. The specific hat knob on one's hat determined one's rank. As there were twelve types of hat knobs representing the nine distinctive ranks of the civil or military position. Variations existed for Ming official headwear.


The Night Revels of Han Xizai painting, originally by Gu Hongzhong, depicting life in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period


Robe of Qianlong Emperor with the Chinese dragon, hallmark of the Emperor of China and imperial families
[edit]Qing Dynasty (1644–1911)
See also: Cheongsam and changshan
The rise of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in many ways represented a cultural rupture with the past, as Manchu clothing styles were required to be worn by all noblemen and officials. This style eventually became popular among the commoners.[1] A new style of dress, called tangzhuang, included the changshan worn by men and the qipao worn by women. Manchu official headwear differed from the Ming version but the Qing continued to use the Mandarin square.


This jacket is made of silk. Chinese legend suggests silk production was discovered by Lady Hsi-Ling-Shih, the wife of the mythical Yellow Emperor.
[edit]Republican era


Two women wearing cheongsams in a 1930s Shanghai advertisement.
The abolition of imperial China in 1912 had an immediate effect on dress and customs. The largely Han Chinese population immediately cut off their queue as they were forced to grow in submission to the overthrown Qing Dynasty. Sun Yat-sen popularised a new style of men's wear, featuring jacket and trousers instead of the robes worn previously. Adapted from Japanese student wear, this style of dress became known as the Zhongshan suit (Zhongshan being one of Sun Yat-sen's given names in Chinese).
For women, a transformation of the traditional qipao (cheongsam) resulted in a slender and form fitting dress with a high cut, resulting in the contemporary image of a cheongsam but contrasting sharply with the traditional qipao.
[edit]Early People's Republic
Early in the People's Republic, Mao Zedong would inspire Chinese fashion with his own variant of the Zhongshan suit, which would be known to the west as Mao suit. Meanwhile, Sun Yat-sen's widow, Soong Ching-ling, popularised the cheongsam as the standard female dress. At the same time, old practices such as footbinding, which had been viewed as backwards and unmodern by both the Chinese as well as Westerners, were forbidden.
Around the Destruction of the "Four Olds" period in 1964, almost anything seen as part of Traditional Chinese culture would lead to problems with the Communist Red Guards. Items that attracted dangerous attention if caught in the public included jeans, high heels, Western-style coats, ties, jewelry, cheongsams, and long hair.[2] These items were regarded as symbols of bourgeois lifestyle, which represented wealth. Citizens had to avoid them or suffer serious consequences such as torture or beatings by the guards.[2] A number of these items were thrown into the streets to embarrass the citizens.[3]
[edit]Clothing in contemporary China (1980–present)

Chinese fashion has drastically changed over time. Following the relaxation of communist clothing standards in the late 70s, the way Chinese dressed and the fashion trends of the country were also changing. Contemporary urban clothing seemed to have developed an obsession with brand names. In major urban centres, especially Shanghai, an increased western look is preferred, and there is an emphasis on formal wear over casual wear for adults on the streets. Teenagers prefer brand names and western clothing. Children usually wear clothes decorated with cartoon characters.
However, there is also effort by the hanfu to revive traditional clothing forms such as the hanfu by the hanfu movement. At an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shanghai in 2001, the host presented silk-embroidered tangzhuang jackets as the Chinese traditional national costume.
However in rural China, clothing tends to be the same as it was in the 1960s. This is because life in rural China has not been influenced by western lifestyle. Also, most people residing in rural China cannot afford such new and pricey clothing from new western style companies. However, many rural Chinese in the less isolated areas have blue jeans, T-shirts, and modern jackets because of many factories that manufacture these goods at an affordable price. Rural Chinese just don't have the fancier modern clothing such as designer jeans, high heels, miniskirts, dresses, etc. People in rural China also tend to have cotton shoes, but the wealthier areas may have cheap sneakers. In rural China non-western modern clothing e.g. Mao suit are usually hand-made by grandmothers who are very experienced in tailoring and sewing.
[edit]Image gallery


Jade burial suit fashion



Emperor Wu of Jìn, by Yan Liben (600–673)



Tang Dynasty court ladies from the tomb of Princess Yongtai in the Qianling Mausoleum, near Xi'an in Shaanxi



Official Song Dynasty portrait painting of Empress Cao, wife of Emperor Renzong of Song



Ming Dynasty Empress Xiao'an



Phoenix crown of the Ming Dynasty empress



A Ming Dynasty portrait of the Chinese official Jiang Shunfu (1453–1504). The decoration of two cranes on his chest are a Mandarin square "rank badge" that indicate he was a civil official of the first rank.



Detail of Jiang Shunfu's rank badge



The Qing Dynasty Qianlong Emperor in ceremonial armour on horseback



Officers of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in the United States in tangzhuang dress, with riding jackets (馬掛) over changshan.



Old Chinese garb from the early to mid-20th century

[edit]See also

Culture of China
National costume
China
Chinese language
Chinese history
[edit]References

^ Manchus and Han: Ethnic Relations and Political Power in Late Qing and Early Republican China, 1861-1928 by Edward Rhoads, pg. 61
^ a b Law, Kam-yee. [2003] (2003). The Chinese Cultural Revolution Reconsidered: beyond purge and Holocaust. ISBN 0333738357
^ Wen, Chihua. Madsen, Richard P. [1995] (1995). The Red Mirror: Children of China's Cultural Revolution. Westview Press. ISBN 0813324882