DIY Cat Collar

Well... Another collar eaten by Minnow.

I don't especially like most of the collars at Petsmart, and I don't want to special order a fancy one since it's likely it will be eaten if it's removed and left laying around (which I can't stop doing obviously). I decided to make one from the buckle on the ripped one and some scrap fabric. I cut a 2"x10.5" piece to start.

I folded the outsides in.

Then folded them together. I slipped a piece of stitch witchery inside the folds and ironed it shut for stability and ease of sewing. It's curved, by accident, but it didn't matter.

My notions, the left over buckle and Minnow's tags.

I got as close to the edge as I could!

It turned out just a smidge larger than the old collar so the fabric bunched a little in the buckle, but really not much!

I sewed a straight line as close to the buckle as I could. I went back over it twice and trimmed the threads. Oops! A little blue dot remains! I probably heat set the marker in with the iron too. Good thing it's on the inside. I used pinking shears to snip the excess. The finished collar is 7.25", measured from how Minnow's old collar was sized.

Trying it on for size! It fits!

Next I made pen tick marks at 1/8" on the matte side of a piece of freezer paper. I used an razor to cut at an angle from one tick to another.

Then slipped scissors in and snipped out every other strip.

I positioned it over the collar where I wanted and pressed it with an iron shiny side to the collar. Freezer paper adheres to fabric for a great stencil! I learned this researching for my pillow project.

Minnow approves. It looks like fish bones!

I used this gold paint, also researched/purchased for the pillow project.

I used a regular cheap-o paint brush to brush two coats on. It dries very fast!

And here it is! All shiny and semi-professional looking!

Here it is on Miss Minnow, who of course HATES it. But too bad! I think she looks lovely.