How to Make Dog Clothes With Things You Have At Home

A dachshund in a DIY dog sweater. Photo by Harmon Rapp.

No, you don't need to learn how to knit to make a dog sweater. All you need is a sweater or similar long-sleeved clothing you're already willing to part with.

The first thing to do is cut off the sleeve along the armhole. The cuff will serve as the neckline of your dog's sweater. If it seems too tight, cut it off. After that, eyeball where your pup's legs should go. Cut off holes for their forearms to slip through.

That's it! You now have a fully functioning dog sweater. Don't forget to save the other sleeve for another project.

Babies grow out of onesies so quickly, so it's always nice to give these clothing items a second life. What's a better way to repurpose them than to give them to our fur babies? The best part is that it involves no work at all.

All you need to do is find one that fits. Slip your dog's head into the neckline and make sure the front of the onesie is along your pup's chest. Then, carefully slip their paws into the sleeves. Roll them up if they're too long for your pup.

Then, straighten the onesie out along your dog's torso. Unless they're in diapers, keep the onesie open and scrunched up along their back, so it doesn't cover their potty parts. You might also prefer to cut it up to the proper length.

Sleeveless children's shirts or small tank tops can be the perfect base for DIY dog clothing. The result is an utterly adorable t-shirt for your dog.

This project works best if you know how to sew, so get a small sleeveless shirt ready along with a pair of scissors, a needle, and some thread. Lay the shirt flat and cut it down the center from the neckline to the hem.

Then, cut off about an inch from each side before sewing them together. This results in a front that's narrower than the back, which is perfect for dogs.

If your shirt happens to be too small for your dog, you can do this the other way around. Add a strip of fabric along the back to make it wider than the front.