While you are updating your wardrobe this season, don’t forget to update your pet’s wardrobe as well!  We are joined today by our friends Erika and Sebastian from Sew Doggy Style, who are here to show us how to turn a lanyard keychain into a stylish new look for your favorite four-legged friend.  Thanks, Erika and Sebastan!

This tutorial is for a 3/8″ width collar, which is perfect for a small dog or cat.  Measure your pet’s neck and add 4 + inches to lanyard.  This dog’s neck is 11″ so I cut lanyard at 15.”  I left my lanyard at its full length until very last step so I could measure it one last time before snipping!

Project estimate:

• Lanyard key chain, $1
• Plastic buckle, about $0.50
• Ring and slider (recycled from old bra strap), on hand (or about $0.50 new)

Total: about $1.50

Cut lanyard so that it’s one long continuous strip and lightly “seal” edges with a match to prevent fraying.

Slide on ring, and then slide on one side of buckle (on one side of lanyard).  Fold back the end far enough so that it covers both ring and buckle.

Stitch two straight lines on both sides of ring to keep hardware in place.

On opposite side of lanyard, slide on remaining hardware (the slider, and then second piece of buckle).

Fold lanyard back and pull it through slider a second time, then fold back again.  Stitch the bottom two layers in place.  Be sure to keep the top layer of the collar away from your stitches.

And voila!  You have a new collar!  If you enjoyed this tutorial, please visit Sew Doggy Style for more projects!