There is nothing more beautiful and unique than a thing made by yourself. Especially if you do it for someone very dear to you, for example, for a cat. Your pet, of course, will not be able to thank you, but then you will admire your creation daily. In this article we will look at how to make a cat collar with your own hands.
Why do I need a collar?
Many cats do not walk on the street, then the question arises, why does she need a collar? After all, this is not a dog. But the collar is not only those animals that go out into the street. It all depends on the purpose of the collar.
Most cat collars are designed for beauty, they are used as accessories. Some may have contact information about the owners, so that in case of loss, good people can find you and return you to your favorite. This technique is often used by owners of purebred and expensive cats.
Another option is parasite collars. They are worn by animals for therapeutic or prophylactic purposes. Such collars are not made at home, but purchased in specialized veterinary stores.
Therefore, the manufacture of a collar for a cat with your own hands will differ depending on the purpose for which you will use this device.
What material to choose?
The collar implies its constant use, that is, your pet will be in it constantly. Therefore, the choice of material should be taken seriously. First of all, it must be safe for the animal. Well suited for this:
- leather;
- dense fabric;
- ribbons
- gum.
If you want to use accessories to make a collar for a cat with your own hands, then when choosing them you need to be guided by the fact that they should be light and durable. You can use light metal, plastic or silicone.
The collar fasteners must also be strong and secure. To do this, buttons, Velcro or strap fasteners will do.
We sew a collar for a cat
Before deciding how to sew a collar for a cat with your own hands, you need to determine the size. It is important that the collar fits snugly on the cat’s neck, but doesn’t choke it! A loose dangling collar will also not work, as the animal can easily get rid of it or lose it.
So, take a soft meter (your grandmother or mother probably used this) and grab the cat’s neck without squeezing it. For these sizes, we will sew the accessory.
Next, having decided on the type of fastener, we make a pattern. It will be in the shape of a rectangle of the desired width. Also do not forget to leave 15 cm of the free end and seam allowances. Here it is necessary to take into account the fact that the coarser the material for the collar, the more you will have to leave for allowances.
It should be noted that when choosing a material, it is necessary to take into account the absence of smell. A pungent and unpleasant odor can scare away a cat.
Then we sew the entire collar around the perimeter on one side and turn it on the other side. Next, sew the fastener and, if necessary, process the holes so that they do not fray. Now it remains to present your creation ward.
Collar with a medallion
This option of the accessory will be more expensive both in finance and in time. In order to make a dog collar for a cat with a medallion, we need:
- thick steel plate;
- blank for a medallion;
- cores with letters or numbers (depending on the inscription);
- hammer;
- masking tape;
- a steel ring on which the medallion will hang;
- liked the cat collar;
- permanent marker (optional).
A ready-made collar is used here, however, a personalized locket is made by hand. So, we fix the blank for the medallion with masking tape on a steel plate so that there is room for inscription.
Next we mint the inscription. After making sure that the inscription fits the width of the medallion, we place the core with the middle element of the inscription in the center of the workpiece. We hit the core several times with a hammer. We do the same with the rest of the letters.
You can choose a cat’s nickname, residential address or mobile number. Also, the inscription can be done on both sides of the workpiece.
Next, paint over the inscription with a permanent marker to make it easier to read. We drill a hole with a thin drill on the medallion, thread a ring into it and hang it on the collar. A collar with a personalized locket for your fashionista is ready.
Studded collar
In this embodiment, a silicone wrist bracelet is used as the basis for the collar. This is convenient because you do not have to worry about attaching fasteners. In addition, silicone stretches well. But it should be borne in mind that such an accessory will not work for large and well-fed cats.
So, we take decorative spikes and with the help of a needle with a thread we firmly grab them to the bracelet. The interval between them can be left at will, we offer about 2-3 cm. A brutal accessory for your cat is ready.
There are many more options that you can use to make your own collar for a cat. For example, you can use the Shambhala technique and weave a collar from strong threads or thin strips of skin.
Braided Collar Pattern
For advanced needlewomen it will not be difficult to knit the collar with knitting needles or crochet, weave using the macrame technique. Embroidery here will also be appropriate. In addition, the pattern can be completely different. It can even be your pet’s name, place of residence or a telephone for communication, which can be used in case of loss of the animal.
In the photo you see the collar for a cat with your own hands using the macrame technique, which is used to weave bracelets and belts.
Popular is also the technology of weaving baubles. Such an accessory will undoubtedly please your ward.
Postoperative collar
Sometimes a collar has to be worn on a cat not for aesthetic reasons, but because of necessity. These collars are called veterinary collars. Often they are simply bought at veterinary pharmacies. However, you can make a postoperative collar for a cat with your own hands. We will give a manufacturing option for a protective Elizabethan collar.
To do this, we must take two measures: the girth of the cat’s neck and the length from the neck to the tip of the nose + 5 cm. Next, we make a pattern in the form of a half of the donut: the inner small circle is the girth of the cat’s neck, and the outer large one will be at a collar width and repeat the shape internal.
For the manufacture we need any fabric and dense material such as plastic. Cut one pattern from plastic and two patterns from fabric (with allowance for seams). Sew one edge of the fabric pattern, insert the plastic pattern and sew the bottom edge of the fabric pattern. The edging can be made from a strip of any fabric.
For greater convenience, your pet can be inserted into the inner part of the collar a layer of foam rubber, the same size as the plastic pattern.
Velcro is sewn from both ends of the bagel. Or you can use lacing. The Elizabethan collar is ready. In it, your cat will be comfortable, soft and comfortable, and most importantly - safe.
As you can see, the do-it-yourself technique for making cat collars for cats with step-by-step instructions is now countless. You just have to choose the most suitable option and bring it to life.