Free dog coat pattern from Soggibottom. Fit for a Cavalier.

It might be mid Summer but the rain keeps falling.
Freya has outgrown her ladybird raincoat, the coat has now seen better days anyway.

Freya doesn't mind getting her ears slightly frizzled but when it comes to a long and heavy downpour of rain, she isn't happy to be out and about getting wet on her walks.

Making a dog coat isn't hard, it's easier than you think. Brought coats are great, except they are made to fit one size. One size Labrador, one size Cocker Spaniel, one size Pug, one size Cavalier. You get the idea, all dogs are different and in Freya's case she's long in her body.

Bigger and longer than Amie Soto Blossom was altogether.
Freya doesn't quite fit the normal Cavalier size of reasonably small and dainty either.
She's cute and can be dainty, but it's always hard to find a coat that will keep all of her dry. One that is long enough to cover her ( I mean cover her bum) and keep out the rain.

She's not good with hooded coats and needs a coat that allows her to wear her harness under the coat and yet still have an opening through the coat for her lead to be clipped to her harness. If I have lost you already... I KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

First you need a pattern.

The front.

The middle.

 and tail end.

 You will find if you print out all three parts they will all come together, 1,2,3. as one pattern.

You will also need two strips of material 26 inches  x 2 1/2 inches (66 cms X 7 cms ) for the tummy strap (Hi visibility for the top and fleece to line it with).

Lay out your pattern and cut one top layer and one lining layer for the coat. I've used hi visability waterproof material for the top of the coat and fleece for the bottom layer. Freya is a young dog and runs everywhere so I have only used a top layer and fleece to line it with. This is a coat to keep the rain out, but you can also add a layer of wadding between the fleece material and the rain proof top layer to keep out the wind too.

Tack and sew around the tummy strap (good sides on the inside), leave an opening so you can turn it inside out. Trim along the sides close to your sewing edge and turn the right way out. Then top sew around the edges again.

If you use a wadding center between the fleece and hi visibility material you will need bias binding to edge it all with.

I used bias binding to edge the two layers of Freya's new raincoat, but you could also put both layers good side face to face and sew around the sides, leaving an open edge to turn the whole thing inside out. If you do, you will also need to resew the edges again once you have turned the coat to the right side. Hi viability on the outside and fleece on the inside.

It's also a good idea to check that it fits as it should. Freya needed a longer coat to cover her up.

Freya had her harness put on, her new coat put over the harness, the material marked where the harness clip needed to go through the material.
You can put a button hole here as long as it will be big enough to take the harness clip.
Or sew around the marked place you want the clip to go through and then over sew the inside where you have marked. Carefully make a small slit in the material  where you have marked the harness clip. Almost as good as a button hole.
Clear as mud again ?

 Back to the tummy strap. Sew velcro on one side, soft side on the fleece. Turn the strap over..
 At the other end of the tummy strap sew the grip part of the velcro onto the side where the hi viz material is. Each end should be on opposite sides and opposite ends of the tummy strap.

Fold the whole thing in half and then fold your dog coat in half. Find the middle of each, attach the middle of the tummy strap to the middle of the dog coat. I made a five inch square of machine stitching to hold the tummy strap onto the coat.

Try the coat on your dog again and find out where you need to sew velcro to the chest of your coat.
Every dog is different. 

I have marked on the dog pattern where the velcro needed to be for Freya. But you will have to alter this to the size of your dog as to exactly where you place the velcro.

The soft side of velcro needs to be sewn on the fleece inside of the coat.
One side it will be on the opposite part of the chest of the coat and on hi Viz material.

See, clear as mud.

Freya would have been more enthusiastic except she was watching a program about ponies on T.V.

As usual any questions, let me know.
You can also alter the length of the coat where I have indicated on the pattern. Or reduce the pattern size by photocopying it, or enlarge it.  It will even fit a Chihuahua if you reduce it enough.
Freya is as usual over at CATFLAP CAVALIER.