A crocheted set of a dog collar and leash can be very attractive and will receive many complements. Leashes can be crocheted for both small and large breeds of dogs. The important thing is choosing the right materials and making sure that you have high-quality workmanship, as you do not want a knot to come unraveled at the moment that your dog is straining at the leash attempting to chase the neighbor’s cat.
Good materials to make leashes and collars are nylon cord and another fiber of your choice to add color and texture. You will crochet the nylon cord and the other yarn together as one strand. Your crochet hook size will depend upon the width of the yarn that you select to accompany the nylon cord. You will also need a large tapestry needle, a snap hook that is the appropriate size for the leash you will be making, a D-ring and a buckle with a center bar for the collar. These can usually be located at a hardware store or leather supply store, or can be purchased online. Buckles may be difficult to locate at a hardware store, but can often be found at larger fabric stores.
Making the Leash
1. Chain stitches until the leash is about the length that you want, and then add a bit extra so that you can bend a few inches of it over to make the handle.
2. After you have chained the stitches, single crochet back and forth two or three times until the leash is the width that you want it to be.
3. After you are finished crocheting, weave in the ends of the yarn, but tie a very secure knot in the nylon string. Then take a lighter or other heat source and very carefully touch it to the knot that you have made, so that the nylon fiber melts together a bit. Be careful not to let the heat touch the other fiber! Heating the nylon knot will make it much stronger and less likely to unravel.
4. Now you are ready to attach the snap hook. Run one end of the leash through the hook. Thread your tapestry needle with a single strand of nylon cord and after doubling the leash over the end of the hook, stitch it together so that the hook will be held firmly in place. Stitch evenly, and go back and forth twice. This is a very important part of your leash, as even if the rest of the leash is strong, if the stitches unravel here, your dog could escape. Once your needle meets the point where you originally started stitching, remove the needle from the nylon cord and tie the beginning of the cord to the end of it securely. You will then need to repeat the process of heating the knot so that it will not unravel.
5. To make the handle, do the same as you did for the snap hook. Double over the crocheted leash until the handle is the size that you would like. Then take your nylon cord and needle and stitch across the leash twice, and tie a knot in the beginning and end of the cord. Heat. You have now completed the leash!
Making the Collar
1. Measure your dog’s neck, and add a few inches for the buckle. If your dog is young, you may want to add a bit extra for growth.
2. Chain crochet the nylon cord and yarn together until the collar is the length that you want. Then single crochet back and forth until you get the width that you want. Remember to weave in the yarn ends and tie the nylon in a knot, that you will then secure by heating.
3. Now attach the buckle to one end of the collar. You will attach them in the same manner that you did the snap hook, by putting the collar through the middle bar of the buckle, doubling it over, and sewing it securely two times across. Tie the beginning and the end of the cord, make a knot, and apply heat.
4. Keep in mind that with the types of buckles that allow for adjustment of the collar, that most likely they will not work well, as the crocheted fabric will be too thick to thread through these sort of buckles. It is best to stick to the simple buckle type of the sort you might find on a standard men’s belt, only smaller, of course!
5. Now you will add a D-ring or other loop that will keep the fabric in place close to the buckle in order to prevent extra fabric from the collar from hanging down and to give yourself a place to attach tags and the leash. To do this, merely place the D-ring where you would like it on the collar, and sew the back of the ring to the back of the collar using an overhand stitch with the nylon cord. Again, do double duty to make it strong and apply heat to your ending knot.
You have now completed both a collar and leash for your dog. If you walk your dog frequently, you may find that your friends will ask you to make sets for their dogs as well. These crocheted leash and collar sets are a step above the doggie fashion that you find in most pet supply shops. How fancy you want to make the set is entirely up to you. You can make a particularly soft set by using boucle yarn with the nylon, or a colorful one by using a variegated yarn. If you enjoy crocheting flowers, you can always sew them onto to the leash and collar as embellishments. In this case, you can use yarn or thread to attach them, as you will not need to worry about the strength of the leash or collar being compromised in this case. Try sewing flowers all around the collar and putting one on the base of the handle. You will end up with an adorable look, or perhaps a silly one, if your dog is a macho male Rottweiler. At any rate, the idea is to have fun while creating something useful. Enjoy!
