17+ Free Handmade Gift Ideas for Pets

It’s time for the fifth and final weekly roundup of this year’s Christmas in July Make Along! Our theme this week is handmade gift ideas for pets including cats and dogs. Find your next project in this collection of free crochet, knitting, and sewing patterns and crafts tutorials!

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Whether you love your own furry friend or you are coming up with the perfect gift for a loved one’s “fur baby,” you’re sure to find a great handmade gift idea for dogs and cats in this roundup! Several of the projects could also be used for other types of pets.

This roundup is the fourth in the second annual Christmas in July Make Along. Get all the details on this fun virtual event, including a list of participating bloggers, the schedule, and how to enter to win the prizes from Baby Lock, Clover USA, Knitter’s Pride, and WeCrochet in this blog post.

You can join the Christmas in July Make Along by crocheting, knitting, sewing, or making the projects as you have time.
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By the end of the Make Along, you’ll have up to 31 awesome projects. Get ready for the handmade holiday season while having fun with us!
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Don’t forget to enter the giveaway here by Tuesday, August 4, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.
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17+ Handmade Gift Ideas for Pets

I’ve found that pets are some of the most appreciative of handmade gifts. They don’t seem to care whether that toy, blanket, garment, or accessory is from a fancy name brand or made from upcycled materials! I’ve included 8 free crochet patterns, a free knitting pattern, 4 free sewing patterns, and 4 free crafts tutorials. And, if that’s not enough, at the end of this post you can find links to over 40 more handmade gift ideas for pets!

8 Crochet Patterns

These eight free crochet patterns include accessories, garments, rugs, and blankets for cats and dogs.

Left column, from top to bottom:

Small Dog Hoodie Sweater by Itchin’ for Some Stitchin’: This hoodie for 10-ish pound dogs includes a pocket.
Tunisian Shell Lace Dog Cowl by Creations by Courtney: This cowl is a great way to experiment with Tunisian crochet lace.
Cabled Dog Sweater by Maria’s Blue Crayon: This video tutorial will show you how to custom fit a crochet dog sweater.

Center column, from top to bottom:

Rugzilla by Salty Pearl Crochet: This circular pet rug is crocheted with jumbo yarn.
Faux Fur Dog Blanket by Easy Crochet: This simple pattern lets the cozy, faux fur yarn shine.
Mini Puppy Rose by Celtic Knot Crochet: This pattern includes instructions for creating a felt backing to attach to a dog collar.

Right column, from top to bottom:

Dandy Dog Sweater by Heart Hook Home: This textured dog sweater pattern is available in sizes XS, S, and M.
Dog Collar and Headband by Golden Lucy Crafts: These cute accessories make great photo props.

9 Crafts Tutorials

These nine free crafts tutorials including sewing, knitting, and building projects for pet toys, shelter, and accessories.

Not pictured:

Fishy Cat Toy by Try It – Like It – Create It: This low-sew project includes a tutorial for customizing the fabric with paint.