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Make a ladybug fancy dress costume for a dog.

Step 1

Make a ladybug fancy dress costume for a dog.

Create a harness

For the ladybug body, create a simple harness out of black fleece. Measure your dog around the chest, in the middle of the back, and also around the waist. Cut the black fleece into a modified H shape, with the arms of the H matching your dog's chest and waist measurements plus 2" (arms should be about 2-1/2" wide). The center of the H should be approximately 8" wide and the length of the middle of your dog's back. For example, on a medium dog, this harness has straps that measure 23" from end to end and a center panel which measures 8" wide by 9" long.

Step 2

Make a ladybug fancy dress costume for a dog.

Create wings

Create the ladybug wings by drawing a wing shape that is 3" wide at the base, 5-1/2" wide at the widest point, and 12" long (as shown). Resize up or down for a smaller or larger dog.Cut out one wing and place it upside down on another section of felt, then use that as a guide to cut out the other wing.

Step 3

Make a ladybug fancy dress costume for a dog.

Cut the points

Cut ten 2" circles out of black felt for the dots.

Stage 4

Make a ladybug fancy dress costume for a dog.

Attach the dots

Sew or glue the stitches in place on each wing.

Step 5

Make a ladybug fancy dress costume for a dog.

Attach wings to harness

Center wings on top of harness (flat along chest strap). Attach the wings to the harness by stitching along the top and down the straight side of each wing.

Step 6

Make a ladybug fancy dress costume for a dog.

Add Fasteners

Apply hook-and-loop tape to harness straps. Place the soft side of the tape on the bottom of the straps on the right and the hard side of the hook-and-loop tape on the top of the straps on the left.

Step 7

Make a ladybug fancy dress costume for a dog.

Create antennas

To create the antennae, measure around your dog's face. Cut a piece of elastic to that length and sew it with a half inch flap. Bend the pipe cleaner squarely into a V shape.

Step 8

Make a ladybug fancy dress costume for a dog.

Glue pom poms to the antennas

Cut small holes in the center of the elastic and thread the ends of the pipe cleaner through. You can make the antennas more stable by adding some hot glue to the bottom of the pipe cleaner. Glue the pom poms to the ends of the pipe cleaner and the antennas are ready.

Step 9

Make a ladybug fancy dress costume for a dog.

Ready for Halloween

Now that your four-legged friend is dressed up as the world's cutest beetle, introduce him on Halloween.