Pony McTate: High fashion DIY for your family pet

Meet Stampy the stylish cat.

Create some high fashion for your family pet, says Pony McTate.

Meet Stampy. She's a fairly recent addition to our family but she's already ensconced her podgy self firmly into our hearts. Is it her peculiar affection for the smaller more boisterous members of our household? Her fondness for sleeping on craft supplies? Those Grammable good looks? Certainly, her enduring patience while I faff around taking photos of her has something to do with it.

And as you can see, Stampy just adores her kerchief. She likes to wear it at a jaunty angle, which complements that devil-may-care attitude of hers so well. Don't let those disgruntled ears fool you.

If your pet is as fashion-forward as Stampy, why not whip them up a snazzy kerchief yourself? It takes minimal sewing (I used a machine but you can do it by hand instead) and slides conveniently on to your pet's collar for a secure fit. Your cat/dog/rabbit/goat will love you for it.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED
● Cotton or cotton-blend fabric - the gingham check sported by Stampy here is ideal because you can use the lines of the print as a guide for cutting and sewing.
● A measuring tape
● Scissors
● A sewing machine, or a needle and thread
● Your pet and its collar

STEP ONEMeasure your pet. You will need three measurements: the circumference of its neck (i.e. the length of your the collar), the width of the collar and the depth of its chest. This last measurement will determine how far down the kerchief falls. You don't want it to be so long that it impedes walking. Similarly, if your pet chews anything within reach, you may want to keep the kerchief shorter and clear of the chomp zone.

STEP TWOWorking to those measurements, cut your fabric to the shape shown. Add an additional 1-2cm all round to allow for seams. See the dotted line in the photo? That length should be the circumference of your pet's neck. From the dotted line down to the point is the depth of your pet's chest. The rectangle above the dotted line folds in half to make a space for the collar to slide through, so it needs to be twice the width of your pet's collar.

STEP THREE
Sew your seams, by machine or hand. It's helpful to iron the seams down before you sew them. Fold the long top edge down far enough to leave room for the collar, ensuring the ends are left open.

STEP FOUR
Trim any loose threads, then slide the collar through the top. Re-attach the kerchiefed collar to your pet, scrunching it a little to avoid any buckles. Sit back and bask in your pet's adoring gaze. Stampy's still working on hers.

● To see more of Stampy in action (i.e. asleep), check out my Instagram feed, where she features from time to time to look cute and boost ratings.

Instagram: @pony.mctate Email: pony@ponymctate.com