Introduction: Make Your Dog Into a Bunch of Grapes for Halloween
Since Halloween is just around the corner, I wanted to make a costume for Jersey, and not just *any* costume either. So here's a sample of my creative efforts. I'll be adding more costumes all this month on my blog, Bloggie Stylish. I've entered this costume into the Halloween contest so please vote for me if you like this 'ible. I *want* that sewing machine!!!
Just a quick note! This isn't a costume for a fearful dog. I had a balloon accidentally pop when I was fitting the costume. I know that Jersey doesn't look to thrilled in the pics, but she doesn't like doing anything that's not her idea. She's used to wearing clothes & hearing loud noises. Before you take your dog out in a public place, practice wearing the costume & walking around with it on. That way, the both of you will have a fun Halloween night!
Step 1: Tools and Supplies You Will Need
The supplies for this costume are pretty cheap. You'll need some cheap purple broadcloth, purple balloons, some green felt, velcro, needle and thread, zip ties, a flexible measuring tape, a marking pen, scissors and a some sort of string.
I already had the zip ties & velcro, but I got all the other supplies at "malmart" and a dollar store for about $5.00. If you had to buy the rest of the supplies, this costume would easliy cost you under $10.00, which is way cheaper that buying one.
Step 2: Measuring Your Dog
You'll need to take two measurements. One from the begining of the shoulder blades to the begining of the rump and one from the middle of the spine to the bottom of the chest.
Step 3: Cutting the Broadcloth Into a Coat
Making the coat isn't an exact science and it doesn't have to be perfect. It just needs to fit *okay* and serve as a place to attach to balloons. Cut a semi-circle neck hole out of the top right corner of the folded cloth. Now take your back measurement and measure along the top of the folded cloth and make a mark. From the top of the folded cloth, take your side measurement and make a mark. Now cut the cloth.
Step 4: Shaping the Coat
Put the coat on your dog and close the front so that the two ends overlap. Take a marking pen and make a mark where the two ends overlap.
Step 5: Adding the Velcro Closure
Place the velcro on the coat to the left of the mark that you have made and sew it down with a needle and thread. On the UNDERSIDE of the other panel of the coat, place and sew down the other piece of velcro.
Step 6: Marking the Position of the Balloons
Around the neck hole is the most important place for balloon placement. you want it to look even and not have any empty spaces. Place a blown up balloon where you want it & make a mark with the marking pen. I used three balloons on either side of the neck holes.
Step 7: Cutting the Holes for the Zip Ties & Adding Balloons
Where your black marks are, cut two little holes for the zip ties to fit through. Make sure to have the locking part of the zip tie on the outside of the coat. Now put the zip tie together and slip the tied end of a balloon through. Make sure that the zip tie locks above the balloon knot so that the balloons will stay in place. Once you are done with the neck hole, just eyeball the placement of the other balloons.
Step 8: Making the Grape Leaves
Draw outlines of a leaf on each of the pieces of felt and cut them out. Place them together in whatever arrangement that you want and pierce all three pieces with two holes, we're going to be using more zip ties in the next step.
Step 9: Putting the Grape Leaves Together
Run a zip tie through the three leaves and flip the leaf cluster over to the back side. Cut a piece of string that will be long enough to tie around your dog's neck comfortably. Place the cord under the zip tie & fasten closed.

Participated in the
Halloween Contest
57 Comments
4 years ago
poor dog :(
7 years ago on Introduction
I have never seen anythng like it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will make this next holloween
7 years ago on Introduction
I could not think of a holloween costume and this is the best idea!:)
8 years ago on Introduction
cute^.^
8 years ago
I love the idea
10 years ago on Introduction
Its a shame I didn't make this for Halloween for my dog - for some reason it is always after the holiday that I find the best ideas.
10 years ago on Introduction
i'd hate to be a dog stuffed in blonse aswell, but I don't know what blonse are
10 years ago on Introduction
So, what if you fill those with helium? Dog lite?
10 years ago on Introduction
If I want to make wine of it, do I have to crush the entire grape?
10 years ago on Introduction
is there a way not to use balloons my dog would pop them
10 years ago on Introduction
here's ide about the hot dog.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
The "bun" is 2 inches thick and a couple inches shorter then the length. There is 2 inch padding connecting the buns, (depending on how wide the dog) is make the height so the dog can move comftably. If you want you can make ketchup and mustard strips out of 2 inches of thick cardboard.
10 years ago on Introduction
what if the balloons pop!
11 years ago on Introduction
This is a unsual idea will it work on humans
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I've made a full grape costume for a little girl. It's the same concept- just use a leotard instead of the coat and put purple balloons all over it instead!
13 years ago on Introduction
Lol, eating WAL-MART cheap bulk buy dog food $10 is torture. I hope mydog likes this. She likes wearing clothes and such
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Ahh! I don't even want to imagine what they put in that food.
11 years ago on Introduction
Ooh! Do I spy a Vizsla?
12 years ago on Introduction
its kind of like lady gaga's champagne bubbles!
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
ha ha funny was thnkin uff that 2