Christmas Patterns for Pet Bandanas, Collars and Beds

A bandana is a triangle of fabric with half of it hidden. That is the whole design problem for pet accessories: unlike a tablecloth, where the print is seen flat, a pet product folds, ties, curves and wiggles, and only some of the surface ever shows. Start with the template, not the motif.

Most pet bandanas are cut as a triangle, either tied around the neck or slipped over the collar. Sizes vary by supplier, so get the exact template before you size anything.

• The visible area is mainly the point that hangs under the chin. Put the focal motif toward that point.
• The top edge is folded or tied and mostly disappears. Keep it simple or give it a border.
• Direction. The point faces down, so a tree or a reindeer should point upward toward the neck. Alternatively use a tossed, non-directional print.
• Scale. A small bandana can show only a few repeats, so choose a motif that is bold enough to read in two or three copies.

Plaid is popular on bandanas. When a triangle is cut from a square, the checks tend to run at 45 degrees to the top edge, so plan how the lines meet at the point; see Christmas plaid and tartan patterns.

Collars are narrow straps, often between three-quarters of an inch and an inch and a half wide. Design for a strip, not a square.

Keep motifs smaller than the strap width, so the full motif shows. Hardware, stitching and overlap will hide part of the strap, so avoid placing anything critical near the buckle.

A pet bed or blanket is a large surface that gets sat on, slept on and crumpled. A calm, mid-scale all-over print forgives creases better than a large placed motif. Prints that hide fur are practical: a mid-tone ground with a tossed pattern is more forgiving than a solid dark or a pure white.

For more on the practical side of pet products, see pattern design for pet products.

• Paw prints and bones, the obvious pair, in holiday colors; see paw print patterns
• Gingerbread dogs and cats in cookie shapes
• Santa hats and antlers, drawn as small silhouettes
• Fish and mice for cat items
• Tennis balls and chew toys in red and green
• Snowflakes, stars and trees as neutral fillers
• Buffalo plaid in classic red and black

Keep humor light. A short phrase like a pet's name or a pun works if it is placed in a spot that will be visible.

Matching sets are a popular gift. Build them as a system: the same palette and one hero motif at different scales.

1. 1Owner: pajamas, a scarf or a scrunchie in the hero print.
2. 2Pet: a bandana or collar in a smaller, tighter version, or in the plaid that coordinates.
3. 3Shared extras: a tote, a tag or a gift bag that uses both.

This is the same logic as family matching Christmas pajama prints, only the smallest family member has four legs. Keep the palette identical and change the scale.

• Cats should wear breakaway collars, so a snag lets the collar release. Design to a breakaway buckle, not a fixed one.
• Avoid attached embellishments such as buttons, jingle bells and loose bows that a pet could chew off. A printed pattern achieves the look without detachable pieces.
• Check materials and dyes with your supplier, since pets chew and lick.
• Pets should be supervised when wearing costumes or accessories.

• Classic: red #B3262B, white #FFFFFF, pine #2F4A3A
• Soft: oatmeal #E8DFD0, cranberry #8E1B3A, sage #9CAF88
• Playful: candy red #E63946, mint #BFE5D0, sunshine #F6C945

Pets patterns and Christmas patterns are good places to browse.

To test a print before you order, Product Mockups in Pattern Weaver are free and put a pattern on 20 products, and Describe It lets you write the idea, such as "tiny gingerbread dogs and paw prints on red plaid", in your own words.