Dog collars, rolled and flat

[Tove09Tilda]

Hey guys, I spent New Year’s Eve on a last practice before my internship at a saddlers workshop. Since I only own dogs and got a new toy (what my friends jokingly call my little leather splitter), I decided to make a flat and a rolled collar. Both were made to measure for my mum’s dog.

I’m still waiting on my new creaser, which might arrive tomorrow, so all decorative lines are missing for now.

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Italian leather with steel hardware. The blue hide is dead stock and no longer available. I originally bought it for my dog’s new harness, but I had already planned to use some for dog collars.

When my mum and I discussed the collar, she mentioned a whole hide of flower-print fashion leather (1.5–2 mm) that I was gifted by my grandparents. Since I was already working on some reflective piping for my dog’s new harness, we decided to use this leather for a colorful twist on the plain blue design.

This project really tested my patience — I had to cut a 2-inch strap three times due to mistakes! Just when I was ready to give up, I finally got it right. If you look closely, you can still see my maker’s marks on the back side of the pull.

The pink stitches are purely decorative and inspired by the beautiful work of Windsor & Hanly Bridles from England. The stitching ended up being the most fun part of the project! For my first rolled collar, I’m quite happy with how it turned out and learned a lot in the process. My mum already wants another one as soon as I’m back from my internship, and I’m planning one for my dog too. I used 10 mm dog leash rope for the core, as my mum’s dog is fairly large.

Both collars measure 46 cm from the third hole.

On my bench right now are a half-checkered/martingale collar and a harness, which I hope to finish by Tuesday evening.

All in all, these were fun last projects before trying to convince the pros that I’m worth their while. The rolled collar, in particular, was a great stress test.

[TonyV]

They both look real nice.  Piping can be tough to do, and you did it well. 👍

My biggest critique is that you put the seam of the rolled collar on the inside.  I think that could probably be an irritant to the dog.  IMO the seam should be on the outside.  MIght be easier to sew that way too.

[Tove09Tilda]

19 hours ago, TonyV said:

They both look real nice.  Piping can be tough to do, and you did it well. 👍

My biggest critique is that you put the seam of the rolled collar on the inside.  I think that could probably be an irritant to the dog.  IMO the seam should be on the outside.  MIght be easier to sew that way too.

Thanks for your feedback! 🙂

Just to clarify, the seam on a rolled collar is intentionally smoothed rather than seamless, and the stitches can sometimes be slightly hidden or recessed. This is a traditional English saddlery technique — skiving down close to the stitching and smoothing the edges ensures comfort, even on the inside seam. With a dog’s fur and proper finishing, it shouldn’t cause any irritation.

Skiving takes a lot of patience, as you have to get as close as possible to the stitch line without cutting into it, while maintaining a clear and even edge.