A Ribbon Collar For Your Kitty
BY MOLLIE SHUTT, The House of Meow

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Need a way to dress up your cat for the holidays?

How about a simple holiday ribbon collar?

Supplies

• Ribbon: The length of ribbon you will need will depend on the size of your cat's neck. For "extra large" Tiger, I used roughly 2 yards of each of 4 colors for a total of 8 yards.
• Elastic: Select 1/8 inch or 1/4 inch elastic
• Ruler 
• Tape Measure
• Scissors (obviously, but I'm being thorough in my list)
  
  

How To Make Your Ribbon Collar

Step (1)

Using a tape measure, loosely circle your cat's neck. You don't want the elastic to be tight around the neck. Add an inch to allow for tying a knot. Cut the elastic and tie a knot as shown below.

Step (2)

Next, decide how long you want each ribbon on the collar to be when it hangs from the collar. Double the measurement and cut about 10 pieces. This will depend on personal taste and the size of your kitty.

For Tiger, a large British Shorthair, I cut each piece of ribbon 7 inches in length. For my Siamese, Sam, a smaller cat, I cut each piece of ribbon for his collar 6 inches in length.

The number of pieces you will need for the completed collar will depend on the size of your cat's neck and how full you want the collar to be. I cut no more than 10 pieces of each color at one time. As I created the collar, if I needed more, I cut more.

Step (3)

Using a cow hitch, knot a ribbon around the elastic. I simply formed a loop in the center of the ribbon and then pulled both ends through the loop. 

Step (4)

Pull the ends until the knot is tight. This can take some finessing to get the right knot tension for your chosen ribbon. Since ribbon is often on a spool, it tends to have a bit of curl. As I tied each knot, I made sure the curl on both ends of the ribbon went the same direction. Additionally, I made sure each new piece of ribbon curled the same way. This is important so that all the ribbons on the finished collar will drape nicely in the same direction.

Step (5)

Once you have your first ribbon in place, choose a different color ribbon and repeat the procedure making sure to place each new ribbon tight to the preceding ribbon. Continue all the way around the elastic until the collar is complete. It really is that simple!  The photo below shows Tiger modeling his handsome new collar.

Additional Notes:

• You can get creative with how you trim the ribbon ends. In this example, the ends are cut straight across, but they can easily be trimmed at an angle or inverted "V".
• I used the same type of ribbon for each color. Don't be afraid to mix it up with different types. Ribbons come in different widths and materials. Some ribbons have sparkles and jewels. Just use your imagination and creativity.
• You can use different lengths of ribbon so that some are longer and some are shorter — just be sure to spread the different lengths evenly throughout the collar.
• Create collars for different holidays by choosing appropriate color combinations: Red and green for Christmas, red/pink/white for Valentine's Day, pastels for Easter. Of course on July 4th you will want your cat to be sporting a collar that is red, white and blue. Naturally orange and black would be perfect for Halloween.

Happy Holidays From Tiger, Sam & Mollie!

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