Christmas Dog Bandana – Free Crochet Pattern

Christmas Dog Bandana

If you’re looking for a cute and festive crochet Christmas scarf or bandana for your dog or cat, this easy pattern is the perfect holiday project. It’s designed with an adjustable tie-up collar, so you can customize the fit for pets of all sizes — from tiny cats to big, fluffy pups.

Whether you call it a Christmas pet scarf, a crochet dog bandana, or a holiday collar, it makes an adorable handmade gift for your own pets or for the pet lovers in your life.

This pattern uses simple stitches and works up quickly, making it a fun and beginner-friendly Christmas crochet project you can finish in no time.

And it’s not just for dogs! This pattern also includes instructions for making the Christmas bandana for cats. Simply follow the Small Size instructions, which are designed to fit most cats and small dogs under 20 lbs.

Here’s a photo from one of my amazing testers, Keeley Jackson, who made this adorable version for her cat:

Use the Table of Contents below to jump to any section of this pattern or keep scrolling down for all the details and the written instructions. 

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Matching Santa Paws & Mrs. Paws Patterns

After making this Santa / Christmas bandana, make a matching Mrs. Claus Pet Bandana!

View the free Mrs. Claus Pet Bandana, which is also available for any size cat or dog.

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Pattern Details

Skill Level

Easy

Size

The pattern comes in two sizes:

Small (for a cat or small dog under 20 lbs):
Finished Size: Bandana = 6.5” high and 5.5” wide. Collar = 21” long and 1” high.

Medium/Large (for a med/lg dog over 20 lbs):
Finished Size: Bandana = 8” high and 8.5” wide. Collar = 34” long and 1.5” high.

Materials

Yarn: Any worsted weight (4) yarn for the bandana and belt buckle. Bulky fleece (5) yarn for the collar and border.

• I used Loops & Threads Impeccable Yarn, Solid for the bandana and belt buckle. This yarn is medium (4) weight and 100% acrylic. The size is 4.5 oz / 127.5 g. A skein is 285 yds. / 260 m.
• I used the color “Cherry” for the main red part of the bandana (30 yds); “Black” for the belt (10 yds); & “Sunny Day” for the belt buckle (a few yds)
• For the collar and border, I used approx. 30 yds of Bernat Pipsqueak. This yarn is bulky (5) weight. The size is 3.50 oz. / 100 g. A skein is 101 yd / 92 m. The exact color is called “Whitey White.”

Crochet Hook Size: H/8 (5.00mm) for everything but the belt buckle. For the belt buckle: F/5 (3.75mm).

Other Materials: Yarn Needle and Scissors

Abbreviations

st = stitch
sts = stitches
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
hdc = half double crochet
sl st = slip stitch
RS = right side / front
WS = wrong side / back

Terminology

This Christmas Dog Bandana Crochet Pattern is written in English for right-handed crochet using standard US crochet terminology. If you’re more familiar with UK terminology, check out my US to UK Conversion Chart.

Pattern Notes

• The collar is made separately. The triangle part of the bandana, once completed, is sewn onto the collar.
• The triangle part of the Santa Dog Bandana is worked from the bottom up. It is meant to curve a little and not lay completely flat.
• Ch 1 does not count as a stitch.
• Always start in the same stitch as the chain.

Collar Sizing

The ends of the collar tie up around a cat or dog’s neck so the sizing doesn’t need to be exact.

To create a collar that is 21” long, which should fit a cat or small dog under 20 lbs, follow the “Small” collar pattern instructions (chain 65). For a collar that is 34′′ long, which should fit a medium or large size dog over 20 lbs, follow the “Med/Lg” collar pattern instructions (chain 84).

If you want to make your collar smaller or larger, subtract or add starting chains + 1 (meaning to add 1 to whatever number of starting chains you want to make).

Using Worsted Weight Yarn for the Collar
While I did not make the collar with worsted (4) weight yarn, I tested the length and found that:
• 71 chains of worsted weight yarn (after a few rows) makes a collar that is approx. 21” long.
• 113 chains of worsted weight yarn (after a few rows) makes a collar that is approx. 34′′ long.

If you do use worsted yarn for the collar, you may need to add more rows until the collar is 1” wide for the small size and 1.5′′ wide for the med/lg size.

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Pattern Instructions

Collar – Small

With bulky fluffy white yarn and a H/8 (5.00 mm) hook, chain 65.

Row 1: In 2nd chain from hook, sc. Sc in each ch across (64 sts).

Row 2: Ch 1 and turn. Sc in each st across (64 sts).

Your finished collar should be approximately 21′′ long and 1.5′′ wide. Fasten off and weave in all loose ends.

Bandana (Triangle Part) – Small

With worsted weight red colored yarn and a H/8 (5.00 mm) hook, ch 2.

Row 1 (RS): In 2nd ch from hook, 2 hdc in same st. (2 sts).

Row 2 (WS): Ch 1 and turn. 2 hdc in each st across. (4 sts)

Row 3: Ch 1 and turn. 2 hdc in the 1st st. Hdc in the next 2 sts. 2 hdc in the last st. (6 sts)

Row 4: Ch 1 and turn. 2 hdc in the 1st st. Hdc in the next 4 sts. 2 hdc in the last st. (8 sts)

Row 5: Ch 1 and turn. Hdc in each st across. (8 sts)

Row 6: Ch 1 and turn. 2 hdc in the 1st st. Hdc in the next 6 sts. 2 hdc in the last st. (10 sts)

Row 7 (Belt): Change colors: fasten off red yarn and attach black yarn with a sl st. With black yarn, ch 1 and turn. Hdc in each st across. (10 sts)

Row 8 (Belt): Ch 1 and turn. 2 hdc in the 1st st. Hdc in the next 8 sts. 2 hdc in the last st. (12 sts)

Row 9: Change colors: fasten off black yarn and attach red yarn with a sl st. With red yarn, ch 1 and turn. Hdc in each st across. (12 sts)

Row 10: Ch 1 and turn. 2 hdc in the 1st st. Hdc in the next 10 sts. 2 hdc in the last st. (14 sts)

Row 11: Ch 1 and turn. Hdc in each st across. (14 sts)

Row 12: Ch 1 and turn. 2 hdc in the 1st st. Hdc in the next 12 sts. 2 hdc in the last st. (16 sts)

Fasten off and weave in all loose ends. Proceed to Border Instructions (All Sizes).

Collar – Med/Lg

With bulky fluffy white yarn and a H/8 (5.00 mm) hook, ch 84.

Row 1: In 2nd chain from hook, sc. Sc in each ch across (83 sts).

Rows 2 & 3: Ch 1 and turn. Sc in each st across (83 sts).

Your finished collar should be approximately 34′′ long and 1.5′′ wide.

Bandana (Triangle Part) – Med/Lg

With worsted weight red colored yarn and a H/8 (5.00 mm) hook, ch 2.

Row 1 (RS): In 2nd ch from hook, 2 hdc in same st. (2 sts).

Row 2 (WS): Ch 1 and turn. 2 hdc in each st across. (4 sts)

Row 3: Ch 1 and turn. 2 hdc in each st across. (8 sts)

Row 4: Ch 1 and turn. Hdc in each st across. (8 sts)

Row 5: Ch 1 and turn. 2 hdc in 1st st. Hdc in next 6 sts. 2 hdc in last st. (10 sts)

Row 6: Ch 1 and turn. Hdc in each st across. (10 sts)

Row 7: Ch 1 and turn. 2 hdc in next 2 sts. Hdc in next 6 sts. 2 hdc in next 2 sts. (14 sts)

Row 8: Ch 1 and turn. Hdc in each st across. (14 sts)

Row 9 (Belt): Change colors: fasten off red yarn and attach black yarn with a sl st. With black yarn, ch 1 and turn. 2 hdc in 1st st. Hdc in next 12 sts. 2 hdc in last st. (16 sts)

Row 10 (Belt): Ch 1 and turn. Hdc in each st across. (16 sts).

Row 11: Change colors: fasten off black yarn and attach red yarn with a sl st. With red yarn, ch 1 and turn. 2 hdc in 1st st. Hdc in next 14 sts. 2 hdc in last st. (18 sts).

Row 12: Ch 1 and turn. Hdc in each st across. (18 sts)

Row 13: Ch 1 and turn. 2 hdc in next 2 sts. Hdc in next 14 sts. 2 hdc in next 2 sts. (22 sts)

Row 14: Ch 1 and turn. Hdc in each st across. (22 sts)

Row 15: Ch 1 and turn. 2 hdc in 1st st. Hdc in next 20 sts. 2 hdc in last st. (24 sts)

Row 16: Ch 1 and turn. Hdc in each st across. (24 sts)

Fasten off and weave in all loose ends. Proceed to Border Instructions (All Sizes).

Border (All Sizes)

With a H/8 (5.00 mm) hook, attach bulky (5) weight, fluffy white yarn to the top left corner with the RS of the bandana facing you.

Round 1: Working towards bottom of triangle, sc evenly down. In the st at the very bottom of the triangle, sc three times into same st. Sc evenly up. At the top right corner, sc three times into corner st. Sc in each st across top. When back at first sc made in the round, sl st to join.

Fasten off leaving a 30′′ tail.

Assembly (All Sizes)

Place the bandana RS facing up. Place the collar (either RS or WS) over the top of the bandana so that it slightly overlaps the top border of the bandana. Ensure the bandana is centered with equal lengths of collar on either side.

With a yarn needle, use the tail from the border to attach the bandana from corner to corner (approx. 0.5” from bottom of collar). Fasten off and weave in all loose ends. 

Belt Buckle (All Sizes)

With F/5 (3.75mm) hook and golden yellow colored yarn, ch 24.

For the entire belt buckle, work into the back ridge loop of each chain.

1st Rectangle Side (short): In 2nd ch from hook, sl st into back ridge loop. In next 3 chains, sl st into back ridge loop. In next ch, sl st x 3 into same back ridge loop.

2nd Rectangle Side (long): sl st into next 6 back ridge loops. In next ch, sl st x 3 into same back ridge loop.

3rd Rectangle Side (short): sl st into next 4 back ridge loops. In next ch, sl st x 3 into same back ridge loop.

4th Rectangle Side (long): sl st into next 6 back ridge loops. sl st into 1st sl st to join.

Fasten off leaving a 12″ tail. Weave in the first end to belt buckle. Using a yarn needle, attach belt buckle to Santa Dog Bandana with the rows of black in the middle.

And that’s it! Charlie hopes that your dog enjoys this Santa Dog Bandana as much as he loves his. And both Charlie and I wish you a very Merry Christmas!!!

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