How to Make a Leprechaun Dog Costume

This month, we celebrate the 8th year anniversary of Fosse and Gershwin’s adoptions. They were rescued two weeks apart and became instant friends. So to mark the occasion, as well as St. Patrick’s Day, I made leprechaun costumes for them to model.

People often ask if my dogs like wearing costumes. They do, because they get lots of treats. It’s like a job for them. As soon as I get the costumes out, they tilt their head and raise their paws like they want to put them on. And boy, do they get treats, every step of the way.

This leprechaun costume requires no sewing. I buy a green t-shirt and some felt, and then hot glue it all together. Although I can sew simple things, it still stresses me out to take out the machine.

I start with the green t-shirt. I bought mine on Amazon because I needed a 12-month infant size, and I can’t find those in the store. This is a Joe’s USA brand shirt. (Don’t worry about clicking on the link. I’m not an Amazon affiliate.)

I wanted these leprechauns to be kind of dapper, so I made collar, shirt and bow tie details with Kunin felt. This was their premium line, and I love how thick and yummy it is. Then I hot glued them around the collar.

I made cuffs for the sleeves with the yellow felt and hot glued them to the sleeves. Besides looking really cute, the cuffs extend the sleeves so they reach down to the bottom of the dogs’ legs.

I made a belt with a buckle with additional felt and hot glued velcro to the ends. (I contemplated for a minute about sewing on the velcro, but it was 3 in the morning and decided against it.) Because human t-shirts tend to be baggy around the middle for dogs, the belt cinches the fabric in.

Now for the hat. I hot glued green felt to a paper cup, totally covering the sides and tops.

I added a band and buckle.

And the brim.

I also hot glued some elastic cord underneath the hat to keep it around the dogs’ heads. They look so cute as leprechauns, don’t they? And they are my good luck charms and pot of gold!