How to Make Dog & Cat Beds
When you provide your cat or dog with its own bed, it will use it to sit and sleep on instead of sitting on your furniture, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Rather than purchasing an expensive pet bed, make one yourself to save money. Sew the bed yourself so you can customize the bed's size, shape, and fabrics used. This way, your bed fits both your pet and your decor.
Things You'll Need
- Sewing machine
- Cotton muslin fabric
- Plush fleece fabric
- Cotton fabric
- Zipper
- Polyester fiberfill
- Measuring tape
- Fabric chalk
- Pins
- Scissors
- Yardstick
Instructions
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1
Measure the length of your pet to determine the diameter (the diameter is the distance from one end of your circular bed to the other). Add 3 or 4 inches to this length so your pet will have plenty of room to lay on the bed. If two small pets will share the bed, double this number.
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2
Purchase or obtain a zipper approximately the length of your bed's diameter. You want the zipper to take up approximately 1/3 of the circumference of your bed, and since the diameter approximates this amount, use it as your zipper length. For uneven numbers, round down.
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3
Draw a line the length of the diameter on a sheet of newspaper. Use a yardstick to keep the line straight. Dissecting the center of the line, draw another line of the same length. You now have the quarters of a circle. Draw two more lines dividing the circle into eighths, then trace around ends of all of the lines to draw a circle. Cut out this circular pattern.
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4
Trace the pattern onto the back (wrong side) of the two fabrics (the cotton fabric and the fleece fabric) using the fabric chalk.
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5
Cut out circles of both the fleece and cotton fabric following the chalk outlines. Place the two pieces on top of each other, right sides facing inward. Pin the sides together along the edge of the fabrics. Leave enough length for your zipper open.
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6
Open the zipper. In the space you have left to place the zipper make a hem with the top fabric, folding the edge of the outside of the fabric over. With the zipper facing inward, pin it to the folded edge of the top fabric piece. Make a hem of the bottom fabric and pin the folded edge of it along the other side of the zipper.
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7
Sew around the edges of the two pieces of fabric to connect them, leaving 1/2 inch for the seam. Leave the zipper until the end and switch to the zipper foot of your sewing machine. While the zipper remains open, sew each edge of the fabric to it as close as possible, about 1/8 inch from the zipper face (to hide the zipper when in use). Turn the fabric right side out through the open zipper.
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8
Make a custom pillow form that you can remove from the pet bed cover when you wash it. Using the method described in Step 2, cut a circular pattern out of the newspaper which is 2 inches less in diameter than the circle used for the fabric.
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9
Trace around the pattern onto the muslin with the fabric chalk, as in Step 3.
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10
Cut out two circles of cotton muslin following the chalk lines. Pin the two pieces together and sew around the edges, leaving 1/2 inch for the seam. Leave an opening of three to four inches (enough to pull your hand through) and turn the form right side out.
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11
Stuff the muslin form with polyester fiberfill to the desired thickness of your pet bed. Stitch the opening closed when finished (by hand or with your sewing machine).
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12
Put the pillow form gently into the pet bed cover through the open zipper. Zip it closed.
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Tips & Warnings
Choose washable, durable fabrics that will stand up to possible scratching from your pets (cotton duck or cotton twill work well).
Use two fabrics for your cover that complement each other in color and pattern for an attractive pet bed.
You can substitute any other type of filling for the polyester fiberfill or even use the stuffing from an old pillow.
Match your zipper color to coordinate with the fabrics and make it less noticeable.
Wash all of your fabrics before you cut and sew them to prevent shrinkage.
References
- American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: Preparing Your Home for Your New Pet
- Pioneer Thinking: Ten Amazing Round Pillow Ideas
- Coats and Clark: Pillow Trio
- Make and Build Dog Stuff: Dog Bed Patterns: Round
- Make and Build Dog Stuff: Dog Bed Patterns: Pattern Instructions
- Math Goodies: Circumference of a Circle
- Photo Credit Puppies of the spitz-dog and cat in studio image by Ulf from Fotolia.com
