doggie (or kitty) bed tutorial

i hope you won't be discouraged by the length of my tutorial.

just in case...here it is in a nutshell.

make bottom~make tube~sew~stuff~insert pet

i'll start with the materials list:

pet

measuring tape

scissors

grocery bag (for pattern)

1 or 2 towels

durable canvas (for bottom)

polyfill (about 20 oz)

*you can also use regular cotton fabric, fleece, flannel, whatever!

i like to use the towels cuz there snuggly and you can find some really great coordinating prints for cheap at the discount stores.i also like them because they are macine washable. you can just stuff the whole darn thing in the washer.

okay, so here we  go...

i have grouped the tutorial into 3 parts

onto the next part...

...we're almost there...

so there you have it...one cozy pooch!

it's really very simple, but when you start to analyze every little step it can seem confusing so please let me know if you have any questions

happy sewing.

ttfn

Comments

[Caro]

Thank you for that great tutorial. I think it is the only one on the Web. The three parts with the picture are in my files, now.
You make me happy :-)

[Terry]

Thanks such for posting this - well done on explaning it step by step!

http://blog.pet-tips-advice.com

[veterinary supplies]

This is very cute. I think that I am going to give it a try. thanks

[valerie]

THANK YOU for the tutorial! I made this cozy bed for my dog today and she loves it. It was suprisingly easy- I used flannel, with canvas for the bottom. I also blogged about it here- www.vmjess.blogspot.com

[bettyjo]

Thanks for this wonderful tutorial. I made this bed for my daughter-dog Candy using her favorite fleese blankets. I used left-over quilt batting pieces for the stuffing. She loved it so much that I made another bed for my niece-dog, who also loved it. Thanks again.

[Laura]

Awww...super cute Frenchie. We've got one too, named Merlot :0)

[Cait]

My frenchie loves his!

[josienh]

This looks great and I will try it. My dog is big though and I am wondering if I will be able to fit the thing into the washing machine for washing. She has a store bought bed now that I cannot fit...too stiff. However, I have to do something because she really loves the one she has and it is grossly filthy.

[Emily]

The only part I'm boggling my mind over is when you get to sewing the tube onto the base, and then you say "sew the edges of the tube right side to right side to close up the circle"

Do you mean sew them both flat together, so it would seal off each side of the tube from each other? I hope you get what I mean....... ;x

I'm just wondering this because in your photos it looks like the finished tube is one long continuous circle, I don't see any piece that had been sewn together...

Thanks for the awesome pattern :)
emily.leonard@gmail.com

[diktytaxitic]

I made a bed just like this for my weimaraner Franklin, only much much bigger. I made his out of corduroy and stuffed it with polyfill and cut up plastic bags. He loves it so much he doesn't like getting out of it in the morning, the lazy bum.

[Matt]

I don't get how to close the ends of the tube into a circle? I don't know the correct terminology but how do you get the seam hem on the inside? Do you sew the rough edges in and then finish the last bit on the outside? I usually just look at something and see how its made and do it. I can't see the seam in any of the pictures of the tube finished.

[Matt]

Nevermind, I get it... duh. The tube is not hemmed all the way to the ends and you finish the circle by sewing to the base. That seam was so hard to see with that print. I've been wanting to make a new bed for my dog (old one is pretty ripe) and I haven't been able to figure out a good way to do the tube part until now. Thanks!

[carol]

Thank you for posting this pet bed tutorial. I made a bed for my cats. They haven't gotten in it yet but I have been looking for a pattern for some time and finally came across this. Its great as far as I am concern. I made it a little thinner than you made but it came out just as well. The only trouble I had with this was the last step. I had to sew the end by hand. I guess I stuffed it too full and bent a few pins in the process. I got it to work sewing the end by hand so all worked out well. Thank you so much.
C.

[Laura]

What a wonderful idea and great tutorial. I made one out of some extra towels for my feral cat who now sleeps in the house every night in her snuggly cat bed! This is a cat who has probably slept under cars and who knows where for most of her life. She immediately knew it was hers and no matter where I leave the bed, I can find her in it at bedtime. Too cute! I plan to make one for every cat and little dog I know! Thank you!

[dicca]

Ohh.. so sweet..

Just what I looking for... My girl need one...

Very easy and very customizable

[Suzanne]

Just found this great pattern. Its so easy I'm making beds for our local animal shelter for the cats and kittys that will be adopted.
Our local Walmart has been great in donating the filler batting and a local upolstery business has donated material. Great project!
Thanks for the clear directions.

[Gayle]

Thank you so so so much! I cannot even express how great it was to find this tute. My little chihuahua is having surgery this week and I've felt so helpless and now I've made her a delightful little fleece bed to rest on. Thank you again!

[Nia]

I am so crazy-in-love with Matilda, I think I may need professional help!!!

[funraising programs]

Lori Marie! I loved the ideas of how you made the dog bed. someone told me about your website because I'm in need of pet patterns of beds, blankets, coats for dogs and cats. for my pastor to do a funraising programs to feed the poor and hunger. if you have anymore ideas to share your patterns on the lists here that I mentions please feel free to share it with us. thanks Bluejay

[Dianne Mccaslin]

I think this pattern is wonderful - my little Minnie (13 years old) loves it. She gets very cold at night and she just cuddles up in this. Thanks very much!