Make a Fluffy Dog Bed

Personalized dog beds don't have to come from an expensive retailer to look great in your home and please your pooch. Try one of the simple methods below to create a decorative dog bed that'll keep your pup comfortable at night without breaking the bank.

Steps

Choosing Your Materials

  1. Pick a covering fabric. You can mix and match different prints, colors, and textures of fabric in order to create a comfortable bed that matches your home décor.
    • Make sure the fabric is easy to clean and/or able to be put in the washer.
    • Faux fur, fleece, terry cloth, and cotton are good choices. You can also use old curtains.
  2. Decide on a fluffy insert. You can use pillows, old cotton clothes torn into strips, polyester stuffing, chopped foam, egg crate mattress toppers, or even scraps of different types of fabric you might have lying around the house.
    • Make sure to use non-toxic material that won't harm your dog if s/he chews up the bed.

Fashioning a Fleece Tie Dog Bed

  1. Make an easy fleece tie dog bed simply by adding stuffing to the inside of a fleece tie blanket. This is the fastest way to make a dog bed and does not require any sewing.
  2. Start off with two rectangles of fleece material. The size will depend on the size of your dog. You will want to err on the side of extra fabric in order to leave enough room for the stuffing. For a small dog, two one-yard pieces of fabric will be enough. For a medium to big dog, two, two-yard pieces of fabric will do the trick.
    • Fleece tie blankets are extremely easy to make because they don't require any sewing and fleece is a relatively cheap material. You can buy yards of patterned or solid colored fleece at any craft store.
    • You can mix and match patterns and solids by using a single color on one side of the blanket and a patterned print on the other.
  3. Lay your first piece of fleece with the rougher side facing up and then lay the second yard of fleece on top, soft side facing up. In other words, the rougher sides of the fabric will be touching one another.
  4. Slide your self healing mat under the fleece and cut off the rough selvage edges of the fleece using scissors or a rotary cutter. Make sure to use the lines on your template for a straight cut. You do not need to cut the other edges unless they are uneven or you are using a rotary cutter with a patterned cut.
  5. Pin your four-inch by four-inch square template to any corner of your fleece and cut around it so that there is an outward facing right angle chunk cut out. Repeat for the remaining three sides of the fleece.
  6. Take your tape measure and lay it across the fleece from the top of one right angle to the other so that there is a four-inch strip of fleece below the tape measure. It's helpful to pin the tape measure down so that it doesn't move.
  7. Keep the tape measure in place and use your scissors or rotary cutter to cut strips of fleece one-inch thick all along the four-inch section. Only cut to just below the tape measure line.
  8. Repeat for the remaining three sides of the fleece, making sure to pin the tape measure in place. You should now have fringes along all sides of the fleece that are one-inch thick and four-inches long.
  9. Separate the top layer of fleece from the bottom layer of fleece just enough to stuff the blanket with stuffing of your choice. For this style dog bed, a lightweight stuffing made of polyester or egg crate foam works best.
  10. Stuff the blanket evenly with your stuffing, making sure that the stuffing reaches each corner of the blanket.
  11. Match up the top and bottom fleece layers and begin to tie the fringes together in double knots. Continue to tie each fringe together until you have made your way around the entire bed.
  12. Make sure that each tie is securely tied, and you're finished!

Making a Dog Bed Using Pillows

  1. Take two large pillows and overlap them about four to six inches lengthwise. You may need to use a third pillow if you are making a bed for a large dog.
  2. Sew the pillows together along the overlap where the seam of the pillow meets the other pillow. You will probably need to sew by hand to avoid jamming the pillow into your sewing machine.
  3. Repeat along the second (and third, if necessary) seam. Depending on the strength of your sewing, you may want to sew the pillows together on top where they meet in little valleys. This will help the pillows stay together and also create a more consistent shape.
  4. Choose a fabric and cut out two shapes large enough to cover the pillows. It helps to measure the pillows with a tape measure or yardstick and then transfer the necessary dimensions to a piece of fabric before cutting. Make sure to account for the height of the pillows by adding about four to six inches of extra fabric to each side of the cutout.
    • You can also lay the fabric over the pillows and mark where the fabric meets the pillow edges using a pen.
    • Alternately, you can use old curtains instead of purchasing new fabric to save money and recycle your old things.
  5. Cut out the fabric using scissors. Drape one piece over the pillow and place the other piece underneath the pillow. Make sure that the edges of the fabric match up.
  6. Individually fold the edge of the each piece of fabric inward before sewing to create a soft, rounded outside edge. You can either fold as you sew or pre-pin all four sides of the bed before sewing using safety pins or sewing pins.
  7. Sew three edges of the bed together using either a sewing machine or sewing by hand. Make sure to leave one side open in order to stuff the pillows inside.
  8. Once three sides are sewn, stuff the pillows into the shell. Make sure that the bed is evenly stuffed corner to corner.
  9. Sew the remaining side of the bed together. Snip any loose threads.
    • If you are seasoned at sewing, consider attaching a zipper to the fourth side of the bed. This makes it easier to wash the covering without having to wash the pillows as well.
    • The bed can sit alone on the floor of your home, or you can place the bed in an adequately shaped box or basket for extra support and a more polished look.
    • If using a box or basket, you can also sew strips of fabric onto the side of the bed to act as ties. You can then tie the pieces of fabric to the box or basket to prevent the bed from sliding.

Creating a Circular Quilted Dog Bed

  1. Decide on the diameter you want your dog bed to be. You can either cut your dog bed insert to the desired size if it is cuttable (like egg crate for instance), or simply draw up a template.
    • Add one inch to your plans for seam allowances.
  2. Plan out a circular pattern of fabric that will consist of square pieces of fabric. You will probably want to use cotton for this project.
  3. Use this formula to determine how many 3 1/4-inch by 5 1/2-inch rectangles you'll need to complete your circle: pet bed diameter in inches x 3.14 divided by {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}. Round up to the nearest whole number to make computation easier.
  4. Once you've determined how many squares you need, begin to cut out the squares from your fabric. You can also cut out triangular-shaped hourglass blocks to create a varied pattern.
    • Use a combination of solid and print fabrics to spice up your quilted dog bed.
    • For a simpler variation, use an old quilt instead of fashioning a new one.
  5. Assemble the pieces together into a large square using either a sewing machine or sewing by hand.
  6. Next, assemble the pieces together for the second side of the bed using the same sewing technique.
  7. Measure the desired diameter of your pet bed onto each of the two square fabric pieces that you created. Cut out each circle using scissors and lay the two quilts on top of one another with the rough sides touching.
    • If using a pre-made circular insert or an egg crate, place the insert between the two pieces of fabric before beginning to sew.
  8. Sew most of the two quilts together with a 1/2-inch seam allowance, using a sewing machine or sewing by hand. Remember to fold each edge of the quilt inward in order to form a thicker, smoother edge. Make sure to leave a section of the edge open large enough to fit the stuffing through.
  9. Stuff the dog bed with the stuffing of your choice into the remaining open section. Once again, you can use polyester stuffing, old clothes, pillows, etc. to stuff your dog bed.
    • Because the quilted covering is more sturdy than, say, a flannel tie covering, you can use heavier stuffing with this method.
  10. Sew the rest of the two quilts together. If you are advanced at sewing, you can incorporate a zipper along the sewn edge of the bed in order to remove the stuffing for washing if desired.

Tips

  • Wash your dog bed often to prevent fleas and fur buildup.
  • Repurpose old items from around the house like curtains and clothing whenever possible.
  • Use waterproof stuffing if possible.
  • Use a sewing machine when possible for a speedier project.
  • You can always embellish your dog bed with embroidery or ribbon for a personalized look.

Warnings

  • Don't use any materials that your dog can chew off and eat or choke on such as rhinestones.
  • Don't use any materials that may be toxic for your dog.
  • If your dogs destroys everything, a handmade dog bed might not be the best choice.

Things You'll Need

  • Fabric of your choice
  • Sewing machine and/or needle
  • Sewing thread
  • Stuffing of your choice
  • Safety pins
  • Sewing pins
  • Scissors and/or rotary cutter
  • Self healing mat
  • yardstick or tape measure
  • 4-inch by 4-inch template
  • Zipper (optional)
  • Embellishments (optional)

Sources and Citations

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