| If you have a dog who prefers to sleep on top | | | | fasteners require hand sewing, but again are fairly |
| of your quilt (or doona, or comforter) rather than | | | | simple to do – the only trick with buttons is |
| his own dog bed, then this simple project can help. | | | | creating your button hole. However, these days, |
| I'll show you how to quickly and easily make your | | | | most sewing machines have an automatic |
| pooch his own comfy dog bed. And with summer | | | | button-hole stitch. |
| and winter weight covers, the one bed will do him | | | | If using Velcro or a zipper, you will need one that |
| all year round! | | | | is long enough to cover the gap size you |
| | | | | calculated earlier. |
| To Make Your Pattern | | | | Making Your Dog Bed |
| The pattern is really very simple – just a | | | | Depending on the type of fabric, you may want |
| square. The important thing is to make sure the | | | | to run a quick zigzag stitch around the entire |
| bed will be large enough for your dog. We are | | | | outer edge of your piece (or pieces) of fabric, |
| using the same approach as is used for quilt or | | | | especially if it is the type of fabric that is likely to |
| doona covers. | | | | "run". |
| Measure your dog from nose to end of tail, and | | | | Now, lay out your fabric and fold in half to form |
| then measure his height from the ground to the | | | | your square, with the right sides together. Don't |
| tops of his ears. Take whichever is the longer | | | | worry if you got your fabric in two pieces, just |
| measurement and add 3" (or 8cm). This is the | | | | lay one piece on top of the other, with their right |
| size of your dog bed. | | | | sides together. |
| So, for example, my dog is 23" tall and 18" long, | | | | We now want to stitch together almost all of the |
| so I'll make a 26" square dog bed for him. (And in | | | | fabric, but leave a gap large enough in the top |
| centimetres, that's 59cm by 46cm, so my dog | | | | side to be able to easily insert and remove your |
| bed will be 67cm square). | | | | filling, as we calculated earlier. Before we start |
| | | | | sewing, we need to calculate how far along the |
| Fabric & Notions | | | | top edge we need to sew. |
| Remember when buying your fabric that you | | | | So, if you calculated that you need 16" for your |
| need two square pieces. So, using the example | | | | gap (to insert and remove the filling), and your |
| above again, I will need fabric measuring 26" by | | | | material is 26" wide, then (deducting the 1" seam |
| 52" (or 67cm by 1.34m). | | | | allowance either side) you need to sew in 4" on |
| The fabric for your dog bed will depend on the | | | | each end of the top edge. I'll explain – we |
| time of year. For winter, why not make the bed | | | | take the width (26") then take off the two seam |
| cover using microfibre or polar fleece type fabrics. | | | | allowances for the two sides (1" each – leaves |
| In summer, choose a heavy weight cotton. For | | | | us 24"), then deduct the gap required (16" – |
| those in between seasons, you could use | | | | leaves us with 8") and then divide this by 2, as |
| corduroy or denim. Just remember the fabric | | | | we need to have the gap centred along the top |
| needs to be tough enough to withstand the dog | | | | edge (that leaves us with 4" each side). |
| turning around 3 times every night before he | | | | If Your Fabric Is In One Piece |
| goes to sleep! | | | | Stitch along one side 1" (or 2½cm) away from |
| For the insert, you can either buy quilting, or, | | | | the edge, then stop 2" (or 5cm) from the top |
| depending on the size of your dog, even a cot | | | | edge, turn your material around, and stitch along |
| quilt folded over in half may do! Shop around to | | | | the length calculated above (in my example it was |
| compare prices. | | | | 4"). Now cut off the thread, and then do the |
| Once you have bought your quilting, check to see | | | | same with other side. |
| what size opening you will need in the bed cover | | | | If Your Fabric Is In Two Pieces |
| to easily insert and remove the filling. Test it out | | | | If your fabric is on two pieces, it is a lot easier. |
| on pillowcases, cushion covers and so on, so you | | | | Just decide which side will have your opening, then |
| can get an idea what size opening you will need. | | | | position the needle 2" in from the top edge and |
| Jot this number down somewhere as we will need | | | | the length you calculated above from the bottom. |
| it later! | | | | Start stitching, and about 1" from the bottom, |
| For the closure, you have a choice of snap | | | | stop, turn your fabric so you are now ready to |
| fasteners (ball and socket type), buttons, Velcro | | | | sew the side seam, continue sewing until you |
| or even a zipper. Choose the one you are most | | | | come to the bottom, and so on, until you get |
| comfortable with, and that you think your pooch | | | | back to your top edge. Just remember that we |
| won't rip open. Velcro fasteners are relatively | | | | are allowing a 2" hem allowance for the top edge, |
| easy in that they can be attached using your | | | | not 1". |
| sewing machine, and they are nowhere near as | | | | Now just attach your preferred closure items and |
| fiddly as zippers to attach. Buttons and snap | | | | you're done!! |