This scrap busting project has a great bonus! We'll be using "garbage scraps" that would otherwise go in the trash and landfills, to fill our pet beds. Yay us!
First we'll make a liner out of muslin and fill that with our garbage scraps. Then we'll make a cute quilted (and washable) cover for the bed. Because the cover is quilted, it'll make the bed appear smooth. So go ahead and add all kinds of lumpy fabric scraps!
Determine how big you want to make the bed. A good way to visualize it would be find a pillow around your house that's about the size you'd like and measure that. I'm making a pretty big bed for our dog, Tucker. So I'll cut two large muslin rectangles measuring 26" X 38".
Fold them in half one direction and then again in half the other direction. You should have all 4 corners stacked on each other:
Then find a plate, a cup, a curved ruler - anything round to help you curve these corners. Follow around the curved object with your rotary cutter or trace the curve and cut with scissors:
Next measure the distance all the way around the perimeter of the rectangle and cut enough 4" strips of muslin to sew together to equal that distance:
Sew these side strips together and then pin one long side of the strip to one of the muslin rectangles, using extra pins around the corners:
Sew all the way around. Pin the remaining rectangle to the other edge of the side strip and sew all the way around, except leave an opening about 6" - 8" along one side for stuffing.
Turn the liner right side out and push all the edges out with your hands. Start filling the bed with all those garbage scraps we've been saving. (As a general rule, I don't use batting scraps in the bed . . . unless they're really small and skinny. I have better uses for batting scraps!) Keep filling until it's nice and comfy.
Mine's about half full. I did throw in a few used dryer sheets for a fresh smell. I wonder how long those will work!
We'd love to hear from you. Tell us about your pet - are you making a bed for a dog or a cat?
I am going to end up donating my pet bed as we don't have any pets and my cat that lives with my parents in CA would probably not enjoy it - he is very much in love with his current bed :)
ReplyDeleteI think a donation is a great idea!
Deleteprobably have enough scraps for a medium and a small one (the big dog already hogs the bed we got for all of them). will start stuffing a small one and see how it goes. this is such a great idea. After everyone's got their own bed, I'll start donating them to the shelter here. I'm always gonna have scraps!
ReplyDeleteI think "a bed for every dog" is positively wonderful! And, you're right - we'll always have scraps. It's amazing how fast the pile builds up. Thanks for quilt along with us. :)
DeleteI'll be making one for my Arie boy. It'll be sized to fit inbetween the two front seats of my van :)
ReplyDeleteOhhh! That'll be wonderful - I bet he'll love it! I may have to borrow that idea. :)
DeleteIt would take me 10 years to make just one bed for one of my Lab's. I have 4 of them. I fill their current beds with old tshirts, old towels, unused table cloths, old pillowcases, etc....then I can take all that stuff out, and wash it, wash the cover, and refill and it smells great for days. Their beds are HUGE!
ReplyDeleteWOW! Four labs - I love it!! You'd be buried in scraps trying to accumulate enough. And it sounds like you have a great system anyway. Thanks for weighing in! PS - love the "16 Muddy Feet" :)
Delete