We all want our furry friends to have a fluffy bed to cuddle up on, but they can be PRICEY! Especially if you’re having to replace them often due to pet-related destruction. So skip the expensive pet-store beds and make one yourself….by recycling an old sweater!
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Britta writes……..
This craft is everything a good craft should be: simple, not too time-consuming, affordable, and useful!! In fact, if you have a spare sweater, small pillow, and some batting from a quilt or bed pillow lying around at home, you can make this pet bed right now for FREE! I think one of these pet beds would make such a great gift – especially if a friend or family member had just added a puppy or kitty to the family!
Here’s what you’ll need to make your own sweater pet bed (in addition to access to a sewing machine):
- an extra-large men’s cable knit sweater
- a square or round pillow, 16×16″ or similar
- quilt batting or loose fill (crib-size batting works perfectly!)
- yarn
- yarn needle
Start by flipping your sweater inside out, and drawing a chalk line across the top from shoulder to shoulder. You’ll want to leave a half inch or so when you trim it, so you can draw your line a half inch below the front neckline. Draw another straight chalk line from armpit to armpit.
Pin along the chalk lines, then sew them using a sewing machine.
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Trim the excess off along the top of the sweater, leaving a half inch or so. Trim the body of the sweater off, also leaving a half inch.
Turn the tube right-side out and stuff with the batting or fill. If you’re using batting, cut it in half lengthwise and roll each section tightly, then stuff the batting rolls in the tube so they meet in the middle.
Insert one of the sleeves into the other so the tube forms a ring, then pin the tube closed.
Using your yarn and yarn needle, stitch the edge of the cuff to the other cuff. You’re halfway done already!
Flip the body section of the sweater inside out. Insert the pillow you’ll be using up against one of the side seams of the sweater, then pin the sweater along the opposide edge of the pillow.
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Remove the pillow and sew along the line you just pinned. You’ll also need to sew the top and bottom of this section closed, while leaving an 8-10″ gap in the center of one of the sides (to insert the pillow through).
Once the edges are sewn, flip the pillow cover right-side out and insert the pillow.
Stitch the opening in the pillow cover closed using the yarn and yarn needle.
Finally, put the ring section around the pillow, and stitch them together along the bottom edge using the yarn and yarn needle. Flip it over and voila, you just made a pet bed! How easy is that??
This pet bed definitely has Katara’s stamp of approval, which is saying a lot because she can tends to be pretty lukewarm about most things. But she loooooves kneading on the outer ring of this bed with her claws. And that’s fine by me, because even if she ends up destroying it, there are plenty more sweaters to choose from at the thrift store! :-)
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