Featured fabric: Blank Quilting Corp. Better Together by Erica Billups

Pattern adapted from: Sew Yeah

Sewn by: Lindsay Conner

Does your dog or cat need a snuggly place to sleep? Sew this DIY pet bed for your best friend! This beginner-friendly sewing project can be a great introduction into three-dimensional sewing. It’s a very forgiving project—since the sides are gathered at the end, you won’t be able to tell if your stitches aren’t perfectly straight. The bed is also eco-friendly, because the inner section is filled with your fabric and batting scraps from other projects. Use a plush fabric like minky or velvet as the bottom layer to make the project super luxe!

Skills Learned: Machine sewing, making a casing

Skill Level: Beginner

Finished Size: 25” x 17” (63.5cm x 43.18cm)

Fabric Requirements:

Top fabric (quilting cotton): 1 yard (.91m)

• 2210-01 White/Multi || Better Together

Bottom fabric (velvet or minky): 1 yard (.91m)
Note: If you are a beginner, you may wish to not use plush fabric but a coordinating 100% cotton fabric instead as this will be easier to work with. 

Ribbon or cording: 2 yards (1.83m), 1/4” (.64cm) to 1/2” (1.27cm) width

Batting and fabric scraps

Poly-Fil stuffing

Equipment needed:

Sewing machine

Iron

Fabric cutting tools (scissors or rotary cutter, ruler, and cutting mat)

Sewing pins

Safety pin

Sew the Bed

1. Cut a 36” x 24” rectangle of both the top and the bottom fabrics. Use a rotary cutter or scissors to gently curve the edges, making a long oval. This doesn’t have to be exact, but you can use a small plate to form the curves.

2. Pin the top and bottom fabrics right sides together. Stitch all around the edge with a ¼” seam allowance, leaving a 7” gap in the middle of one long edge for turning. Backstitch at both ends to secure your stitches.

3. Turn the bed right side out through the opening and press. Leaving the gap open, topstitch a ½” wide border around the perimeter on the top of the bed to make a casing for ribbon.

4. Insert a safety pin in the end of your ribbon or cording. Use the safety pin to carefully guide the ribbon through the ½” ribbon casing until it emerges at the other end. Leave several inches of ribbon loose on both ends.

5. With the bottom of the bed facing you, smooth out the pet bed. Measure 6" from the perimeter on the bottom of the bed and insert sewing pins through both layers of the pet bed. You are pin-marking an oval shape. Stitch along the marked oval, once again leaving a 7” gap for filling. Carefully remove the pins as you go.

6. Cut up scraps of batting and fabric into small bits. These will be used as filler for the middle of the pet bed.

7. Insert the fabric and batting scraps into the center section of the bed only through the gap you left earlier.

8. Once the center section is filled, take the bed to the sewing machine and sew a straight line to close the gap, backstitching at both ends.

9. Next, fill the outer perimeter with Poly-Fil stuffing. Taking small sections of stuffing at a time, insert your hand into to 6”-wide bed border and push the filling as far back as you can.

10. After the bed border is filled with stuffing, fold the raw edges of fabric to the inside and pin the opening closed.

11. Stitch a straight line through the pinned section, backstitching at both ends. Make certain you do not stitch the ribbon into your seam.

12. Gently pull the ribbon or cording at both ends. The sides of the bed will start to turn upward, give the bed its “bowl” shape. Continue to pull the ribbon until you are happy with the shape, and then tie the ends into a double knot.

This bed is machine washable and makes a great gift for pet owners! Need a different size? Simply start with a larger or smaller rectangle of fabric and play with the border size.

We hope you enjoyed this beginner-friendly sewing projects for pet owners! Want more inspiration? Browse the SIY - Sew It Yourself site for many more projects you can sew this weekend!

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To view the complete Blank Quilting Better Together collection by Erica Billups click here.

To find a retailer near you click here.

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Learn more about Lindsay here.