Any sewers know how to sew the cover for a dog bed?

[apmommy]

I found the foam, but I just need someone to sew the fabric that surrounds the foam. Does anyone know how to do this and what it would cost?

[cklewis]

well, there's lots of ways to start. . . . how do you want it to look? pick a pic here: http://www.orvis.com/intro.asp?dir_id=1633&Group_ID=1634&subject=849

i made a bolster bed for my previous dog and a donut bed for this one. . . . it's not hard, and they aren't picky. :grin

the big thing is that it's washable. . ..

c

[apmommy]

well, there's lots of ways to start. . . . how do you want it to look? pick a pic here: http://www.orvis.com/intro.asp?dir_id=1633&Group_ID=1634&subject=849

i made a bolster bed for my previous dog and a donut bed for this one. . . . it's not hard, and they aren't picky. :grin

the big thing is that it's washable. . ..

c


Thank you for responding. Yeah, she doesn't care what it looks like. I'm thinking I'll buy the memory foam and then just use safety pins or a sheet around it. For her size, the beds cost over $200. :hissyfit But she really needs it for her legs and I think it would be too much for me to learn how to sew while taking care of a toddler. :grin

[Lilliputian]

I made a cover for a dog bed by essentially stuffing foam in a tied fleece blanket. I didn't have to sew it at all. It isn't easily removable to be washed, but my dog was always eating the zippers out of dog beds, so I decided this was better than the alternative. We've spent hundreds of dollars on dog beds, and he's promptly ruined all the others. Even when the zipper is hidden, he finds them and eats them out, and then the whole thing is ruined. This one cost me about $40, and it's indestructible.

[apmommy]

Thank you for the advice. Where can I find the tied fleece blankets. That might look a little better than a sheet. :)

[IslandMama]

Thank you for the advice. Where can I find the tied fleece blankets. That might look a little better than a sheet. :)


You can buy fleece at Walmart, or any fabric store, then cut it how you want it.... Just measure the cushion, cut out a piece of fabric (if it's a rectangular shape, you can just cut out one piece) to fit, allow extra for the height. Then cut the edges similar to the edges of a fleece scarf (maybe wider). Put cushion between fabric, start tyeing the edges... The edges of fleece don't have to be hemmed or sewn. Does that make any sense??? Hope so... :tu

[apmommy]

Does that make any sense??? Hope so... :tu


If I said 'no' would you laugh? I think I must have been asleep when sewing lessons were being taught. LOL

[IslandMama]

Were you originally looking for someone to sew a cover for you? If you have a pic I can do it! :tu I sew my dogs beds and could do this for you. You can buy your own fabric or I can get it for you. PM me if you're interested, and we can talk prices... I'd have to see and get measurements of the bed first. :-)

[apmommy]

I'm going to PM you.

[Lilliputian]

Thank you for the advice. Where can I find the tied fleece blankets. That might look a little better than a sheet. :)


Say your foam is 36" X 18" X 3". You'd cut 2 rectangles in the foam, each about 42" X 23". Then you'd cut strips all around the edge of each rectangle. The strips would each be about 1.5-2" wide and about 2.5" long. (The width of the foam is 36", plus you need to add half of the thickness of the foam twice, so that's another 3", so you have an extra 3" maximum to allow for the strips, with my demensions. You can change the demensions however you wish.) I wouldn't measure each one, but I would measure the first one and then one every once in a while to make sure that you're not going too far off.

When all the strips are cut, lay one piece of fleece down, top it with the foam, and then put the other piece of fleece on top of that. Start tying the strips on the bottom of the fleece to the strips on the top piece of fleece. I used double knots on my dog bed. You may find that your top and bottom pieces of fleece don't have the exact same number of strips if you weren't really careful cutting them, but that's fine. If you have an extra strip on the bottom, just tie 2 bottom strips to 1 top strip.

Does that make sense?