DIY adjustable pet bed
We’re expecting a fuzzy bundle of puppy love later this month, so of course we’ve all been excitedly preparing for her arrival.
The kids and I decided to make a pet bed rather than buy one. We wanted an adjustable bed that would grow as our pup grows, so we decided on a simple little pattern that turned out really well. All you need is a sewing machine, a bit of stuffing or batting and two meters of cozy fleece fabric, like this gorgeous pink and white buffalo check from Atlantic Fabrics.
Start by folding the fleece in half on the floor, right sides together. You want to cut through both layers to make two huge circles. I put a round platter in the center and used it as a guide so I could draw a much larger circle (about 95 centimeters in diameter) with a washable marker.
The kids love pinning, so they got to work pinning both circles together around the edges. Then it was time to start sewing!
First up was a quick seam all the way around the edges to join the circles together, right sides touching. I left a gap so I could turn it right-side out, and then I had what looked like a circle-shaped pillowcase.
The next step was sewing my two inner circles to create a nice padded bottom and squishy padded sides. Using a fade-away fabric marker, I drew another circle about 5cm inside the original circle — forming a pocket that would hold a cord — and another circle 25cm inside — forming the bottom of the bed.
The main thing to remember is not to seal up those circles entirely! Leave a gap in each circle, all lined up, so you can still reach your hand through all of the sections.
Once the circles were sewn, I stuffed a bit of batting inside the inner circle (hmmm, this sounds like some kind of weird social hierarchy) and then sewed that circle closed. I also sewed a few lines across it, almost like pizza slices, to keep the batting in place.
Then it was time to stuff the sides of the bed. More stuffing, all the way around the circle, and then I sewed that circle shut.
The final step was adding the pull-cord so the bed could be ruched together. I already had the pocket — made when I sewed 5cm away from the edge of the bed — so I just used a safety pin to string a long string of fleece inside. Done!
If I pull the strings a bit, the sides of the bed tuck in and make a cozy little nest.
If I pull even tighter, the bed gets smaller with higher sides — perfect for little puppies who want to feel secure.
I can also leave the bed completely flat, like a cushioned mat, which would be a good fit for large pets.
When I have it exactly how I want it, I just tie the ends of the fleece string into a little bow.
This pet bed is really easy to make and it will fit nicely inside a kennel, on a backseat or on a couch to protect it from pet hair. It’s also very popular with my four-year-old and six-year-old, so it looks like I might be making two more …
Don’t forget to pin this project so it helps out another dog-owner or cat-owner!
2 Comments on “DIY adjustable pet bed”
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Heather's Handmade Life 
Genius! Thank you for sharing this idea!
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about the cutest, freshest idea for a pet bed, must be a little girl puppy!
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