Even with a well-trained, 5-year-old pooch, I spend over $100 a year purchasing new, comfy beds. Zippers break, fluff gets un-fluffed, and sometimes dogs and cats just need to tear something apart. My dog’s most recent bed has a broken zipper and missing stuffing. But this time, I was determined to find a more wallet-friendly option. So here’s my DIY no-sew pet bed tutorial. This pet bed is machine washable and so easy to make, even the most artistically challenged pet owner can do it. And, the total cost of the pet bed was less than $20.
What You Need:
Fleece fabric (or another fabric of your choice; I chose a dark fleece fabric that matches my dog’s grey fur to disguise hair and mud)
Scissors
Stuffing from an old dog bed, old towels, unused t-shirts or filling
Instructions:
Find out how big the bed needs to be. You can measure an old pet bed to find out how much fabric you need, or you can eyeball it. (One yard of fabric for the top piece and one yard of fabric for the bottom was perfect for my 100-pound mastiff to curl up on.)
Decide what shape you want the pet bed to be: square, oval, rectangle or round. (I chose to work with the rectangle shape of my fabric since cutting in a straight line isn’t a talent of mine.)
You'll need two big pieces of fabric; cut both pieces of fabric into the shape and size you need. Leave plenty of room for a hem on the outside—you’ll use this area to create strips.
Lay the two pieces of fabric on top of each other.
Cut strips around the entirety of the fabric (slicing both layers). Be consistent with the thickness and length of your strips. I measured 1.5 inches thick and 3.5 inches long on mine. If you go too wide on the strips, it'll be more difficult to double knot.
Take one strip from the top layer and double knot it with the corresponding strip on the bottom layer. Repeat all around the bed, but remember to leave an opening to insert the stuffing.
Stuff the bed and tie the rest of the knots! (I used two 16 oz. packs of polyester fiber fill.)
It’s really that easy! To wash, all you have to do is untie a few knots and remove the stuffing. As always, keep an eye on your pet if he becomes destructive with the bed. The knots can be chewed off and swallowed.
Rebekah Olsen
Rebekah Olsen is a professional writer and wordsmith. She has a Master’s Degree in English from the University of Memphis, and enjoys writing about pet care. You can learn more about her at www.rebekaholsen.com.