14 Days of LillyBelle... Day 8. Doggie Bed.

14 Days of LillyBelle... Day 8. Doggie Bed.

This is Izzy. On her new bed. We had to bribe her with lots of cookies to sit still. Also, I photoshopped out her drool off the dog bed...

Several weeks ago I went to great lengths getting foam for dog beds at the local big box sewing store. Let's suffice to say, thanks to a coupon ta do, I made two stops back there for the same item only to have a coupon argument at the cutting table when I finally did get the foam. Sheesh.

But I digress... for weeks now, I've had two ugly pieces of foam sitting around, and I hadn't gotten around to sewing covers for them. Lucky me. I commited to sewing with LillyBelle every day for 14 days... so now I had an excuse. I HAD to make the dog beds. And at least I did get one done today. I did this one with the zipper in the side... It's hidden under fabric flaps, and this is my favorite way of doing zipper on pillows of any sort.

How to make your own doggie bed...

Supplies:

1 yard of 5" x 24 1/2" foam

1 1/2 yards of main fabric

3/4 yard of contrast fabric

24" upholstery zipper

2 yards fusible fleece (optional)

 

Cutting:

Main fabric, fusible fleece  – 2 each- 37" x 25 1/2" pieces

Contrast fabric, fusible fleece – 2 each - 3 1/2" x 37" pieces, 1 each - 6" x 37" piece, 2 each - 6" x 25 1/2" pieces

 

Step by Step:

Install zipper in the side:

1. Place the two 3 1/2" x 37" pieces right sides together. 

2. Using a 1/2" seam allowance, BASTE the two pieces together along a long raw edge.

3. Press the seam open and place your zipper on top of the wrong side of the seam, right side of zipper down, centered on top of the seam.

4. Pin the zipper in place alternating the direction from which you put the pin in (see above).

5. From the right side of the basted panel, and with your zipper foot on, top stitch along the side of the seam about 1/4" away from the zipper. The trick here is to feel with your fingers as you sew down next to the seam, and reach under the fabric pulling pins out of the way as you go.

Zipper tip: you'll want to pull the zipper pull open as you start so it's away from the presser foot, then when you get to it, put the presser foot in the up position and wiggle the pull up again past it.

6. Sew back up the other side of the seam, again keeping 1/4" away from the zipper.

7. Use a seam ripper to open the basted seam exposing your zipper.

Note: if you have cut your zipper to length, you'll want to do a tight zig zag stitch in place to work as a tab at the bottom of the zipper so that you can't open the zipper past it (see below).

Sew the contrast fabric sides to the main fabric panels:

Note: For all of the seams, start and stop at the 1/2" point. You might want to mark 1/2" from the ends on all of the pieces.

1. Place the zipper panel on top of one of the large panels (main fabric) along a long side, right sides together. Using a 1/2" seam allowance, and starting/stopping 1/2" inch from each end, sew the two pieces together.

2. Sew the other three contrast pieces of fabric on in the same manner.

4. Repeat for the other side of the dog bed.

5. Starting and stopping at the 1/2" points, and using a 1/2" seam allowance, sew the four corners together... NOTE: Before you sew the last corner, open the zipper so you can  turn through it.

6. Serge or zig zag stitch all seams, turn and press.

7. Slip on the piece of foam (read: wrangle onto the piece of foam)

8. Force your dog to pose on her new bed for a photo.

9. Post to Facebook and tell all your friends you made a dog bed all by yourself.

 

Comments

[Elizabeth]

1.

Adorable.

[Christine]

2.

I wish I had this tutorial a few months ago when I needed to make a cushion (for a bench, though, not a dog bed). Your way is better than what I came up with.

[Maia]

3.

So cute--both the bed and your dog! I might make one of these (in a much smaller size) for my shih tzu, it looks super comfy.

[Kathleen]

4.

If you put a sheet or other type of fabric over the inner foam, it is much easier to put the outer cover on.

[katie]

5.

Another way to get the cover on easily is to put an old dry clean bag over it and turn the cover inside out. start at end and "unpeal" it over the plastic and cushion . when totally cover Zip and enjoy. bonus keeps cushion clean too.

[Deanna Jones]

6.

Where did you buy your foam? I'm having trouble finding foam big/thick enough to support my 160# English Mastiff that isn't crazy expensive.

[Bari Ackerman]

7.

Deanna, I got it at Joann's

[AO]

8.

I have a mastiff and to keep him from sinking through his foam bed to the floor, I bought a couple convoluted foam mattress pads and folded them to fit. He LOVES his bed and he doesn't get pressure point from falling through to the floor.