I was pleasantly surprised how easy this dog bed with sides was to make. Made with a double layered rectangle of fleece fabric, there aren’t any extra pieces to keep track of. And it can be customized to the size of your dog. This was truly one of the easiest projects I have ever sewn and I am so happy with how it looks. Here is how you can make your own dog bed with sides.
Check out these 5 Cheap N Easy Dog Beds – DIYs with Plans
Materials:
- Fleece Fabric – (Mine is 2 layers measuring 38 inches by 27 inches.)
- Pillow Stuffing (I used 2 full 20oz bags if Polyfil)
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Sewing Machine with Thread
- Tailor’s Chalk
- Sewing Needle and Thread
- Embroidery Floss
- Long Upholstery Needle
- Small Bowl
To learn How to Make a Dog Bed Without Sewing, click here.
Instructions:
- Fold your fabric right side to right side creating a double layer.
- Cut your fabric to the dimensions you need for your dog. I cut mine 38 inches by 27 inches to accommodate a small to medium sized dog.
- Fold your 2 layer rectangle in half. Lay it on a flat surface and match up the corners.
- Line up your bowl with the corner of your fabric an trace the edge of the bowl using the tailor’s chalk. Repeat this for the other outer corner. Remember do not cut on the fold or you will have a half circle cut out of the middle of your fabric.
- Cut along the curved lines you created with the chalk to round the corners of the fabric.
- Starting on one of the long sides, sew the perimeter of the fabric on your sewing machine using a straight stitch. Leave an opening about 7-8 inches long in the middle of one side. Be sure to backstitch when starting and stopping as your arm will be going in and out of this opening to stuff the bed. You don’t want your thread becoming loose or unstitched.
- Through the opening, reach your hand in, grab the corners and turn your dog bed right side out. Straighten out all of the edges, taking extra care to make sure your seams are all visible and not tucked in.
- Lay your dog bed on a flat surface. Using your ruler and tailor’s chalk, mark a border 5 inches in from all edges, creating a rectangle within your rectangle dog bed.
- On your sewing machine and using a straight stitch, sew the inner rectangle, leaving an opening to match the opening in the outer edge.
- Once you are finished sewing, stuff the outer ring of the dog bed with fluff leaving the area near the opening unstuffed.
- Now stuff the inner rectangle. Remember your dog will be laying on this so you want it to be thick enough to be comfortable when it is compressed down.
- When you are finished stuffing the inner rectangle, take the bed to the sewing machine and sew the opening to the inner rectangle closed.
- Stuff the outer ring as much as you can with the outer opening still open. Thread your needle using your all purpose thread and small needle. Start sewing the opening closed. When you have a couple inches closed, add more stuffing. Repeat this until the hole is closed and the ring is full.
Looking for a Dog Bed Cover Pattern? Click here to learn more.
Quilting the Bottom:
- For this I use a really long upholstery needle and embroidery thread (You don’t want to lose your needle in the middle fluff!).
- Thread your needle with a long piece of embroidery thread. Pick whatever color matches your project. I picked black to match my dog bed.
- Tie the end of the thread. I use double thread to make it strong. You will be tying these knots really tight.
- Starting on the top of your dog bed, drive the needle down through both layers of fabric and the stuffing, coming out of the bottom of the bed. Drive the needle and thread back up through the fabric and stuffing (about 1/8 inch away from your original needle hole), with the needle coming out of the top of the bed. Pull both ends of your thread tight and tie it. You want it tight enough that it leaves an indent in the stuffing. I make 3 or 4 knots to make sure it isn’t coming untied. Snip your thread. Repeat this every 3 or so across the bottom of the dog bed.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.