How to Sew a Bird Seed Guard

There are nearly 4.5 million households that own birds as pets in the United States according to the 2007 U.S. Pet Ownership &Demographics Sourcebook. Birds can be cheerful companions filling a home with beauty and music. They are typically lower maintenance than dogs since they do not need to be walked; however, the seed hulls that birds tend to throw out of their cages when they are eating can make quite a mess underneath the cage. This mess can litter furniture tops or the floor underneath the cage unless you put a bird seed guard around the base of the cage to catch the seed hulls and other droppings.

Things You'll Need

  • Measuring tape
  • Scissors
  • Fabric
  • Thread
  • Elastic
  • Needle
  • Sewing machine
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Instructions

    • 1

      Measure the perimeter of the bird cage base-the shape of the bird cage will not matter for this simple bird seed guard design. The perimeter will be the distance completely around the bird cage base.

    • 2

      Print the Bird Seed Guard Measurement Sheet. Write your measurement in the blanks to calculate the lengths of material and elastic that you will need. Use the guidelines on the sheet to determine the width (height) of your bird seed guard and the fullness or "scrunchiness" that you desire for your bird seed guard.

    • 3

      Cut the two pieces of elastic according to the calculations. Cut out the rectangular piece of fabric that you will need according to calculations.

    • 4

      Fold, press, and pin a seam of 1/4 inch around the entire rectangular piece of fabric for your bird seed guard. Sew a seam around the fabric either by hand using a straight stitch or using any basic stitch you would like on a sewing machine, even zigzag is fine.

    • 5

      Pin one length of elastic across the top of the bird seed guard rectangular piece of fabric on the wrong side of the material (the side that will be facing the inside of the bird cage) about 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the top edge. Pin the other length of elastic across the bottom of the bird seed guard about 1 inch from the bottom edge. You will need to stretch the elastic as you pin it-it is easiest to pin the elastic down on both ends of the length of fabric, then place a directly in the center of the material. Then stretch and continue to pin the entire piece of elastic placing a pin every 1/4 to 1/2 inch.

    • 6

      Sew across each length of elastic. Fold the bird seed guard fabric in half lengthwise, pin the open ends together. Sew a straight line down the pinned side 1/4 to 1/2 inch in. Remove pins, turn right side out, and slide onto the bird cage base up so that it covers the bars of the bird cage; one elastic band should be on the bars and the other elastic band should be on the base.