How to Make a Kitty Bed

Alternately imperious, playful, demanding and comical, domesticated felines have held a special spot in human hearts and homes for centuries. Whether alley cat or purebred, every cat loves comfort and warmth, usually finding both on someone's bed pillow or draped over the back of a sofa. Sewing a snug, soft kitty bed covered with fleece, knit or jersey fabric is as easy as stitching together two fabric pieces. The bed can be oval, round, rectangular or square and is adaptable for a kitten or adult cat. Polyester stuffing or foam pillow inserts are available at craft and fabric stores.

Things You'll Need

  • 2 yards fleece, knit or soft cotton fabric
  • Pillow form or polyester filling
  • Sewing pins
  • Measuring tape
  • Ruler
  • Washable fabric marker or tailor's chalk
  • Sharp scissors or rotary fabric cutter
  • Sewing machine
  • Iron
  • Hand sewing needle
  • Invisible or matching thread
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Instructions

    • 1

      Wash, dry and iron the fabric before beginning the project. Cut off the selvage edge of the fabric yardage. Fold the fabric in half across the width, right sides facing and matching raw edges. Pin the layers together at intervals along the edges, to keep the fabric from slipping.

    • 2

      Measure the circumference of a pillow insert around the width and length, total the measurement and add 2 inches for seam allowances. If using polyester fill, estimate a comfortable bed size for the cat and add 2 inches to the total needed fabric measurement -- taking into consideration whether the bed will be square or oval.

    • 3

      Draw an oval or circular shape using a fabric marker or tailor's chalk on the folded fabric, following predetermined measurements. Secure the layers together with spaced pins along the inside of the outline, and cut it out along the line using scissors or a rotary fabric cutter.

    • 4

      Draw a line across the folded fabric on the wrong side, using a ruler as a guide for a square pet bed. Cut along the line, using scissors or a fabric cutter and the ruler.

    • 5

      Stitch the fabric pieces together, right sides facing, about 1/2 inch in from the raw edges. Leave a 3- to 4-inch gap for stuffing with polyester fill, or a larger gap if using a pillow insert.

    • 6

      Flip the fabric right-side out through the gap, and iron the seams flat. Set the iron to the proper heat according to the fabric being used. Insert the pillow form into the bed cover, and hand sew the gap closed using a blind stitch. Fill the bed cover generously, if using polyester fill, and hand-sew the gap closed.