How to Make a Fleece Dog Blanket

Dogs spend a lot of time lounging on the cold, hard ground unless they have a particularly understanding owner who lets them sneak onto the furniture. While dogs can withstand a lot of aches and pains, pet owners can alleviate some of the discomfort that comes from sleeping on the floor by providing their dog with a blanket to snooze on. Manufactured dog beds can be costly and may not come in styles or colors you find pleasing. Making your own means saving money and being able to customize the look of the blanket to suit your desires. Fleece fabric doesn't fray around the edges, meaning you don't need to sew to create a cozy, comfortable dog bed that your pooch will thank you for.

Things You'll Need

Fleece fabric
Scissors
Ruler
Tailor's chalk

Instructions

- 1
  Wash and dry your fleece in the same manner you'll launder the finished blanket. This evens out the threads of the fabric and smooths out most inconsistencies. If your chosen fleece is prone to shrinking, washing and drying beforehand pre-shrinks the fabric.
- 2
  Lay your fabric on a flat work surface in a well-lit area. Tug the ends of the fabric to make sure it lays even. Smooth out any wrinkles.
- 3
  Cut two pieces of fleece to your desired size. Cut the fleece to approximately 30 inches square for small to medium dogs. Cut the fleece to approximately 40 inches square for medium to large dogs.
- 4
  Layer both squares, placing one on top of the other.
- 5
  Measure around the edges of the fleece squares. Create a mark using tailor's chalk on the top fleece at each one inch interval around the square.
- 6
  Cut each mark to a depth of five inches, cutting through both layers of fleece. This creates one-inch wide strips around the perimeter of the squares.
- 7
  Knot the strips together. Knot one strip from the top square with one strip of the bottom square.
- 8
  Continue knotting each pair of strips until you have secured both squares of fleece together.