Sewing a Dog Bed in the Shape of a Bone

Your pet is part of your family and deserves a plush place to rest. Dog beds in specialty or pet stores, however, are expensive. A fashionable bone-shaped dog bed can be made for a fraction of the cost.

Things You'll Need

  • Fabric
  • Needle
  • Thread
  • Sewing Machine
  • Polyfill
  • Newspaper
  • Scissors
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Instructions

  1. Make a Bone-Shaped Dog Bed

    • 1

      Choose a fabric. A great choice for a bone-shaped bed is something beige and fluffy like sherpa, but you may also consider coordinating the fabric with your existing decor. Alternatively, you can choose a sherpa and a cooler-feeling printed cotton creating a warm side for winter lounging and a cooler side for summer snoozes. Purchase 2 yards of the chosen fabric or 1 yard of each if using two fabrics.

    • 2

      Use newspaper to create a bone pattern. A bed can be designed as big or as small as needed; for an average mid-sized dog bed, cut the pattern 2 7/8 feet wide by 18 inches tall. The odd width allows for cutting the curvature when transferring the pattern to the fabric.

    • 3

      Divide the fabric into two separate one yard sections. Place the pieces of fabric together, right sides facing, and use straight pins to hold them in place. Pin the newspaper pattern to the fabric.

    • 4

      Follow the newspaper pattern to cut two mirror-image bone shapes from the materials, remove the paper, and leave the now bone-shaped fabric pinned together as is.

    • 5

      Sew the two pieces of fabric together by machine or by handstitch beginning at a one curved end leaving a half-inch-to-one-inch seam allowance. Continue sewing around the perimeter of the bone, leaving a 6-inch opening along one of the straight sides of the bone. Remove the straight pins.

    • 6

      Flip the fabric by reaching inside through the hole. Reach to each of the furthest points of the bone, and pull the fabric back through the hole that was left open when sewing. Continue pulling the material through until both right sides are entirely exposed.

    • 7

      Iron the casing. This step is needed to flatten the seams. Flatter seams will reveal a more distinct bone shape.

    • 8

      Stuff the casing with polyfill. It is best to overstuff the pillow, as the dog pillow will lose thickness with repeated use.

    • 9

      Fold the edges of the remaining opening under to match the seam allowance that you chose in Step 5, and handstich the opening closed.