# Do-It-Yourself Pet Beds
If you don’t want your own bed full of pet hair but hate the idea of making your pet lie on the cold ground, you should make or buy her a pet bed. Pet beds give your pet a comfy place to nap and sleep, while giving you the extra room and space you need on your own bed. The exact dimension of your pet bed will depend upon the overall size of your pet. Although you can use a standard pillow for smaller pets, larger pets may need sheets of foam such as mattress pads for the padding.
Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Foam piece
- Scissors
- Heavy fabric
- Pins
- Hook and loop pieces
- Iron
Instructions
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1
Measure the length and width of your pet while he lies down; this will help you determine how large of a pet bed your pet will need. Smaller dogs will be fine with a standard-sized pillow bed, however, larger dogs will need a bigger area to lie down. Add at least 2 inches to the length and width to your measurements to make it more comfortable and allow your pet to curl up with enough room.
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2
Cut a piece of foam to the appropriate size for your pet bed.
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3
Place the fabric on a cutting surface and wrap the fabric around the foam, leaving a 2-inch seam allowance around the entire fabric. Cut to the appropriate size.
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4
Pin the edges of the fabric under to create a hem.
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5
Sew the edges closed with a sewing machine.
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6
Wrap the fabric around the foam piece inside out, and pin the fabric in place.
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7
Remove the foam, and sew the bottom and side edge closed with the sewing machine. Leave the top edge open.
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8
Turn the fabric right side out, and attach some iron-on hook and loop pads to the inside seams. Follow the manufacture’s instructions for how to apply the pads with the iron.
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9
Allow the ironed-on pads to sufficiently cool, and replace the foam piece inside the cover to complete the bed.
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