Dog Bed Sewing Tutorial with Gowri Paary

I'm very happy to share this sewing tutorial for a lovely dog bed from Gowri Paary, who is an incredibly talented sewist in Aotearoa, New Zealand. You can follow Gowri's work on Instagram @bypaary

Gowri used a fabric print from my Plant Peeps collection with Cloud9 Fabrics for the cover and I love how it turned out! You can find the stores that carry the fabric collection via the Cloud9 Fabrics website here (hints: use "Plant Peeps" for the collection filter on the left and view on desktop rather than mobile).

I'll let Gowri take it away from here – thank you Gowri!

For this dog bed tutorial, there are two parts.
The first part is to make the bed itself. This is a great way to use up all the scraps you’ve been saving from all your previous scraps. The second part is to make the cover.

Materials:
3m calico
3m
Large 64 inch coordinating zipper

For the dog bed, I used a thick calico. It is relatively cheap and sturdy. You could use any fabric you wish.

For the cover, I used a canvas fabric (Meenal Patel’s Plant Peeps collection from Cloud 9 Fabrics).

For the dog bed, draw out two 39 inch diameter circles and cut it out.
 

For the cover, draw out two 40 inch diameter circles and cut it out.

Method: 

  1. With a ⅜ inch seam allowance, sew right sides of calico together, leaving a 5 - 8 inch gap for stuffing. Don’t forget to backstitch at the beginning and end. This ensures the stitches don’t come off while stuffing. 

  2. Carefully turn it inside out. 

  3. Stuff it with all your fabric scraps. Do not stuff it until it is too full. Leave some space and softness for your pooch to lie on. 



  4. Carefully sew up the gap either from the outside or by slip stitching. This cushion will be hidden inside the covers so don’t worry about it being untidy. 



  5. Cut out a strip of outer fabric with a measurement of 120 inches by 4 inches.

  6. Cut out two smaller rectangles from outer fabric of 64 inches by 2 inches. 



  7. Sew the zipper using your zipper instructions and a zipper foot with each of the 64  inches by 4 inches rectangles.



  8. Cut out two 50 inches by 3.5 inches rectangles. Sew these right sizes together at the end of the zippers. These work as the stoppers for the zipper. Then press them down carefully and topstitch them. 




  9. Sew the wider 120 inches by 4 inches rectangle on both sides of the topstitched zipper. You will now have a long strip with the zipper in the middle.

  10. Open the zipper slightly. This will make it easier for you to turn it inside out in step 12.

  11. Sew the strip right sides together to each circle. Overlock or zigzag stitch all along the seam allowance to neaten.

  12. Open the zipper and turn the cover inside out.
  13. Now insert your dog bed into the cover and you’re DONE!



  14. Place dog on the bed and let them enjoy your creation.


    Model credit: Kanmani the Labradoodle

 

 

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