Scrapbusters No. 11: Charity Dog Beds

Charity dog bed about 3/4ths full.

I will save any fabric scrap that is larger than 1.5 inches square for sewing.   That’s pretty darn small, but there are always smaller pieces.  I used to throw those out and it would kill me to waste them.  Then, I heard about using them to stuff charity dog beds.  No waste and you’re doing a good thing for the doggies!

You start with a pillow case (store bought or hand made, your choice).  It does not have to be fancy, but you do want to make it close to the size of a standard pillow case so it fits in a kennel.  A standard pillow case measures 21 by 32 inches. Have some ugly fabric hanging around the house?  Use that.  An old sheet that ripped? That'll work, too.

Toss in all those scraps that are too small to use.

I use safety pins to hang the pillow case from the end of my ironing board.  Whenever I get a scrap that is too small to be saved, I toss it in the pillow case. Batting scraps work, too.  You’ll be amazed at how fast it will fill up! 

Here's the bed hanging from the end of my ironing board (and if you are thinking that my ironing board is too messy to actually iron on, you're correct).

Caution!  Do not throw thread into the pillow case.  Thread can be harmful if swallowed by a dog.  Make sure you’re just throwing in scraps of fabric or batting.

Once the pillow case is full, sew the open end closed.  Call around to your local animal rescues to see who needs a donation of kennel beds.  Most will be happy to take them.

I made this bed out of a really large orphan block.  Both beagles enjoy it, but neither would pose for me this morning.  Such divas.