This one will be a dog bed but yours can be for anything! It’s a simple pillow pattern you can make yourself using leftover fabric or old clothing as the fabric. Because it’s made with leftover fabric, the possibilities are endless for design and style! Click below to view the video. A brief synopsis is under the video window.
Note: Always consider the size of your pet if this is intended as a pet bed. Mine ended up being a little small so my dog rarely used it. If I had used two pairs of jeans, or pieced more together from this one pair, or maybe even used an old t-shirt for one side of the pillow, I could have made it a larger for him.
To make this pillow, I used an old pair of jeans. I cut them into flat pieces and measured them to see what I had to work with. Using paper with a grid on it (purchase at an office supply store), I measured out a rectangle that would fit over my fabric. I factored in an extra 1/2″ for the seams. After creating my paper pattern, I placed the fabric down, laying it as flat as possible. I laid the pattern on top and pinned it to the fabric. I placed the fabric with the right sides facing each other and pin three sides together. I carefully cut the pattern out.
After I sew three sides, I remove the pins and trim the corners. I flipped the pillow right side out and add stuffing or a pillow form. For a dog bed, you can also add cedar chips. Once you fill it to your liking, fold the open edge in and pin. Machine or hand stitch the edge. Then I stitched over the pillow every few inches, to hold the stuffing in place. Using a thick embroidery thread, doubled, I secured it with a double knot. You can also tie a button on there for decoration. This is also known in upholstery terms as “tufting.”
That’s it, now enjoy your new pillow!
Here’s the video tutorial to walk you through the process:
