Make A Comfy Dog Bed From Old T-Shirts

There are many ways to create a comfortable bed for your dog without spending a fortune. One way is to make a dog bed from an old T-shirt. This can be done with minimal tools and materials, and you can even make it without sewing. All you need is a T-shirt, scissors, and optionally, a pillow. The process involves cutting the T-shirt into a diamond shape, folding and cutting tassels, and then knotting the tassels together to form a bag for the pillow. With a few simple steps, you can create a cosy bed for your furry friend.

Measure your dog

To make a dog bed out of a T-shirt, you'll first need to measure your dog. This will help you determine the size of the bed and ensure it's comfortable and spacious enough for your furry friend. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to measure your dog accurately:

• Neck to Tail: Using a flexible tape measure, start by measuring the distance from your dog's neck to the base of their tail. This measurement will give you an idea of the ideal length of the bed. Make sure to take the measurement along your dog's back, following the natural curve of their spine.
• Width of the Dog: Next, you'll want to measure the width of your dog's body. Place the tape measure around the widest part of their chest or rib cage. This measurement will help determine the width and overall size of the bed, ensuring your dog has enough room to stretch and turn comfortably.
• Shoulder to Elbow: To get an idea of the sleeve length or the height of the bed's sides, measure from your dog's shoulder to their elbow. This measurement will be especially important if you plan to create a snug-fitting bed with sides that come up along your dog's body.
• Neck to Mid-Stomach: Measure the distance from your dog's neck to the middle of their stomach. This vertical measurement will be useful when determining the height of the bed's sides or any additional features like an attached blanket or cover.
• Dog's Weight: While this isn't a direct measurement, knowing your dog's weight can be helpful. A larger, heavier dog may require a more robust bed with extra cushioning, while a smaller dog might prefer a cozier, enclosed space.
• Dog's Sleeping Position: Observe your dog's preferred sleeping position. Do they like to stretch out fully, curl up into a ball, or lean against something? This will help you decide on the shape and design of the bed, such as whether to add bolsters or raised edges for them to rest their head on.

By taking these measurements and considering your dog's unique characteristics, you'll be able to create a comfortable and well-fitting T-shirt bed that they'll love curling up in. Remember to allow for some extra fabric or margin when cutting and assembling the T-shirt to ensure a cozy yet breathable sleeping space.

Cut the sleeves

To make a dog bed out of a T-shirt, you will need to cut the sleeves off the shirt. This is the first step in transforming the shirt into a diamond shape. Keep in mind that the size of the T-shirt you choose will depend on the size of your dog. For a larger dog, opt for an XL or XXL shirt.

When cutting the sleeves, ensure you have the necessary tools, such as scissors or a fabric cutter, and a flat surface to work on. Lay the T-shirt out flat, and carefully cut along the sleeve seams, or use the plate method as described in the next paragraph, to detach the sleeves from the shirt. Be cautious and precise to avoid accidentally cutting any other parts of the shirt.

Another method to cut the sleeves is to use a plate as a guide. Place the plate over half of one of the sleeves, starting from the bottom of the sleeve, and cut along the edge of the plate. Then, fold the shirt over and cut the other sleeve using the first cut as a template, ensuring both sleeves are cut evenly.

If you are creating a dog shirt, the sleeve cutting process is slightly different. First, you need to measure your dog's shoulder to elbow length to determine the sleeve length. Mark the desired length on the sleeves, taking into account the length of your dog's forelegs. Then, cut the sleeves accordingly, allowing for some extra fabric for a hem if needed.

Cut and fold the shirt

To make a dog bed out of a T-shirt, you will need an XL or XXL T-shirt and a pillow, in addition to scissors. You may also need a tape measure, fabric glue, a Sharpie for marking cuts, and a needle and thread.

Firstly, cut the sleeves off the shirt. Then, turn the shirt into a diamond shape, keeping a portion of the sides intact and cutting off the collar and waist hem. Fold the shirt in half, bringing the top down to the bottom. The top corners of the triangle should be where the collar and waist hem were, and the bottom of the triangle should be the neckline and waistline. Cut tassels into the shirt, with each tassel about 10cm long and 1cm wide.

Knot the tassels

Once you've made all the cuts and have your tassel lengths ready, it's time to knot them together. This is a crucial step in creating the dog bed, as it will give structure and shape to the bed, forming it into a bag that you can stuff the pillow into.

To begin, take two tassels that are opposite each other and tie them together with a simple overhand knot. Repeat this process, working your way around the bed, until you have about ten tassels left to knot. At this point, you'll want to pause and move on to the next step of stuffing the pillow.

After you've stuffed the pillow, you can return to knotting the remaining tassels. This will help enclose the pillow within the bed and ensure it stays securely inside. Once all the tassels are knotted, you can tighten them and even consider knotting them again for added security and to adjust the bed's shape to your liking.

The "knot the tassels" step is a fun and creative part of the process, as it allows you to see the dog bed taking form. It's a simple technique that doesn't require any special skills, and it's a quick way to upcycle an old t-shirt into something useful and comfortable for your furry friend.

Stuff the pillow

Now it is time to stuff the pillow. You will need a polyester pillow for this. Take the pillow and cut it open with your scissors. Make sure you cut carefully and not too deep, as you don't want to cut through the other side. Once you have made a large enough opening, start pulling out the polyester filling. You can do this with your hands or a spoon. It is important to note that you should do this over a bin or a large sheet, as the filling can be messy and you don't want it to go everywhere.

Once you have a good amount of filling, start stuffing it into the "to-be-pillow". You can use your hands or a spoon to push the filling into the corners and edges of the pillow. Make sure to get into all the nooks and crannies, so the pillow is evenly stuffed. You can also use a pencil or a thin stick to help poke the filling into place. Keep adding filling until the pillow is plump and comfortable. You don't want it to be too stuffed, as this will make it hard and lumpy, but you also don't want it to be too flat, as this will make it uncomfortable for your dog to sleep on.

Once you are happy with the amount of filling, you can stop adding the polyester. Now, you will need to close up the opening. If your pillow has a zipper, you can simply zip it closed. If not, you can carefully stitch it closed with a needle and thread. If you don't want to sew, you can also use fabric glue or a hot glue gun to seal the opening. Make sure the glue is non-toxic and pet-safe, as your dog is likely to chew on the pillow at some point!

Now that your pillow is stuffed and closed, give it a fluff and a shake to even out the filling. You can also use your hands to gently shape and mould the pillow, getting rid of any lumps and bumps. Once you are happy with the shape and feel of the pillow, it is ready to be placed in the dog bed.

Frequently asked questions