How to Make a Dog Bed with Pillows

Turn your old bed pillows into a special bed for your favorite pooch.
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It is time to replace your old bed pillows with a fresh new set, but don’t toss them in the trash. With a just a few easy steps and a little bit of fleece material, you can transform those old pillows into a comfy new dog bed and save a lot of money. The good news is that no sewing skills are required, and washing the bed is easy too.

Measure your dog, from front leg to back leg, when he is lying down with his legs extended. Place a row of pillows, long sides together, down on the floor until you have enough pillows for your dog’s measurement. Small dogs may only need one pillow, while larger dogs may need three or more.

Measure the width of your pillows to determine the width of the bed. Add 5 inches to the width measurement as well as the total length measurement of all the pillows in the row. Cut out two pieces of fleece to these measurements.

Lay one piece of fleece on top of the other. Beginning at the top left corner, cut a fringe into the material, measuring 4 inches deep and an inch wide. Continue all around the material. When finished, you will have a 4-inch square missing from each corner.

Knot the corresponding top and bottom fringe pieces along two long sides and one short side. Leave the remaining side untied. Stuff the pillows into the fabric cover and tie the remaining fringe pieces to complete the bed. Decorate the cover with fabric markers, if desired.

Tips

  • If your dog is tempted to chew the excess fringe, untie one section and remove the pillows. Turn the material inside out so that the knots are on the inside of the cover. Replace the pillows. Tie the remaining fringe pieces and tuck the excess inside.

    To wash the bed, untie a section and remove the pillows. Place the cover in the washing machine and wash with a mild detergent. Wash the pillows as directed on their tags. Once everything is dry, reassemble the dog bed.

Tips

  • If your dog is tempted to chew the excess fringe, untie one section and remove the pillows. Turn the material inside out so that the knots are on the inside of the cover. Replace the pillows. Tie the remaining fringe pieces and tuck the excess inside.

  • To wash the bed, untie a section and remove the pillows. Place the cover in the washing machine and wash with a mild detergent. Wash the pillows as directed on their tags. Once everything is dry, reassemble the dog bed.

Items You Will Need

  • Tape measure
  • Soft fleece material (how much you need depends on bed size)
  • Old pillows
  • Scissors
  • Fabric markers (optional)