Pampering Pups

I was going to quilt another quilt today. I had the quilt ready to go and the Juki threaded with the thread I want to use. I ended up babysitting for a couple hours today, not long, but enough to throw me off of my planned schedule. When baby left, I decided I didn't really want to quilt, so I decided to get a project done that's been hanging over my head for about 6 weeks.

My dogs' beds have been falling apart for so long, it's just been a shame. For a while I was saving small fabric and batting scraps thinking I would stuff dog beds with them. I had a couple grocery sacks full, but I realized that was not nearly enough, and it would take me so long to save enough it just wasn't worth it. I threw out the two bags I had saved (these pieces were smaller than crumbs, really tiny) and decided I needed to go a different route.

Kate and Bianca were litter mates we got from the pound about 7 years ago. They are very close, and usually sleep together. They have one crate they share, but they also sleep in our bedroom. It was the bedroom dog beds that were beyond repair. I hate the stuffing getting all flat within a few months of buying new beds, and I thought about how often I yell at them to get off the couch, so I thought why not buy a foam cushion like the one on the couch. Surely it will last longer than poly stuffing. The foam was on sale at Joanns a few weeks ago, and I had one of those extra 10% off your entire purchase coupons, so I got the foam for about what I would have spent on new dog beds.

I had actually bought some duck cloth to use for the dog bed, but I bought just enough, and when I washed it, it shrunk so much I didn't have enough any more. I had a bolt of ultrasuede I bought for next to nothing a while back, so today I got it out and made the cover for the foam cushion. I put velcro all along the back so I can remove the cushion cover to wash it. It took me longer to decide how I was going to make the cover and to cut it than it did to sew it together. I have no idea why I put it off for so long, one afternoon was all it took to get it done, start to finish.

Kate and Bianca were pretty concerned when they saw their tattered beds go to the dumpster, but they look happy enough on their new bed, don't you think?