This is for the kitty condom type beds that Laura's Babies designed and taught Lori (Jazzcat) to make. Then Lori taught me, so hopefully these directions make sense. The pictures are some that Lori sent to me and some of mine, too. The directions are some of my own, and some of Lori's all pasted together!!
Each bed takes 1 yard of 60 inch fabric (flannel is a good bit less expensive that fleece, but fleece is cozier) Laura's are fleece. If the fabric is 45' wide - it takes 1 2/3 yards. A 16 ounce bag of polyfil made two beds for me. I bought my flannel (pink and blue) at Jo-Ann on sale for $1.50 a yard and it was 45 inches wide. The regular price was $4.99. Check the remnant area, too! I also saw cute fabrics at Wal-Mart.
First, cut a long piece of fabric 12 inches wide. An 18-19 inch bed takes 60 inches. A 24 inch bed takes another 12 inches sewed on to the end to make a 72 inch x 12 inch strip.. This is the rim. To make the circle, try cutting a square the size you want and then rounding the corners - it takes two circles.
First, fold the long strip in half lengthwise with right sides out. Use pins every here and there to keep it even. Put one round piece down, right side up, and pin the strip all the way around, folding the tube in pleats towards the inside as you go. When pinning the tube, cut off your excess material if you have some, but leave enough to fold in a little to make a little hem then pin one end inside the other just a little.
When using batting rather than polyfil, Lori discovered that it is best to pin the tube to a piece of the base with the batting so your layers are batting on bottom, base material and then tube. Here is what it looks like so far:
If you are going to stuff the middle, it looks the same only no batting.
Then, add the other circle, right side towards pleated tubing and pin all the layers together with right sides facing.
Stitch around the circle, leaving enough room (about 3-4 inches) in order to turn everything rightside out after you sew the circle. You can leave a smaller opening if you do not use batting. Pull the tubing and all through that opening.
If you used batting, you can now stitch the opening closed - I found it helpful to now zigzag all the way around the base of the bed - tacking down the seam and making sure the seam faces in towards the circle. If you are going to stuff with polyfil, of course do this first and spread it out to the edges and some in the center until it is as fluffy as you like. I used about 1/4 a bag on this step.
Now stuff the tube with polyfil. I found it easiest to push the first handfuls to the far side of the tube and work towards the opening on each half. 1/2 bag is enough for me - the first time I used a whole bag and it was too stiff so I pulled half back out!! Too much stuffing will also make the bed curl up. Just stuff so it is soft and fills out the circle but don't overdo it like I did
Stitch the tube closed with a whipstitch. That is all!!
Here are six of Lori's bed:
Here is my 18 inch bed with batting on the bottom and a bit too much stuffing!! Big enough for Dylan - fitting snuugly
Here is my 24 inch bed with less stuffing in the tube (about 1/3 bag) and this one I also stuffed the bottom rather than use batting. Altogether, this big bed took about 1/2 bag of polyfil.
Of course, no kitties would model it!!
I hope this helps!!! Thanks for the step by step pictures, Lori!!
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but I will try this way.
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