DIY Pet Bed: How to Sew a Bed with Sides for your Dog or Cat

We adopted two kittens last August, and they are growing fast.  I wanted a few new cozy pet beds for winter and looked online.  Pet beds can be expensive! 

Instead of purchasing, make your own DIY pet bed using recycled fabrics instead of dropping $20 - $50 on purchasing bolster cat beds.

This DIY pet bed is easy to sew and can be made in any size to fit any dog or cat. It features bolsters around the sides and a soft center.  Use sherpa fabric on top for extra softness.  This DIY pet bed can be sewn in approximately one hour.

This pet bed is even more eco- and cost-friendly if you use old jeans and fleece scraps when making the bed.

Our kittens love their new beds!  Make one (or more) for your pet.

The pet bed shown below is larger than the measurements in this tutorial at 18" x 24" finished size (cut fabrics are 28" x 34" for this size bed). Both of our cats love to share this bed!

Learn more about the DIY Pet Bed by watching our video through the link below.  Or keep reading this tutorial.

WHAT YOU NEED to make your own DIY Pet Bed

• Old Jeans or Khaki pants for the back of the bed. Alternatively, use duck cloth, corduroy, khaki, or denim.
• Sherpa fabric
• Polyfill stuffing and/or Fleece scraps for stuffing
• Sewing machine
• Scissors and basic sewing supplies

INSTRUCTIONS to make the dog or cat bolster bed

Finished Size: Approximately 16” wide by 19” long (instructions included to make any size bed)
Seam Allowance: 1/2"
Difficulty: Easy 

Step 1: Make the Fabric

Using old jeans or pants is an eco-friendly way to make this pet bed.  Other fabrics like duck cloth, corduroy, khaki or denim can be used for the back of the bed. Just pick something that will last.

I used a pair of old jeans to make the pet bed.  One adult-sized pair of jeans should be large enough to make a small pet bed.  More than one pair of jeans can be used for larger DIY pet beds.  As an alternative, use old Khaki pants.

To make fabric out of the jeans or khaki pants, cut off the legs just below the crotch and also trim off the cuffs at the bottom of the legs.  Turn each leg inside out and trim off one of the seams to open the leg.  If one of the seams is a more decorative flat felled seam, leave that one and trim off the other seam.

Flatten the two pieces of fabric and lay them side by side with the long edges next to one another.  The top of the leg is usually wider than the bottom, so turn one leg around so that the fabric will be more rectangular.  The goal is to make the largest piece of rectangular fabric as you can with the pants fabric. 

Place the two fabrics with the right sides together and sew them together along the long edge with a straight stitch and a 1/2" seam allowance. 

I used a Universal 90/14 needle for sewing this project, but Jeans needles are also available.  If you have trouble sewing the jeans fabric, try a jeans needle.   

Press the seam open.  If the fabric is not large enough for the pet bed, cut and sew more pants fabric together to make a piece large enough.

In the photo below, I've pieced together many leftover scraps of jean fabric.  I made two DIY pet beds using one pair of jeans for each.  These are leftover jeans fabric from making those beds.  So, piece together as much as you need to make the fabric for the bed.

Step 2: Cut the Fabric

This pet bed has a center soft bed section and bolster sides.  When finished, this small pet bed will be around 12" x 16" in the center section (not including the bolsters).  Add 10" to both numbers for the bolster sides. Cut the jeans and Sherpa fabrics to 22” x 26” for this small pet bed.

To make a larger pet bed, take the width and length of the center of the bed and add 10" to both numbers.  This will be the size to cut the fabrics.

Fabric Cut Size = Center Width + 10" by Center Length + 10"
ex. Large Bed Cut size: 28" x 34" = 18" + 10 by 24" + 10"

Step 3: Cut the Boxed Corners

To make the sides of the bed, box the corners.  For 5” high sides, cut a 4-½” square from each corner of both the jeans and the Sherpa fabrics.  After sewing, the seam allowance will make the sides 5” high.

The photo below shows the corners cut from the jean fabric.

If you have a rotary cutter and cutting mat, fold the fabric in half.  Use a square ruler to measure a 4-1/2" square.  Cut the square using the rotary cutter.

Scissors can also be used to cut the corners.  Lay the fabric flat and measure 4-1/2" from each corner.  Draw lines to make a square in the corner. Cut along the marked lines with a sharp pair of scissors.

Cut the boxes from all four corners on the Sherpa and jean fabrics.

Step 4: Sew the Boxed Corners

Sew the corners to create the boxed corner.  Working with each fabric and corner one at a time, fold the corner with right sides together.  Bring the two points together, as shown in the photo below.

Sew a ½” seam allowance from the fold to the edge of the fabric.

Sew all eight corners in the same way.This will create two fabrics with boxed corners.  The pet bed is beginning to take shape.

Step 5: Sew the Fabrics together

Place the Sherpa and jean fabrics with the right sides together, matching up the corners.

Pin together along the raw edge, leaving two 4" openings at opposite corners.

For most sewing projects that need to be turned, only one opening is needed. This pet bed needs two openings to stuff the sides and center.

To remind myself to stop sewing at the openings, place two pins side by side. This way, I'll see the two pins and know to stop and backtack when I'm sewing.

Sew around the top of the pet bed with a 1/2" seam allowance backtacking at the beginning and end.  Remember to leave two openings on opposite corners.

Step 6: Turn the Bed Right side out

Turn the bed right side out through one of the two openings.  Push out the seams and iron if necessary.

Step 7: Sew the center of the bed

To create the center of the bed, sew four lines of stitching 5" from the edges of the bed.  Start and stop each line of stitching 2" from the corners. This will leave a gap in each corner to allow the center of the bed to be stuffed.

To sew the lines, measure 5” from each side and mark a line with a few pins.  Sew along the marked line, starting and stopping 2” from each boxed corner.

Sew the two long sides and then the two short sides.  Leave the gaps between the sewn lines at each corner to allow for stuffing the center of the bed.

The photo below shows the lines of stitching and the gaps at each corner.

Step 8: Stuff the Pet Bed

Leftover fleece or flannel fabric is perfect to use to stuff the sides and some of the center of this DIY pet bed.  Cut the fleece or flannel into strips or pieces.

To make the center of the bed softer, some fiber-fill stuffing can be placed on top of the fleece and flannel.  The whole bed can also be stuffed with fiberfill if you don't have leftover fleece scraps.

Start stuffing the center of the bed first through the two openings at the corners of the bed.  Place some fleece scraps in the center first, then finish stuffing with fiber fill on top.

Once the center of the bed is stuffed, then stuff the sides all around.  Use more of the fleece scraps or fiber fill to stuff around the sides of the bed.  Use both openings to stuff the two sides closest to the opening.

Step 9: Sew the Openings Closed

To finish the bed, hand sew the two openings closed with a ladder stitch.  

The pet bed is finished and ready for your pet to use.  

Here is a photo of the bottom of the finished DIY pet bed.

Place the pet bed on the floor where your dog or cat likes to rest.

Newt is enjoying his new pet bed by the window.

Newt and Teddy like to share their large pet bed. The bed in the photo below is an 18" x 24" finished size (cut fabrics are 28" x 34" for this size bed).

Other pet projects you may enjoy making:

• Mouse Cat Toy - This is an in the hoop machine embroidery project.
• Catnip Pillow Kicker - Cats will love to play with this toy filled with catnip. It's a simple sewing project!
• Pet Projects To Sew - Find a collection of free patterns to sew for your dog or cat.