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Summer Dog Bed
Nothing is too good for our dogies, which is why we asked Fabric Factory manager Lindley Welch to be our guest editor and design a simple-to-sew summer dog pillow. Using outdoor fabric (read: dirt-repellent) in Kate Spade apple green, which is trimmed in black, Lindley created a sham that fit easily over a 30-inch-square down pillow.
We made our sham for a lap dog; if your dog is bigger, amend the instructions (see below) to create a larger sham: for a 36-inch-square pillow, cut 37-by-38-inch squares and 3-inch long flange (trim fabric). Fabric Factory has dreamy square, down pillow forms in 26, 30, and 36 inches. For the 30-inch pillow, we used 2 yards of apple green fabric, 11/2 yards of black fabric for the trim, and 1 yard of 1/2-inch wide Velcro (hook and loop sides).
Essentially, after cutting your pillow and trim fabric, pin and sew the trim to one piece of the fabric, then sew on the hook side of the Velcro. Sew the loop side of the Velcro to the remaining fabric. Then pin the right sides of the two squares together and stitch all four sides, beginning at the hook side of the Velcro and ending at the loop side.
If you don’t have a sewing machine but do want a chic little pillow for your pet, Fabric Factory has a world of fabrics and trims to choose from, and they will sew up the pillow sham for a reasonable sum.
Sweet dreams, Buckley.
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| 1 What you’ll need: fabric (body and trim), measuring tape, scissors, straight pins, Velcro tape, and needle and thread or a sewing machine. | 2 Simply cut two squares of fabric large enough to cover your pillow form and two strips of fabric for contrasting trim. | 3 Attach trim fabric and Velcro tape to each square. Sew the two squares together. Insert pillow form. |
Instructions:
l. Fold green fabric “right sides together “to create a 54-by-36-inch rectangle. Cut both pieces at once to create two 31-by-32-inch squares of green fabric.
2. Fold and press the black fabric on the diagonal. Measuring from the fold, cut a strip 21/2-inches wide. Split the strip up the middle by following the fold. You now have two 21/2-inch-wide strips. Join the two strips on the short end, fold in half lengthwise, and press.
3. Lay out one green square, right side up, and pin the flange, matching raw edges on three sides. Continue to pin the fourth side, locating the flange 11/2 inches in from the raw edge. Stitch closed with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.
4. Begin pinning hook side of Velcro on the face side of the square with flange already applied. Place the short end 2 inches from the corner and the long side 1/4 inch from the raw. Stitch close to the edge of Velcro. Back-stitch at the end of the stitching to reinforce. Apply loop side of the Velcro to the face side of the remaining green square in the same manner.
5. Pin green squares right sides together. Begin sewing 2 inches in from the corner (where the Velcro meets the flange.) Stitch the remaining three sides, using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Turn right side-out and press. Insert pillow form and close Velcro.
Cleaning: Spot clean with a damp sponge; otherwise, dry cleaning is best, because of the Velcro.
Fabric Factory, 12330 Inwood Rd. 972-720-1400.
