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Travel Pet Bed

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.

Keep your pet comfy on the go with a roll-up travel bed! Fill the pockets on either side with their favorite toys, throw it in the back of the car, and go. It's a great way to make your dog (or cat!) feel at home while on the road.
 

Project Needs & Notes

- 1 1/2 large (24 oz.) bags of polyester fiberfill
- 1 yard sturdy fabric for front and back (bull denim is used in this example)
- 1/2 yard of print fabric for side pockets (lightweight canvas is used in this example)
- Medium-weight (2.5 ounce) cutaway stabilizer
- Temporary spray adhesive (Gunold's KK100)
- Air-erase pen for marking
- 2 3/4 yards of 1" strapping
- 3 yards bias tape maxi piping
- 7" diameter ring or lid for tracing
- Heavy-duty snaps and snap tool
 - Need and thread for some hand sewing

Designs used in this tutorial are D3635, Woof Bone, E6711, Simple Swirls Corner 2,  G5277, Inky Dog, and G5283, Inky Dog Corner.

Finished Size: This pattern can be modified to make three different sizes of the bed. Finished measurements and dimensions are below. This tutorial makes a medium size.

Large Size - 40" x 40"
     Front and back panels: 41" by 41"
     Pocket pieces: 21" wide by 28" high
     Straps - One at 70" long and one at 71" long

Medium Size - 29" x 29"
     Front and back panels: 30" by 30"
     Pocket pieces: 15" wide by 20" high
     Straps: One at 50" long and one at 51" long
Small Size - 18" x 18"
     Front and back panels: 19" by 19"
     Pocket pieces: 9 1/4" wide by 12 1/2" high
     Straps: One at 30" long and one at 31" long

This project was featured in the following:
 Christmas Gift Guide Lookbook

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.
Cut a piece of bull denim to 30" x 30".

Place a 7" ring or lid in a corner, aligning the edge with the outer edge of the fabric. Trace the shape in the corner, and cut to round off the corner.

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.
A template is a printout of a design, and it's an excellent tool to plan where to stitch.

Print a template of the design from your embroidery software.
If you do not have embroidery software, Wilcom's TrueSizer is
a free program to use.

 Arrange the templates on the fabric where you want them.  In this example, the templates are placed in each corner with about 3" of space between the outer edges of the designs and the edges of the fabric.

Use an air-erase pen to mark the center points of each template, as well as the horizontal and vertical axis lines. These marks are used when hooping.

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.
Spray a piece of medium-weight cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive. Smooth the fabric on top. 

Hoop the fabric and stabilizer to embroider the first design. When hooping, align the marks on the fabric with the marks on the hoop.

Attach the hoop to the machine and load the design. 

Move the hoop so that the needle is directly over the center point of the hoop and embroider the design. 

After embroidering, trim the excess stabilizer away from the back.

Repeat the steps to embroider each of the designs.

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.
To prepare the fabric for the side pockets, cut a piece of lightweight canvas to 15" x 20". 

Print templates of the designs that you'd like to embroider on the pockets. Place them along the short ends of the fabric with the top edges of the designs facing the short ends (as shown). 

In this example, the templates are positioned with 1 1/2" of space between the top edges of the designs and the short ends of the fabric. They're centered between the sides.

Mark the center points of the designs, as well as the vertical and horizontal axis lines.

Hoop the fabric with a piece of cutaway stabilizer to embroider the first design. Embroider, then repeat for the other design.

After embroidering each design, cut the excess stabilizer away from the back of the fabric.

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.
Next, lay the embroidered pocket piece on top of the fabric, right sides together.

Pin in place, and cut out the shape.

Sew a 1/2" seam along the short ends only.

Turn the fabric right side out. Press the seams with an iron.

Top stitch a 1/4" seam along the folded short ends only.

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.
To prepare the bottom of the bed, lay the embroidered top piece on top of the fabric (right sides together).

Pin in place and cut out the shape.

Remove the top piece and lay the bottom piece flat with the right side facing up. Lay the pocket piece on top, right side facing up.  Center the pocket piece within the bottom piece. 

Pin the pocket piece in place.

Measure and mark the center of each long side (measure and divide by two). Draw a line connecting the marks.

Sew a seam along the line you just drew; this seam attaches the pocket to the bottom fabric and separates the two pockets.

Sew a 1/8" seam along each of the long sides to tack the pocket piece in place.

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.
To add the straps, cut one piece of 1" wide strap to 50" long and a second piece to 51" long.

Pin the 50" long strap in place by aligning the raw ends with the center seam on the pocket piece; center the strap over the raw long sides of the pocket piece (the strap will loop up and over the top of the pocket).

Pin in place.

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.
Add the 51" strap to the opposite side of the pocket piece by first folding over each raw end 1/2" and aligning them with the center seam of the pocket piece.

Overlap the raw ends of the first strap about 1/2".

Center the strap over the raw long sides of the pocket piece as you did earlier and pin in place.

Sew a seam along the side of the straps, starting and stopping at the top edges of the pockets.

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.
Tuck the straps inside the pockets and pin them in place so they will not be sewn over later on.

Align the top and bottom bed pieces together, right sides together.

Insert the piping in between the layers with the flat edge aligned with the raw edges of the top and bottom fabric.

Pin in place and sew a seam as close to the piping as possible (I used a zipper foot on the machine to get close to the piping) leaving about 6" open for turning.

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.
Turn the bed right side out.

Stuff the bed with polyester fiberfill until it is filled out but still soft enough for the bed to be folded in half.

Hand-sew the opening closed.

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.
Fold the bed in half and align the straps together at the top. 

Hold the straps together just above the bed (tight enough to hold the bed in place, but not so tight that the straps will not be held in place with snaps).

Mark the straps on both sides at this point (in this example, the marks are about 16" up from the center seam on the pockets).

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.
Open up the bed and lay the straps flat. 

Add the button portion of the snap to one side with the hole of the snap facing up.

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.
Add the remaining piece to the opposite strap with the knob of the snap facing up.

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.
Now your favorite four-legged friend will be as comfortable as can be during travel, and at home, too! Place it in your pet's favorite corner at home for a comfy spot to rest.

Free project instructions to create a travel pet bed.
When you're ready to travel, simply fold the bed in half, align the straps, snap them in place, and you're ready to go. The handy pockets on either side are the perfect storage for treats, toys, and more.
Travel Pet Bed



This project is featured on the Embroidery Library Pinterest page.

Pin it yourself using the "Pin It" button on this page.

Questions or comments? Let us know! Send an email to us; the address is stitch@emblibrary.com.

Products used in this Project:
Woof Bone $2.99 - $4.99

Available in 3 Sizes:

9.38" x 5.39" | 6.86" x 3.96" | 3.86" x 2.22"
Simple Swirls Corner 2 $2.49 - $2.99

Available in 2 Sizes:

4.86" x 4.85" | 3.87" x 3.87"
A Intricate Ink Dogs Design Pack $8.97 - $11.97

Available in 3 Sizes:

5.83" x 9.39" | 4.86" x 5.95" | 3.87" x 3.83"
A Classy Canines Design Pack $21.97

Available in 2 Sizes:

4.85" x 6.79" | 3.87" x 3.69"
A Classy Cats Design Pack $21.97

Available in 2 Sizes:

4.89" x 6.76" | 3.87" x 3.78"