As our 
acebook fan page keeps growing, more and more of our customers are showing off their cool creations for our J&O Fabric family and community worldwide to view, share, and comment on. One such fan is dog lover Heather Buzby. Heather showcased one of her comfy dog beds made especially for her beautiful black Lab Kayla from our lab puppy fabric. She took a moment to share with us a little story behind her crafty canine project. Enjoy and be inspired!
Dear J&O Fabrics,
Hello!
This bed started out as a catalog-bought bed for my previous black lab, Cuddles. She has since passed and the bed got passed down to my current black lab Kayla. While the original cover was still in great condition, I wanted something more fun for my new puppy so I decided to make covers for the bed. She has one fleece one for the winter and the pictured cotton one is for the summer. The following offers a step by step guide to making a new bed cover.
Step 1:
First, measure the length, width, and thickness of the bed. I added a couple extra inches to my totals to help me end up with measurements for a desired rectangle shape.
Step 2:
Select your choice fabric. I selected a lab puppy print fabric from J&O Fabric Store and since I needed a bit more width for the cover to reach under the bed, I combined it with a some plain hot pink cotton I already had.
Step 3:
I cut panels of the pink to sew onto the lab print for the extra width I needed. I ironed all the edges twice quarter inch first for a nice edge, then one inch.
Step 4:
Sew around the one inch hem, leaving about 2″ between your start and end points. Then thread a thin nylon cord through the resulting pocket and finish off with a cord lock.
Step 5:
Since the previous bedding had a fiber-fill stuffing, I replaced it with a 2″ thick high-density foam.
Step 6:
To install the cover, lay the encasement face down on the floor, put the bed on top, and then pulled the drawstring tight so the fabric comes around the underside of the bed. Set the cord lock.
Step 6:
Lastly, tuck the excess cord under the fabric, flip the bed right side up, and voila!, the end result speaks for itself!
Kayla's new bed!
I’ve made pillow case styled bed covers in the past, but found that this drawstring method was not only quicker and easier, but PERFECT for a more oddly shaped bed like this oval one we started out with. It’s also SUPER easy to remove for cleaning and just as easy to re-install. Thanks for providing me with such a perfectly themed fabric for this project! It was one of the many gifts Kayla got for her first birthday.
Sincerely,
~Heather Buzby
