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Crafts to Make ~ French Toile de Jouy Dog Bed Cover

Yoda testing out his new bed cover last night after it was just completed!  He approved! 

With the tiniest hint of fall 
in the early morning air
and 
grocery stores beginning to put out their 
fall produce for sale 
along with all of the seasonal 
berry pies 
This year’s crop of gourds and pumpkins
should be coming in just around the corner…
With this, I’m feeling
energized and ready 
for a little fall cleaning
plus I’m feeling a little
sewing bug coming on!

My “sewing table”
I’ve have a list of simple projects
I want to get done for our
Tiny House this fall 
and 
one of these projects includes something for
our little dog 
Yoda.

Laying out the fabric over the current insert ~ rough-measuring leaving an inch over beyond each edge for the seam allowance ~ past the sides’ midpoints ~ where the top and bottom are sewed together.


Yoda’s dog bed has been
in need of some 
TLC
for quite some time…

We found his dog bed
about ten years ago at

Target
when we first picked him up from the
Animal Friends of the Valley 
Animal Shelter
in Lake Elsinore ~
not too far from
where we were
living in our Big House.

Yoda snoozing during our trip across country this summer.

The main body
is still holding up
and
 I haven’t found anything like this
with which to replace it
so…
I thought I’d make him a new padded inside piece
to sleep on
as the current one is flat and bunching up
when washed… a lot…

But first I wanted to make
the cute outside cover
and
I’m heading back to my
French Ethereal roots
using this really pretty
100% cotton dusky aquamarine blue
toile de jouy fabric 
I found recently while browsing the
craft section at
Wal-Mart.


Just like eating your favorite dessert 
before dinner ~
it’s loads more fun to make
the finished cover first!
And I will go back later and make
a new insert with muslin and new stuffing,
but for now
I had to make this cover!
I am loving this fabric!!!
Oo la la!


Here you can see how I draped the fabric 
over the insert and didn’t pull it taught but 
let it “fall” into the padded area.
This creates the extra needed 
seam allowance and “give”
to later stuff with a new insert.
I sewed a normal 5/8″ seam allowance
around the dog bed cover, then snipped every 
1/2″ or so around the curves to make the piece 
lay flat once turned and ironed.
Tools of the trade: embroidery scissors for snipping threads, quilter’s pins {I like these ever so much better than those short pins we all grew up with for sewing!}, various scissors {I can’t locate my good Ginghers… 🙁 }, and a small box I like to keep my seam rippers and sewing machine dusting brush in.  I think there’s a small Exacto knife in there, too. 🙂

Day Two {rather Evening 2}

I debated about how to close this cover
and decided to use buttons
as I’d like to be able to whip this doggy bed cover off
to the laundry whenever it is in need 
of a washing.
😉

So, I added an extra piece of fabric to the bottom piece’s 

seam allowance, right sides together. Then, after sewing up the side 
edges equal with the opening’s size, I reversed the “pocket” 
now~created then folding under its remaining raw edge over the 
original seam which was then stitched closed.  This will
become the part where I will sew the buttons.  
This whole piece will be unseen once flipped 
inside.   The top piece will get button holes once I know
what size buttons I am using.  For now, Yoda get a 
free~flapping bed cover!

Trés Magnifique! 
And there you have it…
A not too difficult dog bed cover 
that is contemporary
and classic…
and so much more 
suits my 
Shabby French Style!

Have a great Monday,
and let me know what fall projects
you are working on!

Blessings to you,
Barb 🙂



Sharing with ~
Create Link Inspire ~ The Crafty Blog Stalker
WOW Us Wednesdays ~ Savvy Southern Style
Feathered Nest Friday ~ French Country Cottage



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