Catpanion Cube

Intro: Catpanion Cube

Make your cat a companion it can sleep in, a Catpanion Cube! This project can be done over a weekend, so get sewing!
(Warning: several cute cat photos follow)




Supplies

• 1 inch thick foam padding (you'll need enough for six equal sized squares)
• medium gray cotton or similar fabric. (how much will depend on how big your foam squares are. You will need enough for twelve squares an inch bigger than your foam squares.)
• light gray  cotton or similar fabric. (This will make the circles on the five sides of the cube)
• pink cotton or similar fabric (This will make the hearts, you can also use it on the opposite side of the door hole if you want)
• pink ribbon
• gray and pink thread
• sewing pins
• pattern making material or poster board
• sewing machine

STEP 1: Cutting Out Your Squares

Hopefully you have a nice workspace to cut out your material, or else you might have to wrangle cats off your fabric.

You first need to cut out six squares of foam padding.  I repurposed 14 x 14 squares that made a nice sized cube.

Once you have your six foam squares, you can start cutting out fabric squares out of the medium gray fabric.  You will need twelve squares an inch bigger than your padding squares, so I cut out twelve 15 x 15 squares.

For the heart and circles on the sides of the cube, make patterns out of poster board or pattern making material and then cut out 5 of each (or four if you don't care about putting one on the bottom of the cube).

STEP 2: Doorway

Use the same circle pattern to cut a hole in one of the foam squares that will be the doorway.

Use the foam square to mark and cut out circles in two of the fabric squares.

Pin the two fabric squares together and sew around the diameter of the circle. 

Turn right side out and fit around the door hole.  Pin the edges around the fabric square.

STEP 3: Decorating the Cube

Begin pinning lengths of the pink ribbon across the fabric squares. You only need to do four if you don't care about the bottom side. Sew the ribbon down with a straight stitch.

Next, pin the circles and hearts over the ribbon. Change your sewing machine stitch to the applique or zig zag stitch and sew down. I did the hearts first so I didn't have to change thread after sewing the ribbon down.

Once you are through with applique on all the squares, pin your decorated fabric square around your foam square with one of the blank fabric squares on the opposite side.

STEP 4: Compiling the Cube

To assemble the cube, pin and sew the edges together, with the decorated sides facing inwards to form a cube. You want to make the seams are as close the the foam as possible. It can take some finagling to get it situated right under your sewing machine. Make sure the door and bottom are positioned in the right spots.

Once all the sides are sewn together, carefully pull the cube right side out through the door hole.

STEP 5: Testing Time!

Hopefully your cats didn't sleep on your fabric and wrinkle it up. I doubt cats will care either way, but you can steam the wrinkles out if you desire.

Don't be surprised if all your cats want to hang out with their new companion.

Comments

[LiveCrafts]

I'm wondering if I could make one big enough for a dog....

[anailpolish]

This is such a cute and cool idea! A video tutorial would be awesome for this project!

[ChippMarshal]

I love this project. I have an English Bulldog who thinks that he is a cat. I always find him nestled inside of a laundry basket full of clothes or in a closet laying on towels or blankets. I am thinking about making a dog-sized catpanion cube!

[MicioGatta]

Beautiful.

[flamekiller]

In the event that the Weighted Catpanion Cube does speak, the Enrichment Center urges you to insert an open full can of tuna.

But seriously, I'm going to have to favorite this for when we eventually get a kitteh.

[lwillington]

Adorable and such a cute cat! I'd never get my cats to go inside.

[Darkscanner]

Definitely making this. I might stray from the design a little to get it to look more like the real thing. But all in all, this is the best indestructible in general.

[Ymerej88]

Neat!
"To ensure the safe performance of all feline activities, do not destroy vital resting apparatus." - GLaDCaT

[Lagunamov]

I already have a companion cube plush but... adult sized? that'd be like a companion cube tent? Yes please! :D

[rachaelwhitaker]

I'd turn it into a gaming cube on the inside. Install a TV and console, maybe a little mini fridge!

[Dastan1996]

This is awesome on so many levels...

[Welsh Dragonfly]

That is a triumph. I'm making a note here, huge success! I can't wait to make one! Though it would be very tempting to rub a little charcoal on the edges. (Portal 2 reference).

[boempa]

Hm... how about one that looks like a beehive?

[Shadri]

D'aawwww! That's adorable!!!! :D Great job!
(I'd love to see a TARDIS one next!)
=^-.-^=

[rachaelwhitaker]

I like that idea! I will have to make one some time soon!

[Istarian]

You should make it tall enough and wide enough that the entrance can be sized to be a catflap in one of the doors.

[Istarian]

Interesting, with one cat in it, the others want to be too.

[Barb37]

You, rachaelwhitaker, YOU certainly do know your cats!
(You apparently know mine, also - I can just see the cuffing and batting progress to full-on wrestling as they jostle for position in [and out of] one of these!)

[BABLOON1424]

Nice pun!

[MonkiMan]

"catpanion cube" you dear lady are a GENIUS :D