Introduction: Shark Pet Bed
Hi Everyone! This is the first instructable I have ever done so I hope it's okay. I made this bed for a contest and because I had the idea in my head for a while just never did it until now. So I hope you all enjoy it and if you want to do it and enhance it or make it better, by all means, do it! ^_^ Put yourself into it.
This fit a medium/small adult cat. If you are making it for something bigger you will need to adjust the sizes.
This fit a medium/small adult cat. If you are making it for something bigger you will need to adjust the sizes.
Step 1: Materials
Here is a list of materials that you may or may not need. I don't have access to some things that you guys might.
- 1/2 yard of light blue fabric (bottom/pillow)
- 1/2 yard of darker blue fabric (Shark head)
- Pins
- Sewing Machine
- Wire clothes hangers
- Rotary cutter & Scissors
- Chalk
- Cardboard
- Paper (I used brown lunch bags)
- Stuffing/Poly-fill
- Wire cutters, heavy duty ones to cut through the clothes hangers
- Yarn
- Thread
- Two large white buttons
- Colored Pencils
- Ruler
- A bit of tape
- Plenty of space
- Patience
Step 2: Draw Out Your Patterns
This is the part where you need to draw out your patterns for your shark bed. You will need a circle piece that you will use for your base/bed. You will also need to draw out a fin piece, the teeth, and the dorsal fin. These you can do draw however you'd like and don't be afraid to use your imagination!
The triangles were a bit tricky but it was the only way i could get the "dome" shape. The triangles were 6 inches wide by 10 inches tall. To do this mark the 3 inch mark at your base and go up 10 inches and make a mark. You will then have to connect the dots from there. Line up the 6 inch mark with the 10 inch and the 0 inch mark with the 10 inch mark and it should look similar to the triangles int he picture. Sorry I'm not sure how to explain that better.
Finally there is a long strip piece that should be 18 inches long and at least 5 inches wide. It will need to be cut on a fold.
The triangles were a bit tricky but it was the only way i could get the "dome" shape. The triangles were 6 inches wide by 10 inches tall. To do this mark the 3 inch mark at your base and go up 10 inches and make a mark. You will then have to connect the dots from there. Line up the 6 inch mark with the 10 inch and the 0 inch mark with the 10 inch mark and it should look similar to the triangles int he picture. Sorry I'm not sure how to explain that better.
Finally there is a long strip piece that should be 18 inches long and at least 5 inches wide. It will need to be cut on a fold.
Step 3: Start Pinning and Cutting
This step you should start pinning your pattern to your fabric or marking it on your fabric. The base that I made has a diameter of roughly 15 inches. I had to make it out of cardboard so I used chalk to mark it on my fabric. If you don't have chalk you can also lightly flour around the pattern on your fabric and it should give you the same effect.
- I suggest you have most of your fabric folded in half so when you cut you will end up with two.
You will need to cut:
- I suggest you have most of your fabric folded in half so when you cut you will end up with two.
- 2 of your bottom fabric
- 2 dorsal fins
- 4 teeth (if you want it for the bottom and top part of the mouth)
- 1 of your long strip (cut it on a fold so you will end up with a long 36 in strip)
- 4 fin pieces (I used two light blue pieces and two dark blue pieces)
- 6 triangle pieces.
Step 4: Fins and Teeth
When you are ready to sew your fins and your teeth make sure that all RIGHT sides are touching/facing each other. Place 2 pieces with right side facing each other and sew around the edges as shown in the pictures leaving an opening so you can turn them right side out. If you want you may lightly stuff these if you want to make them puffy.
You should end up with 2 sets of teeth, 2 fins, and 1 dorsal fin.
You should end up with 2 sets of teeth, 2 fins, and 1 dorsal fin.
Step 5: Creating the Dome.
This is the hardest sewing part. So don't be discouraged if you mess up!
Take the long strip piece and unfold it so it stretches out to it's entire length. Pin each triangle to it making sure that the bottom tips of the triangle are touching the other triangle tips. One that is done you have decide where to put your fins.
I put my fins under each of the second from the end triangles. If you want them closer you can pin them under the first/last triangles or just where ever you want them. Sew about a quarter inch from the seam making sure to sew through the triangles, strip, and the fins.
Once you have done that you can connect the strip/triangles to the base of the bed. Take one of the circular pieces, right side up, then place your strip/triangles right side down on the circle. Line up the edges of your strip with the edges of your circle, making sure the seams are facing you. Keep the triangles towards the middle and make sure they don't get caught up in the edge of the circle. Then place the other piece of the circle right side down on top of it. Line it up with the other circle and strip and pin it together.
Sew the circle with a 1/4 inch seam, making sure you have went through all three fabrics, leaving an opening in the spot where the strip is not at. You don't want to sew up the whole thing or you wont be able to turn it inside out or stuff it!
Now here comes the tricky part. Take 2 triangles that are next to each other and pinch their edges together so the right sides are touching each other and pin them together at the top and the bottom of the edges. Keep doing this with each triangle until they are all connected and it should look something like the 7th picture. Then you add your dorsal fin. Pin it between the 3rd and 4th triangle in between the top and bottom pin. The dorsal fin should be on the inside of the dome and the curved/ front part of the fin should be facing the opening of the bed.
All the places you have just pinned you now need to sew. Once you have all the triangle sewn together it should look something like the last picture.
Take the long strip piece and unfold it so it stretches out to it's entire length. Pin each triangle to it making sure that the bottom tips of the triangle are touching the other triangle tips. One that is done you have decide where to put your fins.
I put my fins under each of the second from the end triangles. If you want them closer you can pin them under the first/last triangles or just where ever you want them. Sew about a quarter inch from the seam making sure to sew through the triangles, strip, and the fins.
Once you have done that you can connect the strip/triangles to the base of the bed. Take one of the circular pieces, right side up, then place your strip/triangles right side down on the circle. Line up the edges of your strip with the edges of your circle, making sure the seams are facing you. Keep the triangles towards the middle and make sure they don't get caught up in the edge of the circle. Then place the other piece of the circle right side down on top of it. Line it up with the other circle and strip and pin it together.
Sew the circle with a 1/4 inch seam, making sure you have went through all three fabrics, leaving an opening in the spot where the strip is not at. You don't want to sew up the whole thing or you wont be able to turn it inside out or stuff it!
Now here comes the tricky part. Take 2 triangles that are next to each other and pinch their edges together so the right sides are touching each other and pin them together at the top and the bottom of the edges. Keep doing this with each triangle until they are all connected and it should look something like the 7th picture. Then you add your dorsal fin. Pin it between the 3rd and 4th triangle in between the top and bottom pin. The dorsal fin should be on the inside of the dome and the curved/ front part of the fin should be facing the opening of the bed.
All the places you have just pinned you now need to sew. Once you have all the triangle sewn together it should look something like the last picture.
Step 6: Top Teeth and Stuff It
This is the part where you can sew your teeth and stuff the bed part. You're almost done! How are you feeling? I hope you are okay because you are amazing for making it this far!
Take one set of your teeth and pin it to the top of your opening/mouth. Right sides should be touching each other. Sew them together and it should look like the second picture.
Now take some poly-fill or whatever stuffing you are using and push it into the hole you left in the bottom. Don't stuff it too full so it doesn't leave room for the animal. Just stuff it enough for it to be plush.
**** The following part is optional. If you would like you may tuck in the fabric a bit so you may slip stitch the hole instead of putting teeth in it.
At the opening that you just put stuffing through tuck some of the fabric inward. Then carefully place your second set of teeth inside it and pin it through all 3 layers. Don't pin it too close to the edge or you wont be able to sew it very well.
Sew the teeth into the hole of the bed.
Take one set of your teeth and pin it to the top of your opening/mouth. Right sides should be touching each other. Sew them together and it should look like the second picture.
Now take some poly-fill or whatever stuffing you are using and push it into the hole you left in the bottom. Don't stuff it too full so it doesn't leave room for the animal. Just stuff it enough for it to be plush.
**** The following part is optional. If you would like you may tuck in the fabric a bit so you may slip stitch the hole instead of putting teeth in it.
At the opening that you just put stuffing through tuck some of the fabric inward. Then carefully place your second set of teeth inside it and pin it through all 3 layers. Don't pin it too close to the edge or you wont be able to sew it very well.
Sew the teeth into the hole of the bed.
Step 7: Metal Working!
This is where you will need sturdy wire/plastic or whatever you want to use to hold up the dome, but I used wire coat hangers.
I used three 25 inch and one 15 inch pieces of coat hangers. Cut them down to size. My measurements aren't exact on the coat hangers I just cut them down if they were too big that that's roughly the sizes, you may need more or less.
I bent all of them at a curve and tied them together at the center with yarn, tying them all together. I wrapped yarn around each of the wires and taped the ends so they would be less pointy.
Just for fun I dangled/added a fish from the center of the hangers since this bed is for a cat.
I used three 25 inch and one 15 inch pieces of coat hangers. Cut them down to size. My measurements aren't exact on the coat hangers I just cut them down if they were too big that that's roughly the sizes, you may need more or less.
I bent all of them at a curve and tied them together at the center with yarn, tying them all together. I wrapped yarn around each of the wires and taped the ends so they would be less pointy.
Just for fun I dangled/added a fish from the center of the hangers since this bed is for a cat.
Step 8: Finishing Touches
You may now put in your wires/hangers and adjust them and fix them to the shape of your bed. If the bed is going to see a lot of use you may want to secure the wires/hangers to the fabric. You can achieve this by sewing through the fabric and around the wire/hangers and repeatedly do that until it is firmly secure. I did not do this because I wanted to be able to remove the hangers in case if needed to be washed.
You can make a fish for this if you want or add feathers inside for a cat if you would like. I didn't add that in here because you may not be making this for a cat.
I also added eyes to the top, which is what the buttons were for. You can do it, or you may choose to leave it out.
This is what your final project should end up looking like.
Actually I hope it turned out better! :)
You can make a fish for this if you want or add feathers inside for a cat if you would like. I didn't add that in here because you may not be making this for a cat.
I also added eyes to the top, which is what the buttons were for. You can do it, or you may choose to leave it out.
This is what your final project should end up looking like.
Actually I hope it turned out better! :)
Step 9: Happy Kitty.
This is my model cat thoroughly enjoying her new shark bed.
Thanks for viewing and I hope you guys could follow my instructions! I hope I get to see your version of the shark bed and see cute animals enjoying them!
Thank you so much and hope you have a wonderful day, if you have any questions feel free to ask I will answer the best that I can.
**P.S. If there are any spelling/grammatical errors I am really sorry, I am very tired so forgive me.
Thanks for viewing and I hope you guys could follow my instructions! I hope I get to see your version of the shark bed and see cute animals enjoying them!
Thank you so much and hope you have a wonderful day, if you have any questions feel free to ask I will answer the best that I can.
**P.S. If there are any spelling/grammatical errors I am really sorry, I am very tired so forgive me.
Participated in the
Sew Warm Contest
