Creature Comfort

Designer: Jennifer Keltner

• 16--18×22" pieces (fat quarters) assorted prints and plaids (blocks, gusset)
• 1 -1⁄4 yard complementary print (bed cover bottom)
• 40"-diameter circular pet bed insert
• 24"-long upholstery zipper

Finished bed cover: 41" diameter

Finished block: 10-1⁄4" square

Quantities are for 44/45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics.

Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances unless otherwise specified. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

To make a pet bed cover like ours, use newspaper pages to prepare a large circle pattern. Open up several pages and overlap them by 1"; tape them together. Fold taped pages in half, then in half again. Measure half the diameter of the purchased pet bed insert, and add 1" for seam allowances. From the center point of the folded newspaper pattern, measure and mark the distance with dots, beginning at the side edges and continuing around in a quarter circle. Draw a line connecting the dots, cut on the line, and open out for a full-size pattern which includes 1/2" seam allowance.

To make the best use of your fabrics, cut pieces in the following order.

From assorted prints and plaids, cut:

• 8--11-1⁄2" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 32 triangles total
• 8--10-3⁄4" squares
• 46--3-1⁄4×5-1⁄2" rectangles

From complementary print, cut:

• 1--41 -1⁄2" square bed bottom

1.    Sew together two non-matching assorted print or plaid triangles to make a triangle pair (Diagram 1). Press seam in one direction. Repeat with remaining triangles for 16 triangle pairs total; press seam in same direction each time.

2.    Sew together two triangle pairs to make an hourglass block (Diagram 2). Press seam in one direction. The block should be 10-3⁄4" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight hourglass blocks total.

1.    Referring to Top Assembly Diagram, lay out hourglass blocks and eight assorted print and plaid 10-3⁄4" squares in four horizontal rows.

2.    Sew together blocks and squares in each row; press seams toward squares. Join rows to make pieced square; press seams in one direction. The pieced square should be 41-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

3.    Layer pieced square and print 41-1⁄2" bottom square, right sides together, matching edges and corners.

4.    Pin prepared circle pattern through all layers; cut out top and bottom circles.

For the pieced gusset, use this formula to determine how many 3-1⁄4×5-1⁄2" rectangles you'll need: pet bed diameter in inches multiplied by 3.14, then divided by 2.75" (round up to the nearest whole number). Featured pet bed cover required 46 rectangles.

1.    Referring to Gusset Assembly Diagram, join long edges of assorted print and plaid 3-1⁄4×5-1⁄2" rectangles to make a pieced gusset strip.

2.    Trim gusset strip to 5-1⁄2×126" including seam allowances (or circumference of circles plus 1⁄2" for seam allowances). Join ends to make a circle.

1.    Sew gusset circle to pet bed circles with a 1⁄2" seam allowance, inserting a 24"-long zipper in the bottom seam to make the cover removable for washing.

2.    Insert pet bed circular insert. If needed, place insert in a plastic bag to help slide it into the cover, then remove the plastic bag. Zip closed.