Easy Warming Pet Bed

January 19, 2025 Happy Quilty People

Description

Just as the fall nights started getting chilly, I had an idea for a pet bed that utilized emergency blankets to reflect body heat back to the pet.

Charlie on her new warming bed

We were about to travel and our two dogs were going to be staying outdoors. They have dog houses, but I thought this would be a nice way to keep them a little warmer. Our old girl Lily is 16, and she loves a warm cozy spot to lay down.

I sandwiched foil emergency blankets and batting inside thick shirts my son was getting rid of. This is a super easy and quick project!

This warming bed is a win/win. Recycling a shirt is sustainable, and you’ll feel better knowing your pet is just a little warmer.

Have you ever seen the silver blankets runners wrap up in after a race? These emergency blankets are used during emergencies and rescues, when people need help warming up. The science behind these blankets says that they reflect 90% of a person’s body heat back to them.

Nasa developed “space” blankets with a shiny metallic surface to reflect the body’s own infrared radiation back to the body, minimizing heat loss. My dogs wouldn’t be wrapped in the blankets, but I figure reflecting body heat back instead of it dispersing into the ground would be a good thing.

Supplies

emergency blanket
Caution – this is plastic like and a choking hazard!
repurposed sweatshirt, blanket, flannel, or towel
batting scraps, enough to layer over top and bottom of the foil
thread
heavy duty needles
scissors
sewing machine (or handstitch instead)

I ordered a six pack of mylar emergency blankets. The extra ones can go in our cars’ emergency kits. When they arrived, my son & I took turns wrapping up in a blanket, and we both agreed that very quickly our arms felt warmer. It was a fast and noticeable difference.

Caveat: If your pet would tear apart a toy that makes crinkly rounds, I would proceed with caution. The emergency blanket is plastic and crinkly, like a deflated mylar balloon.

My red border collie will rip apart any toy with a squeaker. I thought we were safe with just the possibilty of a crinkly sound, and sure enough, the bed has lasted a month with no interest on her part in tearing it up.

Pet Parents of heavy chewers, this project is not for you. You would not want your pet to ingest the plastic sheet.

Just as I was wondering about using emergency blankets, my son was cleaning out his closet. From his castoffs, I chose two thick shirts, both sweatshirt like with rounded necks.

Tip: If you don’t have a sweatshirt, any fabric you can make into the size pet bed you need will work. Fold over an old beach towel or use a throw that’s seen better days. Sew 3 sides closed, then stuff with the sandwich as described below.

You need the body of the shirt to act like a pillowcase, so cut off the sleeves to make a rectangular shape.

Stitch arm and neck openings closed.

This is a good time to use up weird thread colors. Your dogs are not going to care that you used up an old neon pink bobbin.

Sewing machine setup: walking foot, medium long stitch length. If you feel like your machine would need a heavy duty needle, switch to a sturdier needle, like one for denim. Set up as you would for quilting.

You will see in the video that I did this project quick and sloppy. I was exploring a new sewing machine and I just wanted to see what it could do, so I did not take the time to install my walking foot or engage the dual feed. The layers were puffy, but my Bernina 770QE managed just fine without the walking foot.

I don’t even remember if I used a heavy duty needle, but you should if you are worried about the thickness of your layers.

This pet bed was destined for the inside of a dog house. I did not concern myself with aesthetics. No fancy sewing is needed. I just made a large spiral to secure the batting and emergency blanket so I can wash it.

What if you don’t sew? Get a needle with a thread hole big enough for yarn. Take long stitches, or even tie little yarn knots sporadically to hold the inside layers together.

Of course you can adapt this to make a perfect pillow for your pet prince/princess. Take your time and sew it fancy if you want. After you make the outside pretty, the inside is just batting/emergency blanket/batting.

Once the sleeves and neck are sewn closed, cut a piece of the foil blanket to fit inside the shirt opening.

Layer batting in front and back of the foil blanket.

I wanted batting covering the blanket on both sides to help reduce the crinkly sound.

The inside of your shirt “pillowcase” will have a layer of batting, foil blanket, and a top layer of batting.

Sew across the waist of the shirt to close it up.

Keep sewing around the outside of the shirt, securing the batting sandwich.

Spiral your stitching inward toward the center.

With this spiral method you never have to left your foot or stop sewing. I kept my stitching roughy 2 inches apart. I wanted to secure the foil blanket so that it will wash securely.

Once you have your foil blanket in hand, this project goes quickly. Chop off the arms, stitch up the holes, eye-ball the cutting of the batting and blanket, stuff the shirt, and “quilt” with a spiral of sewing. You could probably have your fur baby posing for a picture on their new bed in 30 minutes!

Use #happyquiltypeoplepetbed to show off your fur babies on their new beds!