Dogs prefer to get cozy as a lot as their human companions (some much more so). This DIY makes use of an outdated foam pad and sleeping bag to make a light-weight canine mattress so your pup is as cozy as you in your subsequent backpacking journey. If you don’t have outdated gear mendacity round, search for cheap used gear by means of REI Co-op Re/Supply or a secondhand retailer, or ask round for affordable or free used gear.
Materials:
- Old closed-cell foam pad, like a Therm-a-Rest Z-Rest or different closed-cell foam pad
- Old sleeping bag or quilt
- Heavy-duty thread or thread in an identical coloration to bag
- Four grommets with set up package
- Four 6-inch items of shock twine, with ends melted if mandatory to stop fraying
- Four dowel items, round 1 1/4-inch lengthy, for use as toggle closures (they should match by means of grommets; we used tent pole items however small wooden dowels would work as effectively)
- Four small washers
- Four giant washers that gained’t match by means of grommets
Tools:
- Heavy-duty or cloth scissors
- Chalk
- Pins
- Sewing machine or stitching needle
- Hammer
- Lighter
Directions:
1. Cut foam pad to measurement
Use scissors to chop the froth pad to a great measurement in your pup to lie on. Use a Phillips screwdriver or a sharp pen to make a small gap in every nook of the pad about 1 inch from the sides.
2. Mark sleeping bag size
Make certain the sleeping bag is zipped closed. Place the froth pad on prime of the bag with one edge aligned with the highest entrance of the bag (the place it reaches your neck), ensuring all 4 corners are on the bag. Using chalk, make a barely curved line on the bag about 4 inches under the sting of the pad, ideally just under a baffle. If you’re utilizing a down bag it will assist reduce the variety of feathers misplaced.
3. Cut sleeping bag to measurement
Starting from the non-zipper facet, use scissors to slowly minimize alongside the chalk line. It could also be simpler to chop one facet of the bag first after which match the minimize on the opposite facet. When you attain the zipper, minimize straight by means of.
4. Sew uncooked edges collectively
Turn the sleeping bag inside out. If the bag has artificial insulation like ours, trim the insulation again with scissors so you have got room to stitch the sides collectively and pin the material closed.
Using both a stitching machine with a robust needle or hand stitching utilizing a backstitch, sew the uncooked edges collectively to carry within the insulation, leaving a 5/8-inch seam allowance. Make certain to stitch over the tip of the zipper. Trim further thread.
5. Sew sides of sleeping bag collectively
With the sleeping bag nonetheless inside out, pin the underside edges of the sleeping bag collectively. Make certain the zipper is on the periphery.
Using a stitching machine with a robust needle or hand stitching utilizing a backstitch, sew the sides collectively, leaving a 5/Eighth-inch seam allowance. Make certain to stitch over the tip of the zipper. Backstitch at each ends to safe and trim further thread.
Turn the bag right-side out. You now have a doggie sleeping bag!
6. Add grommets to sleeping bag
Turn the sleeping bag the other way up once more and lay the froth pad on prime. Mark the place the holes punched within the pad hit the sleeping bag.
Set the pad apart and unzip the bag. Use the grommet software to put in a grommet at every mark within the backside layer of the sleeping bag solely. (Make certain you’re engaged on a tough floor that gained’t dent when putting in grommets.)
7. Add attachment toggles
Assemble your dowel items and shock twine. We used outdated tent pole items, minimize to 1 1/4 inch and sanded, with the shock twine operating by means of the middle. You can even use plastic toggles or picket dowels with a gap drilled within the center to loop the twine by means of.
Slide a small washer onto the free ends of a chunk of shock twine with a toggle, then thread them by means of a gap within the foam pad with the toggle on the highest facet of the pad.
Slide a big washer that gained’t match by means of the grommet onto the twine.
8. Attach sleeping bag and foam pad collectively
Place the sleeping bag on prime of the pad and thread the toggles by means of the grommets, rotating them so that they lie flat. Gently pull the shock twine down so the sleeping bag and foam pad are cosy.
Without any stretch within the twine, tie an overhand knot within the free ends of the twine to safe.
Trim the surplus twine and punctiliously use a lighter to soften the free ends to stop fraying.
9. Go tenting!
Hit your favourite dogs-permitted path, arrange camp and get cozy. The pad and bag may be packed individually to suit simply in a backpack, and you need to use the froth as a sit pad for your self throughout a hike. Check out our ideas for backpacking with canines for much more methods to take advantage of your in a single day journeys.
Editor’s Note: This article was initially printed on August 3, 2018.