Tag: DIY

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Friday Fun: DIY Papercraft Cat With Cone Collar

papercatwithconePoor kitty!  Never had a cat who had to wear an Elizabethan/lampshade/cone collar?  Bryan over at PaperFoldables has made it possible for you to print and put together your very own.  Will provide hours of entertainment! (Bryan also has a papercraft version of Michael Jackson’s red, leather coat in honor of his passing.)

Download and print the pieces for your kitty with a cone collar.  Cut him out and stick him together with some good double-sticky tape.

You can find out more about alternatives to real Elizabethan collars on this archive page.

And see more papercraft projects on this archive page.

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DIY: Open Air Dog House

openairdoghouseI like this idea of a DIY dog shelter with shade and lots of ventilation. Great for the summer.  It’s just meant as a cool spot, not as year round shelter.  (I think most dogs, if not all, should be indoor dogs anyway.)

I do think it needs a little more structural engineering though, since it has weak joints and no cross bracing.  If I’m going to the trouble to build something, I want it to last.  So I recommend beefing up our own version.  Here are some ways you can do that:

Some people think the open air dog house should have a floor, but as the writer of the tutorial says, dogs will most likely prefer to dig a hole to lie in the cool dirt.  I know Saffron would!

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DIY: Cat Tower That Wraps A Corner

This Mighty Cat Tower is unusual in that it wraps around a corner with an unusual footprint to make it less obtrusive.  What a great idea!  You probably should anchor it to the wall, but if the base is heavy enough maybe it wouldn’t need it.

The post is short on instructions, but has a good list of materials.  And there’s a video to teach your kitties how to make the most of their cat tower.  Check out previous posts on building:

Important Note: the author of on of the Cat Tree tutorial recommends using 3/8″ Brazilian sisal rope because it’s stronger, but more importantly because it’s less heavily oiled than other sisal rope.

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DIY: Sweater Patterns For Goats

goatsweater

There may not be a huge need for this, but there also can’t be a ton of patterns for goat sweaters out there either.  Need a sweater for your pet goat or especially your new kid? Fias Co Farm has it covered (ha!).

The people at Fias Co Farm found that their baby goats did better in cold weather when they had their own sweaters.  They also use sweaters for the does after difficult births.  Check out the gallery of these wee kids in their snugly sweaters.

You can find patterns for:

If you have a goat or are thinking about getting one, be sure to look at the extensive section on holistic, humane goat care. It’s specifically for dairy goats, but I’m sure has good information applicable to pet goats.

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DIY: Custom Fit Dog Jacket

I found a great little tutorial on making a custom fit dog jacket over at BurdaStyle.com. This is mainly a tutorial on making & customizing the pattern, not actually sewing the jacket.  You’ll need some knowledge about sewing, especially if you line the jacket.  But, this is doable so don’t be intimidated.

customdogjacket

Your jacket doesn’t have to cost much.  Look for remnants at your fabric store—a cute, durable upholstery fabric could be really cute.  You could also use fleece.   Or you could use a blanket from a thrift store.  If you find a fun wool blanket, you could felt it to make a more durable & very cute jacket.

Here are a few tutorials on felting:  this one covers both hand & machine felting, here is a printable one on machine felting, and another on hand felting.

In addition to fabric, you’ll need:

  • paper to make the pattern
  • sufficient fabric, plus fabric for lining if you plan to line it
  • fasteners like buttons, velcro, snaps
  • embellishments if you want them

The tutorial shows you how and where to measure.  Then how to transfer the measurements to paper to make the pattern.

Here are some instructions to help flesh out Step 4:

  1. fold your fabric in half & place “spine” of pattern on the fold
  2. when you cut the fabric, pad the pattern with extra fabric for seam allowances (5/8″ or 1.5cm is standard) unless you’re using fabric that won’t fray such as felt
  3. add tabs for fasteners
  4. cut out lining if needed, again padding the pattern for seam allowances as above
  5. if there will be no lining, hem the jacket
  6. if there will be a lining, place RIGHT sides together, sew leaving opening to turn the jacket, turn and finish the jacket
  7. add fasteners and any embellishments
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