Cat Bed with Cardboard Box Frame Tutorial

This is Lathandar sitting in his new cat bed. Below is the tutorial. 

Start by measuring the box bottom and cut fabric with 1 inch seam allowance on all sides. Cut top fabric, batting, and bottom fabric. I used fabric that was already layered and quilted. 

I placed my box on my cutting board and then used my rotary cutter to cut my fabric layers. 

 Measure the height of your box. Double that measurement and add seam allowances so the wall of the bed can fold over the box. My box measured 5 inches. Doubling that would make it 10 inches. Then I added 1 inch seam allowance on the top and 1 inche seam allowances on the bottom. The total width of the wall fabric will be 12 inches.  

 Measure the sides of the box. My box measured 52 inches. With a 1 inch seam allowance on each side, that measurement now becomes 54 inches. So with the 12 inch width, I need to cut 3 pieces (top, batting, bottom) that measure 54 X 12 inches. 

 Sew the sides together to form the walls. That means, sew the 12 inch sides together. I should have attached the binding at this time, but I forgot. 

 Sometimes, cats will chew on strings. My goal was to reduce any raw edges. So with the raw edge above, I covered it with binding.

 I could have saved a step if I fastened the binding on the same time I sewed the sides together. I made the binding by cutting 4 inch wide strips, folded it over, pressed. Sew the raw edge of the binding so it matches the raw edge of the seam. You should have a finished edge that can be sewn onto the other side to hide and cover the raw edges of the seam. 

 Pin the binding over to hide the raw edge of the seam and sew in place. 

 Sew approximately 1/8 inch from the finished edge to secure.

 Sew the binding with the raw edge to the raw edge of the top of the sides (top, batting, and bottom layers). 

Fold over the binding to the other side and sew in place.

 Here is a picture of the top of the wall. On the right is the front side. On the left is the back side. I used thread that matched my main fabric, so it blended. 

 Pin the bottom of the bedding (top, batting, bottom) to the bottom edge of the side.

 Pin the binding with the raw edges matching the raw edges of the bottom. Sew the bottom to the sides. 

 Fold over the binding to hide the raw edge. Pin and sew in place. I had to hand sew this part of the binding. 

 Place the bed over the box and fold down the sides.

Give to cat. In our house, that isn't very hard. I placed the bed on our bed and left to find a cat. Before I got back, Lathandar had claimed the box.