Bedding: Piggy Bedspread Directions?

[catalineh06]

Does anyone have instructions on how to make a piggy bedspread for a 3x4 cage with fleece and a mattress pad as the layers. I get that the bedspread is sewn to the fleece but how do you make the sides?

[Rnd210]

You get a cotton rich mattress pad king size, cut the fitted part off, lay it flat and measure it to 42"x57" to fit the base of the coroplast tray, then take the fleece and cut to 44"x59" so that you have at least 1-2 inches to fold around the mattress pad and pin and sew all of this together (if you want sides just pin together and sit it aside).

For the sides to make it cover the inside and outside of the coro tray. If your sides are 6" then you want to cut the stips for each side doubled plus 4" to tuck this. For the longer sides you want 2 strips of fleece that is 57"x 16" and for the shorter side you want the 2 strips to be 42"x16".

I reccamend doing one of the 4 sides at a time, take the mattress pad and fleece that you have already pinned together unpin one side (you will do the long side first) open the folder part that you just unpinned, lay your strip for down going away from you fold the part of the fleece that you had unpinned and then fold the strip that you had inserted back toward you so that there is part of the strip still under the part that you folded and then it is folded over that side and pinned back and sewed together right away. Then repeat for each side.

Once you have all 4 sides done then you need to sew the corners together and you are done and it should be a nice snug fit to the tray. If you are concerned that it won't stay in place then you can sew some elastic only in the four corners at the end like fitted sheets.

If you already sewed the mattress pad and fleece together and still want sides you will only need to cut strips 57"x14" for the long sides and 42"x14" for the short sides and pin the strips to each side and sew them to the pad make sure to do this in 2-3 times per side.(this way each side has 2-3 seams) Once you have all four sides on then sew each corner together and add the elastic if you want. (elastic is optional)

I think it is easier to make the mattress pad and sew it first then make the sides.

Have fun and make sure to make atleast 2 sets for your cage. And if anyone has another way or simpler way to make a piggie bedspread please post it.

I gave the measurements for the use of a 3x4 C&C cage with 6 inch sides. Otherwise it would be LxW for the pad and L+Hx2+4 for the sides.