Lap protector

[Kharkhar]

Yesterday I was enjoying some cuddle time with Bailey, he was in his little sleep sack and snuggled up against me, he fell asleep and I was watching tv. Suddenly I felt a wet warmth spreading on my shirt... uh oh. He peed all over me. Aaaaah!

So I decided to make a waterproof lap pad to protect me from future episodes I sewed it with a pocket at the bottom so that if I'm holding him vertically against my chest, it will still catch any dribbles. I made it large enough to use on the couch too if he's sitting next to me, and the pouch can carry treats or whatnot as well, and I can still use a sleep sack or towel or anything else and just stick it in there too.

I made the backing with vinyl tablecloth, and covered it with fleece just in case... it's snuggly and stops him from eating the tablecloth backing. Because it IS waterproof, it could also sufficate so I didn't create the pocket to be very deep, it's not deep enough to burrow into. For this reason I wouldn't put this in his cage or use it without supervision.

Anyways, here it is

[SeeSpotSit]

Awesome!! I want to be this crafty! I've thought waterproof lap pads would be awesome, mine have never pee'd on me, but I don't hold them for long periods at a time because I'm worried about it, this would help that for sure

I'm about to make more liners, the first two I just folded the fleece under the u-haul pad like I would in my cage and sewed (the machine was very unhappy about going through like 5 fleece layers and 1 u-haul in the corners). The next ones, I want to actually do the sewn edges and turn it inside out, is there a trick? Like how do people get a true seam all the way around when there's that bit to sew after turning it right side out? Any tips?

[MissJean]

It's amazing how much urine can come out of them sometimes.

Really nice lap pad!

[Kharkhar]

I made some pads for my cage, it was fleece, uhaul pad, uhaul pad, fleece. The biggest pain was actually cutting the fabric to the right size, fleece is horrible, sticks on itself and stretches, argh. Plus I HATE using sewing pins so I don't, which means that I have to keep stopping and readjusting the fabric as I sew. Of course it does come out kind of crooked, but I remember once I sewed over a pin and it broke my needle and the needle went flying, and now I'm too paranoid to use pins! My machine barely managed to fit the two pads and the two fleece, I had to really pull up on the foot and jam the fabric in there. I had two layers of uhaul pad, then the backing fleece (right side up, and then the top fleece (right side down). To get the sewn edges you sew nearly all the way around but leave a gap of about 8 inches or so. It's easier to not have the gap in a corner and more in the middle of one of the sides. cut off the extra fabric near the seams before turning it, especially the corners, get those cut as close to the stitches as you can. Then reach in the opening you left, and yank the fabric out (between the two fleeces, not the pads) to make it right side out. Then fold over the open edges and sew shut. Then you'll probably want to flatten your fabric and sew over it again maybe 5 inches from the edge all around just to make sure your fabric stays together in the washing machine.

Hope that helps!

[lindakandrews]

Kharkhar,good idea a lap protecter,nifty idea,cool.This is my Abby's,babies she had three around 12:30-2:00am this morning they seem healthly
sorry couldn't wait. Proud of my girl i helped her dry her babies so she could concerntrate on the rest she
didn't seem to mind one is especially alert the others are sleepier though. Sorry put
Snowflake,in by accident as well.

[go_ellie]

So cool!! I need one!! I can'y hold one of my piggies with out pee!!! I need to go to joanns and get more fleece, so many piggie things to make!!!


Also, @lindakandrews cute piggieS!!!!

[Mastershroom]

@Kharkhar , would you be interested in making one of those for me? I'd send you some PayPal money for the time and material, of course. I almost never hold Quee because she's pretty much guaranteed to pee and poop on me after a minute or two. Towels don't really help either.

[Kharkhar]

Mastershroom, I'm REALLY not that great with a sewing machine. That pee pad is so full of imperfections and I couldn't even get it to come out square I'm sure there are plenty of people here who could actually sew in a straight line who could make this for you, it's really just a square with a lip folded over. Or you could just cut a big square out of a vinyl tablecloth or shower curtain liner and use safety pins to pin up a pocket, or maybe even binder clips. Then you could just use whatever towel you have handy over it and have the vinyl lining there to protect your shirt/lap.

[PattyPie]

That is pretty neat looking! I have a nice sewing machine that was gifted to me...I have never learned how to use it.

For lap time we just put a piggy in a cuddle sack...and use a plastic shopping bag as a liner underneath. Been peed on too many times!!

[SeeSpotSit]

Ha! @PattyPie - That's a great idea!

[Kharkhar]

@PattyPie , that was me 2 days ago. Well other than the gifted sewing machine part, I bought mine like 5 years ago but never learned to use it. Then a few days ago I started looking at websites to buy some accessories for my pig and the shipping was prohibitive. I mean I'd have to pay 80$ for 3 items once the shipping was done, and that was too expensive. So I took the sewing machine out of storage and it was like an alien. I didn't even know how to thread it. So I went on youtube and watched video on how to fill a bobbin, how to plop the bobbin into the machine, and how to thread the machine. Then I tried some stitches on a piece of scrap fleece. The stitches underneath made a big mess. So I went to google to find out why my stitches underneath were no good. I rethreaded my machine, then fixed the tension. Then tried again, nice stitches. I practiced with the pedal going fast, slow, fast, slow. It's not daunting as long as you're not going too fast. And then I was off, made all my pads, then a hay bag, cuddle bed and sack. And then a ramp cover. And now this pee pad. And I think now I'm ready to put the sewing machine back into storage! But I don't think I'll EVER forget how to thread a machine, I must have threaded that thing at least 50 times over the past 2 days, argh.

[PattyPie]

Good for you!! I really need to do that, it is such a waste having a nice machine and not knowing what to do with it. I DID learn to sew...in middle school! (25+ yrs ago) I could even thread a machine in less than 60 seconds! I tried to use my machine a few years ago to sew patches on my daughter's Girl Scout vest...ended up almost in tears. Luckily my mom is a wonderful seamstress so I hit her up for odd jobs here and there. We may have to steal your cool idea and make a few of them!

[Kharkhar]

Hah, I do my daughter's girl guide badges by hand and they make me cry, I must prick my finger at least 10 times per badge. I should try by machine!

[madelineelaine]

This is such a neat idea I've added a shower curtain to my list of things to get before I get my piggies! I have just enough fleece left to make a large lap pad, or two small ones. I'm getting two piggies, so would it be better for me to make two? will they get upset if it smells like the other pig?

[Kharkhar]

I'm honestly not sure, I only have the one pig right now, and he's recovering from pneumonia so I can't get him a buddy yet.

[madelineelaine]

aw, poor piggie does anyone else know if I should make one or two? I made two beds for them, just so they don't get competitive over it.

[arionat799]

Make 2. @Kharkhar , could you post directions on how to make these?

[madelineelaine]

two it is and yes, instructions would be great

[Kharkhar]

Sure, it's pretty simple.

Cut a big square out of some waterproof material... I chose a vinyl tablecloth, but a shower curtain liner would work too. Mine is about 18 inches wide but I really just kind of eyeballed it. You want to cut it a bit bigger than your final product for seam allowance.

Then cut the same size in your lining, I used fleece but you can use what you have available, an old bedsheet or whatever!

Pin them with the right sides facing each other (so you're looking at the backs). Start sewing all the way around your square leaving a gap of about 6 inches for turning. It's easier if you don't try to turn it on a corner and instead leave the gap in the middle of one of the sides. Snip excess fabric at the seams, especially the corners, just make sure that you're not snipping the stitches.

Reach into the gap and yank out the fabric, pulling it through the gap and bringing it right side out. Fold the fabric over and finish sewing shut.

Optional: Stitch again over the whole pad to keep the lining and the backing together, I did another stitched square about 3 inches from the sides. You could just do lines going straight through too or crazy quilted designs, whatever you want.

Flip the pad over so that the vinyl backing is facing you, and fold up the bottom to form your pouch, I made mine about 3.5 inches deep. Sew the sides of the pouch. Then flip the pocket out and you're all done.

Now that Bailey has peed on the lap pad twice in one day, I can say that it does work well If I made another though, I might actually make it three layers and put a layer of fleece on the back as well, since the vinyl is a bit slippery, fleece might help it "stick" to your clothes better and offer a bit of grip.

[madelineelaine]

if I put a shower curtain in it, or even a table cloth, would I be able to toss it in the washing machine? Thanks for the instructions! I will definitely be making these.