Fleece Thinking of making a fleece liner and need tips and help!

[Wolfiemix]

So I want to make a fleece liner. I got a sewing machine, plus a ton of sewing kit stuff and supplies for my birthday last May, so I am ready in that department, but I have some questions about making fleece liners.

This is the tutorial I want to follow: https://guineahub.com/how-to-make-washable-guinea-pig-cage-liners/

I have found the fleece pieces and want to know if these will work:

The top that the piggies walk on:
(broken link removed)
I will probably just go to Joann's to see the fabrics available and make sure they are soft enough plus see if the material will probably wick good.

The inside:
(broken link removed)
Is there anything better and cheaper?

The bottom:
(broken link removed)
I want something water proof, so will this work?


Anyone have any tips and tricks for making fleece liners or know of the best fabric to use but is soft for piggies will BAD bumblefoot. Snowball has front feet bumblefoot with bruising on her paw pads and I want something non abrasive and very soft for her. I also want it slightly thick so it's like a pillow to lay on and so she doesn't feel the plastic bottom of her cage or the coroplast of the new c&c cage I am getting soon. But not super thick as she stumbles when she walks and needs something stable and flat, not bunchy and like walking on a very bouncy/stuffed pillow.

Sorry for being so particular about this, but I want the best for my pig. She is 7 years old and has many health problems, specifically her trouble walking (vet thinks pinched nerve or arthritis) and bumblefoot. She needs something to accommodate that.

 

[bpatters]

If you have coroplast on the bottom of your cage, you don't need the waterproof bottom layer.

 

[ItsaZoo]

The fleece is a good choice, I prefer the anti-pill plush because it's thicker, has a nice texture, and washes well.

I have not used Zorb fabric, but from the reviews it looks like it shrinks. You'll have to wash and dry it a few times first. Otherwise if the Zorb shrinks, the fleece will pucker.

Personally, I don't sew my fleece to a backing. I throw a sheet of fleece over a couple of washable incontinence pads used on beds. They wash and dry better when separate, and the pads are quilted so they have some cushion.

What I do sew are wee pads for the corners of the cage, which is usually where the guinea pigs go the most. Those are fleece on top, a microfiber towel or other absorbent layer in the middle, and woven cotton on the bottom. They are about the size of a placemat. Fleece side up they are cushy for under hideys. Woven side up they are great for a hay pile and the hay doesn't stick to the fabric.

I also sew large triangles to use as awnings in the corners like a little covered area. I just use two pieces of fabric sewn together with tabs at 3 corners. I put snaps on the tabs to wrap around the cage wire, or you can just leave them and use small binder clips to attach.

 

[Wolfiemix]

So just the top and the absorbent fleece then? Or does it need a bottom layer, but doesn't need it waterproof?

 

[Wolfiemix]

Thanks for the help! I just want to make stuff like those fleece liners people sell on Etsy and since I'm starting a small pet business, I want to sell high quality sewn fleece liners. For my own pig, I may not sew the liners, but for ones I sell, I definitely want too.

 

[bpatters]

No, the bottom does NOT need to be waterproof if you've got a waterproof bottom to the cage, such as coroplast or a shower curtain. Sewing the waterproof lining to the fleece just makes the fleece much harder to wash and dry.

If you're making them to sell, you could let people choose whether they want a waterproof bottom or not. If they don't have a waterproof bottom to their cage, they may want it on the liner.

 

[Wolfiemix]

Oki that makes a lot of sense. Thank you!

 

[Gandalf]

The canvas waterproof fabric in your link looks like a very tough fabric that may be difficult to sew but I have not used it before. Typically PUL is the type of waterproof fabric used for such liners. That is what I used when making lap pads.

For pee pads inside my piggie cages, I just used the Zorb sandwiched between layers of fleece. (I really didn't have much issue with shrinkage.) Same with my cage liners. The only time I used the PUL fabric was for lap pads to keep one's lap dry if piggie peed on it.

[PUL is the fabric used for the outer layer of cloth baby diapers.]
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pul+fabr...PUL,arts-crafts,234&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_3