Fleece How much fleece for a 2x4?

[2PreciousPigs]

I want to make my own piggy bedspreads for the new 2x4 cage I will be building. I would like the spread to be in once full piece. How big will I need to purchase the fleece? 1 yard? 2 yards? I have no concept of how much that is!

 

[zebraXqueen]

I have a 2x3 and I found that 2 yards was a little bit less than I needed, so maybe 4 yards?

 

[2PreciousPigs]

zebraXqueen, is that with the fleece on the top and the bottom with a layer of mattress pad or batting in between?

 

[hurleyslave]

Honestly, for a 2x4 I only use a yard but I have an inkling that when it shrinks in the dryer after being washed a couple more times, I would possibly need more. Even though I only have a 2x3 right now, my piggy bedspreads are made for a 2x4 since I'm adopting another one in just a few days so I wanted to get everything prepared. I would say about 1.5-2 yards would probably be ideal with some materials left over.

For my piggy bedspreads, I generally have a fleece and mattress pad. But for some others that I have made, some of them have fleece on top and a mattress pad on the bottom with a layer of polyester filling in the middle. I have even made one bedding set with fleece on top, 2 layers (pretty thin which was why I used 2) of polyester batting in the middle, then a mattress pad and then a terry towel material (got it by e yard and so not worth it - better off just buying a towel since it's the same material anyways) that I bought on the bottom of all that. I also stitch sew-on velcro onto some of them but since I ran out of velcro, haven't been doing that lately. Hope that helps.

 

[2PreciousPigs]

Hurleyslave

Okay so you do mattress pad on the bottom, polyester batting in the middle, and fleece on top? How is that working for you? I would probably buy a towel and leave it separate to lay underneath.

The way I was reading to do the bedspreads were to do fleece on top, mattress pad in the middle, and more fleece on the bottom, so you can just flip it.

 

[pinky]

If you have a Joanne Fabrics near you, watch for fleece on sale. Their remnants are always 50% off "current" price. If their fleece is on sale and you find remnants that cost the same regular price as their sale fleece, you'll get that additional savings and can get it really cheap. Fleece usually comes in 56" width so it would be just a bit short to fit the length of your cage since it might shrink up..If you have a kitchen area on the first level that takes up some space 56"would be enough for the length of the cage which would be 42" if your kitchen is a 14" X 28". If your cage width is 28" (if your grids are 14" each) you could buy a remnant that is slightly less than a yard (under 36" by the 56" width fleece comes in) and it would be enough for one single layer piece to fit the cage. If you want it two sided, get two yards for two pads: four yards for four pads. If you plan to have it for the entire 56" though, the width of the fabric will be too short. If you want fleece for the entire first level at 56", you can stitch a couple of pieces together to get the right size and not waste the extra fabric. Bring a calculator to you to the fabric store because most of the time the remnants aren't sold in inches but in the percent of a yard such as .675". It gets confusing when you're trying to figure it out unless you have good mental math skills. Keep in mind you can also have two pads to fit the cage. That's how I do it. It's easier to clean the cage that way. It's all a matter of preference, though.

 

[2PreciousPigs]

Mental math skills is definitely not a skill of mine lol

Unfortunately we don't have any local fabric stores. Even our Super Wal-Mart got rid of their fabric section. I make tutu's for my daughers and even the Tulle I have to have shipped to me, it is so frustrating! So any of the fleece I get would have to be ordered, I haven't seen remnants online.

But the idea of doing the bottom in 2 pads instead of one would make more sense, since the fleece would come up short anyway. So you just over-lap the pads or do you make them to fit perfectly?

 

[pinky]

I slightly overlap the pads and have extra on the sides so poop doesn't get between the pads and the sides. I've tried pads to fit the cage, three to a cage and two to a cage. Two has been the best. The ones I didn't like, I took apart or used to fit the top level which is 1 x 2 grid size.

 

[2PreciousPigs]

Thanks Pinky.

I think I read in another post of yours that you have been using fleece sewed like a pillow case with cotton batting in the middle? Then a layer of towel underneath? How has this been working for you?

And what kind of fleece are you using? I have also read on here that sometimes some fleece can smell more than other fleece. I was looking at anti pill fleece but the blizzard fleece seems to be much cheaper. Would using blizzard fleece be okay, have you ever tried it? Thanks!

 

[ingrid]

I would think that the kind of fleece would be less important than the inner absorbent layer. The only difference is that the antipill would look different after many washings. If you have ever seen kids sleepers you can tell which ones are made from anti pill fleece and which aren't. They both function the same way but look different. Personally I don't care how it looks as much as how it works! I'd save my money for the absorbent layers.

Polyester batting or mattress pads made with polyester batting are not absorbent. I can't understand why people think it is. Fleece is made of polyester. Liquid wicks right through the fleece, same as it would polyester batting.

So, I would recommend using something else as an absorbent layer such as toweling or flannel or cotton batting as Pinky is using. This is what I would make my bedding out of, fleece on the bottom, cotton batting in the middle, and fleece on top. I wouldn't flip it over because it will probably be just as wet on the bottom as on the top, but cotton batting will disintegrate in the wash if it isn't held together by something. Like when you wash a kleenex or piece of paper.

The cotton batting that I have gotten at Joanns is on a very large roll and it is called Warm and Natural. Not sure where you might be able to find it online. Good luck!

 

[pinky]

Thanks Pinky.

I think I read in another post of yours that you have been using fleece sewed like a pillow case with cotton batting in the middle? Then a layer of towel underneath? How has this been working for you?

And what kind of fleece are you using? I have also read on here that sometimes some fleece can smell more than other fleece. I was looking at anti pill fleece but the blizzard fleece seems to be much cheaper. Would using blizzard fleece be okay, have you ever tried it? Thanks!

The pads work exceptionally well. The towels are separate and not sewed into the pads. You can use mattress padding, sham wows, diapers, towels, anything absorbent under it. The blizzard I bought was non pill. It doesn't shred, form lint balls or wear thin. I think blizzard is more of a brand type. When I buy fleece, I look for consistent thickness so it's on the heavier side. It should be about the thickness of felt. If you can see the threading in it, it's too thin and will not wear well. When I referred to sewing it like a pillow case, I tried to describe how I sew the pads. I place the two fleece pieces on top of each other and the thin batting sheet on top. I stitch around three sides, and usually do a portion of the fourth since a smaller opening is easier to stitch later. I trim around the edges and corners and invert the pieces so the fleece pieces are outside and the batting and stitching is inside. Then I fold in the remaining opening and stitch it shut. I flatten and even my edges and stitch around the edges and, optionally, stitch both ways in the middle.

 

[charmingtails]

aren't you afraid if they chew it up that it will make them sick?

 

[hurleyslave]

Hurleyslave

Okay so you do mattress pad on the bottom, polyester batting in the middle, and fleece on top? How is that working for you? I would probably buy a towel and leave it separate to lay underneath.

The way I was reading to do the bedspreads were to do fleece on top, mattress pad in the middle, and more fleece on the bottom, so you can just flip it.

Well, since I only have one piggie at the moment and he's pretty good at using his litterbox except for the occasional accident, my bedding sets are holding up pretty well. The mattress pads aren't soaking wet or wet at all. If I had it my way, I could probably get away with not changing the cage for close to 2 weeks. But since I'm currently still in college (at least until this weekend), I have free laundry and the hair on the fleece is pretty unsightly to me so I change his cage whenever I feel that it "looks" too dirty. But it's not smelly or anything. Then again, I only have one piggie and a litterbox. It might change when I adopt my second one and see how they use the litterbox then.

 

[dmppiggies]

Hello--I just want to get some clarification that is specific to my own cage:

So, if I wanted to make a single layer of fleece for my 2x4, I would need about a yard? (I'm using towels/puppy pads for my absorbent layer). Would that also include shrinkage and being able to tuck the ends/sides?

I currently have 4 1/2 yards of fleece (unwashed), but would like to take some back.

 

[maybesomeday]

Hello--I just want to get some clarification that is specific to my own cage:

So, if I wanted to make a single layer of fleece for my 2x4, I would need about a yard? (I'm using towels/puppy pads for my absorbent layer). Would that also include shrinkage and being able to tuck the ends/sides?

I currently have 4 1/2 yards of fleece (unwashed), but would like to take some back.

No, one yard wouldn't be enough to fold over the sides on a 2x4 I'm sure. I currently have a 2x3 and have 2 yards with plenty to fold over & tuck under the sides. I'm waiting on the new Coroplast to make my 2x4 but I would think that my 2 yards would at least be enough to get over the sides but not maybe not tuck under the bottom. You'd have to clip it down with something. Do you know the width of the fleece you have?

 

[dmppiggies]

Oh, I don't want to fold under the sides of the coro, just the towels (so that it acts like a cage pad).

I'm not at home right now, or else I'd measure the fleece--but I do know that it's the average bolt length (as it, it wasn't shorter or longer than a regular bolt of cloth), doubled over.

I have no problem clipping it, either.

 

[hurleyslave]

For a 2x4, it would be around 1.5-2 yards of fleece if you want to tuck it under the coroplast.

 

[dmppiggies]

so, how much would it be if I just wanted to tuck it under the towels?

 

[fresian.m]

I'm really sorry, but I am very very confused as to this whole conversation. I am getting a 2 by 3.5, and I can figure out the size of fleece, but what do you mean about the mattress pads, and absorbing and stuff? I am a newbie who never stops asking questions, and is completely clueless. (-:

 

[dmppiggies]

The fleece is used to "wick" away the moisture from them peeing to keep them dry (think baby diaper or maxi pad commercial), while the towels/mattress pads are used to absorb the liquid until you choose to wash it (which should be at least weekly). Some people use newspapers underneath or make the fleece/pad into a comforter sort of blanket that is laid in the bottom of the cage. This is done instead of using shavings or paper bedding.

What I was asking was the dimensions needed for fleece whose edges need to be tucked under the towels, but inside of the coroplast. I'm trying to see if I can take back some of my material before I wash it and thus it becomes nonreturnable.

I'm a little confused by your "2 x 3.5"--the 2 x 4 we're referring to is not feet, but number of grids on each side. Each grid should be 14", so the inside, usable part of a 2x4 is actually 28" x 56"