Turn Your Old Dog Bed into a Fashionable Tote

posted by molly mutt on May 01, 2021

You can make this!

Yes, our dog beds are amazing and durable and la-di-dah-di-dah. But eventually, they need to be retired—either because they are loved to the bone, or you just want a new one.

I faced a dilemma when this happened the first time—a few years ago. And because the whole brand is based upon the “don’t-throw-it-away” ethos regarding textiles-I found myself in quite a quandary. The old duvet was just too exhausted to keep washing & using anymore (and I was ready to move on to something new)

What to do with all that fabric?

Over the years, I have used the old duvets to make a TRILLION things—using the fabric for lots of awesome (and EASY) sewing projects—which after 476 years, I have finally written up & am ready to share!

Let's start with an easy one—a shopping tote!

instructions pdf here
pattern pieces here

Finished size: 12” wide x 7“ depth x 14.75” height
Seam allowance: .5”

materials

printed instructions

pockets

3/4 yard outside fabric

3/4 yard inside fabric

cuts

coordinating thread cut (print pattern pieces & cut around them)

outside fabric - 2 front panels, 1 long inside pocket, 1 short inside pocket, 2 handles

inside fabric - 2 inside panels, 1 long outside pocket

instructions: pockets

long outside pocket

fold fabric in half, right sides together. IRON. sew all the way around leaving a 2″ gap on bottom.

turn fabric right side out. topstitch top. sew onto FRONT OUTSIDE PANEL, 4″ up from the bottom

long inside pocket

same as above. sew onto FRONT INSIDE PANEL, 4″ up from bottom.

short inside pocket

same as above again. sew onto FRONT INSIDE PANEL, 6″ up from bottom

instructions: handles

instructions: handles

fold fabric in half, right sides together. iron. sew along both sides-leaving opening on both short ends. turn right side out. iron. topstitch.

instructions: outside

sew FRONT OUTSIDE PANEL with pocket to BOTTOM PANEL (right sides together). sew FRONT PANEL #2 (one without pocket) to bottom panel (right sides together).

sew SIDE PANEL #1 to FRONT PANEL #1, BACK PANEL & FRONT PANEL #2.

sew SIDE PANEL #2 to FRONT PANEL #1, BACK PANEL & FRONT PANEL #2. after this step, you should have the outside of your tote, without handles.

time to sew on those handles! end end should be 2" from the side seam. sew on the OUTSIDE of bag (you will be hiding this seam in the final step)

instructions: inside

same instructions as outside with ONE difference! when you get to step #3, leave a 4" gap in the middle, so you can turn the tote when it's all done.

don't forget this gap!!

you're almost done!

put your outside tote with handles inside of the INNER tote. so RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER.

i know, that sounds SO CONFUSING.

it's like this & in this order: wrong side of the INNER tote on top, following by right side of OUTER tote inside of that. sew all the way around the top. turn by using the gap you left on the INNER tote.

top stitch along the top & voila, you're done! (you may want to top stitch the sides & bottom panels together, so you have a more solid structure-but that's a personal preference thing!)