We recently stripped out the carpeting in our house and replaced it with hardwood floors. The one most affected by this decision is our dog, who is now more limited in where he can comfortably nap, so I quickly got about making a new dog bed for him to make him feel a little more at home.

Tools and Materials:

• scissors
• sewing machine
• 22"+ zipper
• thread
• memory foam XL Twin mattress cover
• 2 yards of outdoor fabric

Step 1: Select Materials

Purchase a 1-inch-thick memory foam mattress topper and 2 yards of outdoor fabric. The mattress pad will cost markedly less than high density foam at your craft store. I bought a 1-inch topper in the Twin XL length, and then folded it in half to create a 2-inch thick cushion for the bed. I’ve found that outdoor fabric holds up really well to pets, and washes well too. I always recommend splurging on it over regular cotton fabric or upholstery material.

Step 2: Sew the Fabric

Essentially, what you’re going to do is make a pillow case for the memory foam mattress cushion. Flip the fabric inside out and cut it to size to fit your folded mattress pad. This is going to be a rectangular dog bed.

Step 3: Add Zipper

Sew all but one side of your dog bed, and incorporate a zipper into the final side. The zipper I used is a 22-inch length. Keep in mind that the wider the zipper opening, the easier it will be to remove the insert and wash the fabric cover.

Step 4: Assemble Bed and Snuggle Up

Flip the finished bed correct side out, and stuff it with the folded memory foam mattress topper.