For the dogs!

This past week I was working on getting a delivery ready for AHeintz 57.  

If you have followed my blog in the past you know that they are a local no kill shelter.  What you may not know is that they also rescue dogs from other shelters that  are hours away from being put down.  They do amazing things and I would encourage you to check out their website at http://www.aheinz57.com. 

Specifically I have been working on large doggy beds for them. 

The problem with what I have been doing is that they are pretty hard to wash.  I can't stuff them into my washer, and the one time I did manage to do it took 5 drying cycles to get the bed dry.  This just will not do.

So this week I decided that maybe I should make the bed, and then make a sham like thing to go over the bed.  That way when it was time the sham could be removed and washed and it would be much more energy efficient.  

Best laid plans...... I have never made a sham before in my life....but how hard could it be???

Well lets just say that it was an adventure.  I had 4 large beds made and set out to make their shams.

Here is an example.  I am really glad that I have Hawkeye to quality control all of my work.  He quickly let me know that my current project failed miserably!  He loved the bed but the sham was not doing what I had intended.

So off to youtube to watch a video on how to make shams.  AHH there was my mistake!  I was trying to make it all out of 1 piece of fabric.  It needs to be made with three.

I spent Tuesday afternoon ripping apart what I have previously created and resewing.  I will show you and after at the end of this post.

Did want to show you how I store these until it is time for a delivery.

Yep that is right.  Owens pack n play doubles as delivery staging area at my house.  There are 4 large beds in there.  I thought I would be done with making beds for a little while. But on Monday night when we were organizing fabric, each table also assisted in  determining if the piece of material should be used in a quilt or better served as doggy bed stuffing.

I know have this container to chop down into  stuffing.

This is the bag of slivers from the last two nights of me working on the left over pieces that didn't make it on to mini bolts.  I have done 3 tubs now.....only 18 more to go! :-)

Jacque J also had me bring 4 casings to her.  Adel Quilting and Dry Good is having their annual retreats this last week and this week end.  She thinks that we should be able to stuff three of those beds this week.

So the big dogs will have some comfy digs soon, and I learned a new skill.... how to make a pillow sham.