Wednesday, February 5, 2014

It's What I've Been Working On Wednesday - Fleece guinea pig accessories

With new pets come new sewing projects! As much as i'd love to make everything out of wool for our new guinea pigs, it is just not practical for all the washing these things will need to endure, so I made a bunch of fleece accessories. Fleece at the fabric store can get expensive, but the thrift stores are full of fleece, just waiting to be upcycled! I found 2 different big double layer (twice the fabric!) fleece blankets, each under $1, and set to work.

I made cage liners first. Why not just use small animal bedding? Bedding is expensive, and not eco-friendly, since you have to use so much of it and throw it out often. I found that my piggies use their "litter box" for most of their pottying, and use so much less litter than filling the cage. The fleece is soft on their paws, more attractive, and for the stray "tiny Italian sausages" (what my son calls their poops, lol), it is easy and fast to just scoop them off the fleece.

 


I saw this idea for a "fleece forest" online, and my piggies LOVE it! They spend most of their day in there, and they think they are invisible when they are in there, lol. I see you Scruffy!



This is another idea I got online. I just made a triangle of fleece with a fringe of fleece hanging down on one end. We don't have to look at the... um... litter box contents, and they like feeling like they are hidden. Win-win!
 

Since whatever doesn't end up in the litter box is usually done in the corners, I made poo-pads, so I can just lift out the litter squares and shake them off into the garbage. Easy Peasy cleanup!



The little bed I did make out of wool, but tucked a piece of fleece in the bottom, so I can switch that out when it gets dirty

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Just like the wool hidey bags I made for them,  but this one is fleece, so I can wash it with the rest of their fleece stuff.




Scruffy loves to lounge in there :).


Since I love to sew, and my guinea pigs seem to love everything I make them, i''m sure there will be more guinea pig sewing in my future! :)