After they so hated the Pumpkin Cat House, I have foolishly attempted to make another piece of cat furniture. This time, inspiration came from an old recliner cushion that the cats took over when we disassembled the broken chair and tried to throw away the pieces. 🤦🏻♀️
Since the pandemic, this obnoxious cushion sat in our front room by the window where the cats snuggled in at particularly sunny times. (You can even see this in my Gothic Cat Litter Box video!) Recliner mechanics remained on its underside – metal springs and broken wood framework I intended to remove before closing the open end into a more visually pleasant rounded cat bed. Disassembling the wood frame took some strength, but cutting open the back to remove filling and better shape the cushion was bemusing. I did not realize there was so much stuffing inside a commercial chair, and after cutting black zippers and Velcro strips from the hidden insides to perhaps reuse later, I realized that they might have been helpful in closing up the bottom of this new cat bed. Oops!
Instead I used a scrap piece of matching brown poly satin to close the underside cleanly, gathering the corners first with temporary stitches then again with finer sewing. In some tight spots, a curved upholstery needle would have been handy, but of course I didn't bother to use one. I folded and gathered, removing yet more filling as I drew the bottom completely closed. As I was repurposing something that was already upholstered, this only took a weekend's sweat equity, but of course, the ultimate test came after I left the new much more reasonably looking, able to blend in with the decor cat cushion in its sunny spot. Did the cats like it? Absolutely not.
I tried placing it up on the bench by the larger window, where one cat sat on it one time. Since then it has sat alone in our front room, sprinkled with catnip and positioned with their favorite toys but neither cat that loved the cushion when it was an annoying piece of broken furniture will snuggle upon this new custom made cat bed. They did however play with some of the scrap strips and pieces of fluff while I worked! Was this project a waste of time? Although I did learn new how-tos about cushions and upholstery, I also learned what not to do – mess with a cat's preferred spot. C'est la vie. 🤷🏻♀️
You can see more progress photos on our Kbatz Krafts Instagram and Facebook!
Visit the Kbatz Krafts Archive for More Sewing including:
Damask Blanket and Tie Dye Pillow
Victorian Guest Room Makeover Series
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