How To Make A Cage Liner (with Pics)

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4piggiepigs

4piggiepigs

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You will need:
a mattress topper (100%cotton topped)
fleece washed a few times(of your choice) two colour's for this project (there is an easier way with just one colour)
sewing machine (It will take hours without)
cotton
pins
scissors

Measure your topper to fit the base of your tray (you can put it in and cut it to fit if like me your useless at measuring straight)
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CONT.......

Lay the fleece on the floor (good side down) then the topper on top cotton side down pin all the way round then sew, don't let it bunch up you may have to re pin as you go to prevent it a little bunching is not a major problem(it often happens to me)
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Turn it over and it should look like this, trim the excess fleece and put aside.
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Cut 4 strips of the fabric for the sides my tray was 54inch long by 26inch with 5 inch high sides so 2 of my strips of fabric were 52 inch long you need it to be a tight fit) by 14inch wide (the height of the side times two to go up the side then down the other plus a couple inches to tuck under) and two strips were 24 inches by 14 inches wide. sew the edges together till you have a big loop of fabric

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Pin the seam lines to the corners if there is any bunching on the base fleece push it to the edges then pin the side's all the way round and sew, go over the corners a coule times

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Turn over and fit on your tray

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excellent! Thanks for this, my mums a whizz on the sewing machine so will get her to make me a few once we get the c&c cage built
 
Just wondering whether you use puppy pads or if this is enough to be effective? I currently use towel, puppy pad then fleece. They are pretty good and tend to go in their trays but I'm getting through so many puppy pads from their bed section at the moment :{
 
I don't use anything else and my tray only ever needs a quick wipe, my sister in law uses newspaper underneath but they have only ever been wet in the corners (which is why i said sew them a couple time's) they easily last a week with no smell's they can be machine washed but i wouldnt reccomend tumble drying them.
The cotton first layer on the the topper and fleece allows pee to wick through to the microfibre which is airy so the wee spreads through the topper and dries quick because it doesnt get saturated and there are air pockets in the topper, i have been using them for months i have tried towels which smell really quick puppy pads are really good but expensive (i would need 8 to 10 per tray and i have 2 and half tray's) probably twice a week atleast the liner i made in the instructions cost £13.32 for topper http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/1274581/Trail/searchtext>TOPPER.htm and £2 each for the fleece (which had two layers so in effect 4 fleece) and i can make two liner's plus plenty of topper left over to make lap pads and toilet mats to put in hideys which you can change mid week if you like.
 
Thanks for the info 4piggiepigs and the instructions. I think I will have a go as it sounds way better than the towels and puppy pads I'm currently using mallethead (I HATE washing towels!)
 
If you have one large fleece you can sew the topper to the middle make sure you have enough to go up and down the sides and a little to tuck under this way is easier but i like having different coloured sides

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they are brilliant trust me she has made me 3 now and no wees get thru them and i only clean them out once a week and even then they dont even smell here they are in action lol xx


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I love this idea, i was just thinking yesterday about how much shavings were and how much i was going through, i was going to get some today, but now i have seen this post i am going to the fabric shop and sew a few of these up.

What a great idea, my pig loves sitting on my lap with fleecy blankets and always sprawles there legs out and stretch :) i also think it will be alot more softer on their little feet :)

thank you

ps, i was thinking of getting a couple more pigs when my squeeks is all better, they do prefere to be in bigger groups dont they :)
 
They do like company of their own kind, I now have 8 in my herd i started with 2 lol.

You can make lap pad's out of left over topper and fleece and/or toilet mat's just cut required size place fleece good side down to cotton side topper sew most of the way around leave a gap to turn inside out the manually sew up the gap
 
thank you very much for the easy to follow instructions. i'm definately going to have a go at making a liner for my cage. i tried to find a place that sells them premade as my sewing skills are questionable & i'm not sure my usual trick of wonder web would work ;) but the only one's i can find are american and quite expensive! i think they not only save money but will also prevent bits of sawdust being kicked all over my living room! :{ x
 
I looked at the american ones but I'm not spending that kind of money remember to wash the fleece a few times before I did think about using wonder web instead of pinning to the topper before sewing it would probably stop it bunching at all tho a little don't matter too much. I couldn't sew at all before I started making guinea pig toys now I make loads of things. If you do make one I'd love to see a pic
 
can i ask how many layers of fleece do you use as i am about to attempt making one of my own :)
 
Did anyone ever make a liner? Just because i'm A) nosey and B) want to look at pretty fleece cage's:))
 
I'm going to try this next week but I haven't got a sewing machine, how long do you reckon it would take sewing by hand?
 
I would reccomend doing the plain colour if you understand my diagram lol then you only have to sew once, it will take quite a while tho it take's about 2 hour's to make the other liner(with different colour side's) with a machine! it would be less likely to bunch up as you could keep it reasonably flat whilst sewing but you could use wonder web for quickness it won't last for ever but it will make it work straight away and you could take your time sewing it then it will also ensure there was no bunching. dunelm have 22metres of webbing for 99p
 
Thanks for that, i'll get some wonder web. I'll do the plain colour one, will definately be easier wthout a machine. If it comes out ok i'll post a pic when it's done :)
 
Thanks for the instructions, I'll be making some when their vet bed has worn out, or my newspaper supplies dry up :)).
 
Hmm. I always wanted to give fleece a go. With 9 pigs though the amount of washing that would entail would be insane. That said, I think I might give this a go and give them a fleecy area in their hutches, rather than all fleece or all shavings.

Thanks!
 
I have 8 pig's and clean bedding just once a week kitchen area twice a week as its sawdust
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Thank you so much for showing us this! I made my first one today (it was also my first attempt at using the sewing machine, my mom had to sit around and help me. I only messed up a few dozens times haha) But I was very proud of it! It looks AWESOME! I can't wait to make a few more!
 
Well done! I'd love to see a pic if you get chance:) I love fleece mine are on megazorb at the mo as they have ringworm:(
 
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