Tink examines the jumbo-size Cat Canoe made in the "Avocado Toast" fabric collection.

We decided to call these fabrics "Avocado Toast" because...well... just have a look for yourself. The green foulard is actually from a collection called "Wandering Elk", printed by QT Fabrics. We used this combination of the green fgoulard and the rich brown cotton to create a coordinating Cat Canoe® and Cat Ball® cat bed. These photos show the same tiny kitty (Tink) modeling the beds. 

Tink is sitting inside the Cat Canoe® made with our green and brown avocado toast fabric combination.

Look carefully over the side, and you can see how we used the avocado green foulard print to line our standard-size Cat Canoe® bed. The model here is tiny, only about 6 pounds, but it is common for cats weighing about 18 pounds to use this bed.

Tink, a six-pound cat, rests inside the Cat Ball® cat bed made with the green and brown Avocado Toast fabric combination.

It has been proven that cats like our cat beds, so I focus on sourcing fabrics to accent home decor or complement cat fur. I like to use fabrics with a textured look, like the scratchy-looking brown here, because these fabrics have a visual character that will help to disguise lint while also looking neutral enough to blend in with decor. 

You can see all of these beds together in our collection of Coordinating Cat beds here. 

How we make our cat beds: I developed the patterns and sewing techniques for our innovative modern cat beds years ago, and the jumbo-size Cat Canoe®, bound with bias tape, is my most recently developed pattern. 

I look for fabrics that might look good in homes or with cat fur. Almost all of the fabrics we use are 100% cotton from the quilting market, as these textiles are high-quality, very washable, and offer timely designs in vibrant colors.

After the supplies have arrived and I've written purchase orders, these fabrics are stacked and cut all at once, using a hand-held fabric cutting saw. The specialty foam we use comes in 50-foot rolls, which are rolled out, stacked, and cut in the same process as the fabrics. 

We typically make about 3-4 small production runs a year, so all of our cat beds are hand-made, in small quantities, by skilled sewers here in Washington. 

Little seven-pound Tink demonstrates our neutral color Cat Canoe® beds

Hopefully this grid photo makes it easier to compare the different fabrics. The Neutral Tan Cat Canoe has a sort of scratched-up, textured look and the colors are like oatmeal, tan, beige and latte. The William Morris Floral Tile Cat Canoe®  uses colors more like latte, linen, light taupe and tan. Have a closer look at the faux bois fabric we used for the lining of this handsome cat bed. The Natural/Red Cat Canoe® is made with a cotton blender in colors you might describe as off-white, beige and ivory. The wine-colored red lining offers a surprising contrast. The Neutral Butter Bark Cat Canoe® was made with fabrics that coordinate with two Cat Ball® cat beds. These prints incorporate more yellow tones, but still refer to ivory and off white. 

A closer look at these neutral fabrics

We also made some Cat Canoe® beds in brown tones, and were lucky enough to borrow a kitten for a photo shoot. 

The Cat Canoe® in khaki and brown neutral fabric options

The Topographical Map Cat Canoe® is in...khaki? Is that a good description of the color? It looks great with the scratchy-looking navy blue lining! The Brown Burlap Weave Cat Canoe® uses a favorite new fabric of ours, printed to look like textured burlap, but it's actually a smooth cotton fabric. We lined these beds with a striped cotton. 

The Cat Canoe® is demonstrated by a kitten and a tiny adult cat, but will fit cats to about 18 pounds. 

Did we do an OK job describing these colors? Do you have better names for them? Are there colors you'd like to see in the future?

LuLu Belle

Pearl

Here are the batik cat beds we've been making in 2023 and 2024.

The mini-size is for kittens and small cats

This cheerful green and orange option is our mini-size Cat Ball® cat bed. We created this small size for kittens and small pets, little creatures under 9 pounds or so. This kitten weighed about 22 ounces. The green and orange polka dot shell and the pink lining are both batik fabrics. 

The Jumbo Cat Canoe was created for big cats, but cats don't follow rules, do they? 

Here's the jumbo-size Cat Canoe® in Navy Batik Rings fabric, and the model you see here is about 17 pounds. He's able to curl up inside, and sleep without any kitty body parts hanging out, but THIS goofy posture is what he decided to do. 

This is a standard size Cat Canoe® made with Teak Batik Bubbles fabric, and demonstrated by a tiny seven pound cat with a mission pounds of attitude. The lining is a bold contrasting cranberry red cotton. 

I love batik fabrics so much that I will buy them when I can!

I will keep using these fabrics because I think they have great potential to look good in home décor, as the fabrics are printed with multiple colors that help to coordinate with furniture, draperies, flooring and furniture,. 

Our original jumbo Cat Canoe® pattern also had a base measurement of about 12 inches and tapered to a point at the tips. This new version is wider at the two ends, creating a more exaggerated "flat bottom taco" shape. A lot of cats like to rest their chins and feet on the edges of a Cat Canoe® and I think this new shape will still allow for that. 

We look forward to seeing your photos of your cats, kittens, nursing mamma cats, and small dogs using this new design, but until then, here's another photo of 17 pound Retro demonstrating the bed.

We've cut fabrics to make 13 different colorways of this new design, and will be listing them in our store as they are available. Go to our Jumbo Size Cat Bed collection  to see the available fabrics. 

A note about the bed in these photos: this bed was a manufacturing prototype and used the last of the pink cupcake fabric. We do have standard size Cat Canoe® beds available in this adorable pink cupcake fabric. 

How We Make Our Cat Beds

We make our our cat bed designs in small production runs. All of the fabrics are stacked, a paper cutting template is place on top, and it's all secured with these weird, super-long pins. Then, it's cut with a fabric cutter that's like a jigsaw mixed with a band saw. 

Example of a fabric cutting machine that can cut many layers all at once

It's really amazing how many layers a machine like this can cut all at once! This is also how we cut the foam panels that go inside the beds.

Felicity Fabrics Prints for 2023

We ordered an assortment of Felicity Fabrics prints with plans to make four different Cat Ball® cat bed SKUs. We will update this blog post with actual photos of the finished beds when they are ready. Until then, just refer to the swatch images. 

"Blue Flower"

We used three different Felicity Fabrics prints to create the "Blue Flower" Cat Ball® cat bed. The floral stems and leaves are in an avocado green, and the yellow of the butterfly lining fabric is more of a mustard tone. 

 "Olive Flower"

This sku is still in production and will be available later in 2023

"Coral Flower"

The "Coral Flower" fabric option is still in sewing production. Look for these later in 2023.

 "Forest Walk"

The shell fabric is the flowing dots connected by dashes, and the lining is the ants following wave-like trails.

The name of this Felicity Fabrics collection is "Forest Walk", have a closer look at the lining fabric and you'll see the inspiration for the name! I'm not sure what to call this Cat Ball when it is finished. Do you have any suggestions? 

Want to get updates on when our news designs are ready? Sign up for our newsletter! 

 We aren't exactly sure what to do to celebrate National Cupcake Day, after all we are in the business of making cat beds, not cupcakes. Hopefully someone out there has some good ideas and will be sharing them on Instagram and Twitter! #nationalcupcakeday #cupcakecatbed #thecatball

Tink is trying to come up with some good ideas for National Cupcake Day

Probably the best way to celebrate this important holiday is with a cat in a hat and and photoshoot, resulting in more ridiculous Instagram posts. See you on Instagram after the hat arrives! #catswearinghats

Tink sitting for a Cat Canoe photo shoot

Introducing Tink

Tink is a cat with an abbreviated name to fit her petite body. Tink, a cat with a staccato name to fit her punchy attitude. Tink, who gets called "Dink" when her Male Authority Figure is annoyed with her. Yes, this is Tink.

Tink's Background Story

It was 2015, and I was sad because I only had one cat. I imagined that Retro was sad because he did not have another animal who would speak fluent Cat (we try, but honestly, we suck at this language). So I imagined that Retro would like a playmate or cuddle pal. I discovered that Purrfect Pals, a cat sanctuary and adoption group in Arlington, Washington, had a cross eyed kitty that I might be interested in. Her shelter name was "Jenny" and she was staying at the Purrfect Pals adoption center in the Woodinville PetSmart store (you can now find the adoptable PurrfectPals kitties at their sanctuary in Arlington, Denny's Pet World in Kirkland, Petco in Issaquah, and Petsmart in Renton.)

"Jenny" was available for adoption from PurrfectPals

Look at that face! I immediately knew I wanted to meet this "Jenny", so I told my husband, "I'm going to Woodinville to meet a cat" and quietly packed a cat carrier in the car. (Rule #1 when adopting a cat: don't ask your SO for permission)

The First Photo Shoots

About a week after moving into her new home, I had settled on the name "Tink" and decided it was time to teach this wee lass how to be a photo model. This photo is from our first modeling session:

We told Tink to "sit and stay" and that seems to be working...for now

That photo shoot went really well actually. She eventually sat down and just looked cute. The tastiest cat treats were used to reinforce the pleasure of being a cat model. 

Tink is paid for her modeling. Retro (right, coming into frame) would also like to be paid for modeling. 

Soon we learned that Tink likes Temptations cat treats even more, but Retro loves the Cat-Man-Do dehydrated chicken, so I just had to buy a case of each. Note: I'm not good at training cats, but I have observed that Tink seems very trainable. She's quite food motivated and learned quickly that the photography area = treats, and she will always show up when I turn the modeling lights on. 

 Tink (left) is a food motivated cat. Retro (right) is not a food motivated cat. 

The first photo shoot went so well that we tried it again just a few days later. Retro and Tink had been living together over 10 days, and I was working every day to socialize them and they weren't buddies, but they were OK sharing space with each other. 

Retro sits in the Cat Ball while Tink gives him a kiss

The photo shoot started well. Retro took the lead and got right into the Cat Ball, and curious Tink came over to check it out. The photo session started like this:

Tink sits for her second modeling session and things seem to be going OK

So yeah, things seem to be going OK. Tink got in and sat down, which is really what I need, right? This is what happened next. 

via GIPHY

She was just - zooming - around the bed. In and out and up and down and around and around. At that point we shared the opinion that "the cat is broken" and I questioned my judgements about cats, so I tried again a few days later. Our third photo shoot started off well, with these results:

Tink's third photo shoot

But then Tink got distracted, forgot all that she had learned about professional modeling, and this happened: 

Tink stops to groom during her second Cat Ball photoshoot

Every photoshoot was starting off great, with Tink showing a lot of potential as a model, then she would lose focus and the photoshoot would just fall apart. "At least I'm getting funny photos" I said to my husband, who was still wondering if we "could return that defective cat".

Well, Now What?

We let Tink sit out the next few shoots, getting these great photos of Retro and visiting guest Mika instead:

Mika came to visit for a few weeks while his human did some traveling. 

Mayne Tink learned something while watching those shoots because she got right to work when we photographed our prototype whale Cat Ball® cat beds.

 Retro was already comfortable when Tink arrived

 Maybe she was just getting more comfortable, or maybe she learned by watching, because Tink is a dependable and skilled cat bed model now. She arrives on time, she works hard, and we get the job done. Almost all of our cat bed product photos now feature Tink, she's become a great model. 

Tink gives a little blep while demonstrating the Cat Canoe modern cat bed

Updated October 6th, 2022

We get a lot of feedback from customers that they are interested in coordinating or matching cat beds. It makes sense, because if you have more than one cat bed in a room maybe you'd want them to look nice together. 

Marcus Fabrics - Cross The Lines

Our newest set of coordinating cat beds uses a collection by Marcus Fabrics called Cross The Lines. This collection is in shades of brown, navy blue, orange, burgundy and green, and the fabrics have different textured looks, like upholstery fabrics, woven rugs or a crackled paint surface, but every one of these fabrics is a smooth 100% cotton quilting-type fabric. 

We've made five different Cat Ball® cat beds, a jumbo size Cat Canoe®, and three standard size Cat Canoe® modern cat beds with these Marcus fabrics. Hopefully these photos help to show how the fabrics look together. 

Navy Lines

The Navy Lines Cat Ball® cat bed uses navy blue and navy/brown fabrics. This option has sold out. 

Navy Brown Crackle

Multi Stripe

The fabric for the Multi-Stripe Cat Ball® cat bed looks textured, like a woven rug, but is actually a smooth cotton fabric.

Brown Sticks

This Cat Ball® cat bed is made in a fabric we called "Brown Sticks" and is another option from the Marcus Fabrics "Cross The Lines" fabric collection.

Green Sticks

Jumbo Cat Canoe

Tink digs deep in this jumbo size Cat Canoe®, looking for treats. 

Standard Size Cat Canoe Beds

We made two Cat Canoe® beds with fabrics from this collection. The Navy Brown Crackle exactly matches a Cat Ball® and jumbo size Cat Canoe® made with fabrics that have a "crackle" look. The Blue Squares Cat Canoe® has a subtle print of blue squares on a field of brown. The lining is a dynamic floral print on a green background. 

How We Make Our Cat Beds

Our cat beds are made here in the state of Washington. We source our fabrics and when we are all done shopping, we stack them up and cut everything at once. It's a lot of work getting the cut ready so we only make a few production runs a year. We are planning everything months in advance, for example I try to cut any Christmas fabrics in June or July of that year. The pandemic and the big freeze in Texas are just two of the recent events that have affected the supply chain for some of the raw materials we use to construct our cat beds. 

Giving Tink a treat as she models the Cat Ball® cat bed during a photo shoot

Photo by The Whole Cat and Kaboodle in Redmond, Washington

Well, we generally see the Cat Ball® cat bed as a bed for one cat. Maybe that is because we have always had larger cats. Maybe it is also because our cats are worse at sharing than 4 year olds are. But as you can see here, it is possible to share! 

Thanks to the Whole Cat and Kaboodle in Redmond, Washington for sharing this fun photo of three young cats sharing a standard size Cat Ball® cat bed. They got pretty creative in this photo!

Cats Who Share

We've seen some really funny photos of multiple cats using our cat bed designs from Nekononiwa, a cat café in Singapore. The cover photo for this blog post was taken at the café, where it seems really common for the cats to share a sleeping space. (For size reference the cats in the cover photo are actually in our mini size Cat Ball® cat bed!) 

The Scandi Blue Stripes Cat Ball® cat bed is lined with a coordinating blue circle print. 

UPDATE 09/27/2022 - The Scandi Style fabric collection by Marcus Fabrics offers a group of fabrics with a modern abstracted look. We bought a variety of prints from the collection in blues, greens and golds and set aside fabrics to make the Cat Ball® cat bed and both the jumbo and standard size Cat Canoe®. We will update this blog post with more images as the sewing is completed. The standard Cat Canoe® will be the last beds made with these fabrics. 

Do you like to have matching or coordinating cat beds? This blog post should make it easier for you to visualize the options for mixing and matching our new 2022 fabric selections. 

These lime green fabrics aren't a designer's collection, but they look pretty good together.

The lime green kitties Cat Ball® cat bed is in a fabric by Andover and the lime green Cat Canoe® fabrics are by Contempo. The repetitive white patterns help the two fabrics work well together. 

Here's the same lime green Cat Canoe® shown with the Cat Ball® cat bed in a fabric we called "Navy Lines", just in case anyone wondered how they look together. 

We also made a navy blue Cat Canoe® with a fairy print. The fairy fabric is by Hoffman and has delicate metallic details. In a previous year we used the fairy fabric to make the Cat Ball® cat bed, you might remember it. 

Navy blue Cat Ball® cat bed and our Cat Canoe® in "brown tiger" fabrics

This navy blue fabric looks great with so many other fabrics! Here we are showing it with our Cat Canoe® in "brown tiger". We've made other beds that will coordinate with these two. 

These two beds are both lined with the "brown tiger" fabric

Sometimes I wish I had about 8 more cats so I could have a tortoise shell cat to photograph with fabrics like these! Orange kitties will also look great with these beds, and can you visualize a black kitty inside the orange geo Cat Ball® cat bed? 

These three beds were made to coordinate with each other, but none of them are exact matches. The three fabrics in use are the brown with brown circles by Marcus Fabrics, the orange circle grid print by In The Beginning fabrics, and the tiger print by Robert Kaufman. 

Need help visualizing the orange geometric lining fabric? This graphic might help.

This Cat Ball® in brown circles fabric will coordinate nicely with other beds in our collection. 

We also got some great pastel options, which haven't been that easy to photograph. Here is my first attempt:

These pastel prints are in grey, mint green, pink and aqua

Here's another view of the pastel fabric options in 2022

The pastel fabrics are all by Riley Blake, we were able to mix and match the shell and lining options to create a pretty visually flexible group of coordinating cat beds, including Cat Ball® in mint green, Grey Fishbones Cat Ball®, Pink Hearts Cat Canoe® and the Aqua Blue Fish Bones Cat Canoe®. There's also a Cat Canoe® in Grey Fish Bones. 

The grey fish bones fabric is also by Riley Blake. This bed uses a brighter coral color fabric for the lining. 

There are so many things I want in a face mask, but one of the top considerations is that it is comfortable.

I designed these masks to cover the face well, to be adjustable, and to have a nose wire. I also made these masks reversible, created an easy to use filter pocket, and I designed them so you can remove and replace the adjustable head strap. 

Size medium reversible face mask made with a purple cats fabric. The masks have adjustable head straps or ear loops. Made in the USA.

Adjustable Head Strap or Ear Loops

I wear glasses and I know a lot of people are wearing glasses and hearing aids, and sometimes it just is not possible to use a mask made with ear loops, so I designed this mask to be easily and comfortably used with a stretchy behind the head band, and this head band can be removed and replaced, which means you can customize it or repair it. 

Left: Size large reversible face mask made with an adjustable behind the head elastic, the adjustable stretchy headband looks very similar. Right: Same mask made with adjustable stretchy ear loops. You can trim the excess fabric. 

This Mask Will Last a Long Time

We used three layers of high quality tight weave cotton fabrics to make these reversible face masks. These fabrics wash well, they can be ironed, and they will last a long time. The mask is also reversible, just flip it and you can have a completely different look!

This reversible face mask design is adjustable, has a filter pocket, and the nose wire can be replaced. You can wear it with ear loops or behind the head straps. 

The other thing that gives the mask longevity is that you can remove and replace the nose wire, and you can remove and replace the behind the head strap. You can change this strap into ear loops, or swap the loops out for a head strap. The card we ship with the mask has a little more information on updating of customizing your face mask.

Layers for Safety

Do you want to wear multiple layers of masks? Our reversible face mask can be layered over other masks, including the big N95 (and similar types) that cup over the face. The adjustable straps and ear loops on our face mask design makes it versatile for layering up.  

Our face mask is adjustable and can be work over an N95 and other face masks with a similar shape. 

Size Medium or Large

We’ve already cut and sewn these masks and made them in either Medium or Large. The Medium was created with pre-teens, teens and women in mind, but honestly, because it is adjustable, many men will also be able to wear it. The Large is longer and wide, offering better coverage for people with broader faces, bigger chins, and thicker beards. I am a woman and can wear either size, but the large does visually overwhelm my face more.

Left: I'm wearing size medium. Right: I'm wearing size large. 

How This Design Has Evolved

At first we were making these masks with an adjustable ribbon head band, and while the ribbon is fun, it didn’t work well for everyone because it can slip on the hair. While barrettes can help keep the ribbon in place, my favorite way to wear this style of mask is with the stretchy knit fabric head band or the stretchy knit fabric ear loops. We can also ship these masks with an elastic behind the head band.

Other Face Mask Styles

We also manufactured a classic contour face mask, and I’ve found that this design can also be work layered over pleated surgical face masks and masks made with the cup shape, including the N95 masks.

Masks for Children

We have face masks for kids!  We have a good selection of three-layer cotton fabric face masks for kids ages about 4 – 10. If you’re looking for face masks for kids about 11 years or older, look at our size medium contour face mask, or our size medium reversible face masks.

More On Our Fabrics

Our company designs and manufactures cat beds, so we have cat-loving customers and requested cat theme fabrics. Many of our face masks are made with cat-theme fabrics, but we’ve also made our reversible face mask designs in solid grey, solid black, royal blue, floral prints and geometric prints. We even made a cute wiener dog face mask!

We'd like to introduce Retro! We got him from a cat breeder who did not realize that a cat in heat would break down a door to access a gentleman cat for some private time. I can't remember which parent was the Angora and which was the Siamese, but that unauthorized union sure created a cute litter of kittens! From the photos we saw, it looked like every one was going to be a lynx point with blue eyes. 

I have no idea what Angoras are like, so I don't know if Retro does any Angora stuff. But he sure does Siamese stuff! Retro howls, yowls, chortles, chirps, chuffs, moans, yips, whines, wails, and makes weird meows. I can't believe how many weird things that cat can say.

Retro was born white and started to show points quickly, like Siamese cats do. This photo collage shows how his coat changed over time. He was even lighter when he arrived, it took a few weeks for his faint tabby pattern to start to show at all. 

Retro likes: dehydrated chicken, fresh shrimp, boxes, high places, tightrope walking, and capturing water drips. His favorite toy is a long thin fiberglass rod, so it's basically a stick. He is also a fan of the Wiggly Wand Cat Toy made by Dezi and Roo, preferring the "Looper" attachment with a bit of tissue paper (it makes a good sound and is fun to shred). 

Retro dislikes: Roomba vacuum, subwoofers, goggies. 

Retro is a large cat. He's long, tall and athletic, and weighs about 15 pounds. Even though he is big, he has no problem getting into our standard size Cat Ball® cat bed of the standard Cat Canoe®. He really fills the Cat Canoe up, but he seems to like how the flexible panels fit him closely, cradling him in a warm and padded envelope. This photo will help to demonstrate. 

Retro weighs about 15 pounds and is inside our standard size Cat Canoe®. 

We have seen 18 and 19 pound cats using the Cat Canoe®, and have even seen two cats in the 12-12 pound size range sharing the bed. The flexible materials make these tight fits possible (and the animals really seem to like it!) Just imagine being compressed into a padded bed that snuggles close around you, holding your body heat in, creating a cocoon of comfort and warmth. 

If you'd like to see more of Retro, search #retroonthejob on Instagram. 

You can use the bed with or without a heating pad, but we only sell the bed, you need to bring your own heating pad to this slumber party. The CATTRESS is made like a pillowcase, so it slides over the padded insert: think of the insert as a pillow or a mattress.

We are currently making the CATTRESS in two sizes, Small and Large. The Small bed measures about 15" x 18" and has a 10" x 10" pocket that will fit the small electric K&H heating pad and their microwavable heating pad. Our large bed measures about 12" x 25" and the pocket is huge, almost the same size as the bed. This pocket will hold two different K&H heating pads, their medium (which is 5.5" x 20") and their large (which is 11" x 23.75"). This photo demonstrates both bed sizes.

Compare the size Small and Large CATTRESS™ pet beds

Slide the heating pad into this pocket. This is the Large CATTRESS™

The CATTRESS™ fits over the inner pad like a pillowcase fits over a pillow.

We make both the CATTRESS™ and the removable mattress. The two pieces can be washed separately. The mattress part is made of cotton or cotton/poly fabric and filled with batting, which is then quilted to keep the batting in place.

The CATTRESS™ is our original design, we developed the idea, pattern and made samples of the bed as we worked through the design process. We make the CATTRESS™ and our other cat bed designs in the USA in small batches.

WASHING: Separate the two pieces use cold water, do not bleach. The inner mattress layer does better with a gentle wash cycle. Dry on lower heat to reduce chance of shrinking. 

Cat Canoe® - White Clouds Camo | Cat Ball® - Moonlit Garden 

There is a lot of interest in matching or coordinating Cat Canoe® beds and Cat Ball® cat beds, and we do try to find fabrics that will allow us to make beds that look good together. I've noticed that our customers come up with some ideas on what beds might look good together, discovering fun combinations that I just had not thought of! Here are photos of beds we made in Spring 2021 to help you see how the fabrics look together. 

Cat Ball® - Grey Blocks | Cat Canoe® - White Clouds Camo

Cat Canoe® - Basket Weave | Cat Ball® - Brown Batik Peacock Feather

 Cat Canoe® - Basket Weave | Cat Ball® - Metallic Asian Sayomi Tile

Cat Canoe® - Basket Weave | Cat Ball® - Abstract Orange City

Cat Ball® - Purple Cats | Cat Canoe® - Purple Cats

Cat Ball® - Rainbow Cats | Cat Canoe® - Purple Cats

Cat Ball® - Rainbow Cats | Cat Canoe® - Teal Blue Blur

Cat Ball® - Flannel Skeleton Cat | Cat Canoe® - Teal Blue Blur

Cat Ball® - Black Sun | Cat Canoe® - Black Sun 

Cat Ball® - Tan Stitches | Cat Canoe® - Tan Stitches

I like to imagine different cats in these beds, like "Wouldn't a black cat look great in this one?" Or, "This lining should help to disguise shedded fur!" I do think about the color of cat fur when shopping for the fabrics, I think that's so important to consider. Thanks to Tink, the cat model who woke up and came to help me with the photos. For reference, Tink is tiny, just about 7.5 pounds. Cats more than twice her weight have no problem using these cat beds. 

Did I miss anything? Do you have any ideas for our beds that would look good together? I'm happy to take the photos and add them here. 

Do ear loops bother you?

Do you wear glasses or hearing aids?

Do you want more control over how your face mask fits?

These are the problems I was thinking about when I designed our adjustable and reversible face masks.

The final design is:

• Adjustable
• Reversible
• Three layers of cotton fabrics
• Has a filter pocket
• Has a nose wire
• Headband can be replaced
• Can be changed to ear loops
• Two sizes available
• Can be layered over an N95 mask

This face mask has a lanyard style headband that adjusts, and many people find it comfortable to wear while moving around or working. 

Suitable for Hay Hauling and More

I don't want my mask to slip when I'm moving around. I want a snug fit, never painfully tight, but certainly tight all around the top because this will help to keep my glasses from fogging. We have found that this adjustable headband mask fits this need. We make them with a decorative ribbon, but if you want a fit that is flexible and snug at the same time, select the elastic headband instead. 

LEFT: The adjustable head band on this face mask style is great if you wear hearing aids or eyeglasses, but some people prefer ear loops.  RIGHT: same face mask altered to use ear loops

Supplies You Need

• Ear loop material
• Safety pin
• Pony bead (this is to use as a slider and is optional)

Ear loop material What can you use for an ear loop? We like ¼” elastic, fold over elastic, and cotton knit or cotton/Lycra knit (you can use an old t-shirt). If you use a t-shirt you can cut a strip from the sleeve or the bottom, I recommend cutting a ½” wide strip that goes in the direction around the body or sleeve. Cut two that are at least 12” long. Cut the strips then pull them, the knit will stretch and curl.

Safety Pin – This tool is to thread the ear loop through the casings and I suggest it because you probably have one. The pin I used is 1-1/2” long and was the perfect size. Tweezers are also a good tool for this job. If you have loop turner from your sewing tool kit they are my favorite tool to use.

Pony Bead – This is to create a sliding adjustment and you don’t need them, but it’s a clever way to make the mask adjustable. You need one bead for each side. I used 9mm pony beads.

OK, this is easy to do!

Get your new ear loop material ready first. If you’re planning to use a t-shirt, cut the strips and trim the tips to sharp points, which will make it easier to thread into the bead.

Pull the original headband out and thread each ear loop into the casings. If you haven’t done this before, what you do is use a safety pin, or pull it through with tweezers.

Stack the ear loop material so the ends are even and thread them through the bead at the same time. Trimming the ends of the t-shirt fabric makes this so much easier. If you use ¼” elastic then forcing it into a roll, like how some people can roll their tongue, makes this easier.

Here is more detail on the finished ear loops made of cut cotton/Lycra fabric. You can also use a 100% cotton knit. We prefer thin and stretchy fabrics.

Tie a knot so the adjusting bead doesn’t pull off, this is why you want the loops to be at least 12” long.

I really like using the t-shirt fabric or cotton/Lycra knit for face mask headbands and ear loops. I think the stretch is good, and the fabric is comfortable. It never feels bulky to me and it has been comfortable and reliable to use.

This prints are copper metallic on a black cotton, the print size is small. 

The fabric is a copper color ink on a black background. We will also make Cat Canoe® beds using some of these copper fabrics

These fabrics look like batik but were actually digitally printed. The feather print is under 3" tall.

These coral fabrics should look great on the Cat Ball® cat bed, the stripe will be used for the lining. 

There are more fabrics on the way, this is just a little preview of what we have planned for the Cat Ball® cat bed this year. I was able to source a wide variety of fabrics, but most are prints. I wasn't able to find many neutral or quiet modern-look fabrics. Here are more fabric swatches to give you an idea of what else we will be working with. 

I'm not exactly sure how I'll use these fabrics, but right now I see them as Cat Ball® cat beds. Look at them vertically, with the top fabric as the shell and the lower fabric as the lining. 

More fabric swatches that I'm thinking of using as Cat Ball® cat beds.

We are also preparing to cut more Cat Canoe® beds in 2021, I estimate them to be ready for Spring/Summer. 

-Jennifer, 

Designer

The Cat Ball, LLC

Tink and Flat Tink pose with our new CATTRESS™ pet beds beds that are designed with a pocket to hold a heating pad

Cozy cat beds are great, but what can we do for a cat who is always cold? Cats who are short haired, hairless, elderly, or physically small, often have difficulty staying warm. My little kitty Tink is a petite cat and even though she’s got good fluff, she’s so small that she gets cold, and in the winter she seeks out the beds with electric heating pads, so I created the CATTRESS™ pet bed style for kitties who want to use a heating pad.

Let’s pause for a quick discussion of heating pads for pets. What I am talking about here is a heating pad designed specifically for use with pets. I know about a microwavable pad made by K&H, and one by SnuggleSafe. These pads easily heat up in your microwave, advertise that they stay warm for hours, and will fit into the pocket on our beds. K&H also makes electric pet bed warmers, and what you see in the photos here is an older version of their size small, which is what I designed to pocket to hold. This heater uses a very small amount of power and keeps the surface of the pet bed warmer than ambient air temperature, so it is no wonder Tink likes to sit on the heating pad! This electric pad needs to be covered and should never be used in an enclosed space where the animal cannot get away from it.

We would like to thank Flat Tink for assisting with the photo shoot. This is our size small CATTRESS™ pet bed. 

We are making the CATTRESS in two sizes, Small and Large. Our small bed measures about 15" x 18" and has a 10" x 10" pocket that will fit the small electric K&H heating pad and their microwavable heating pad. Our large bed measures about 12" x 25" and the pocket is huge, almost the same size as the bed. This pocket will hold two different K&H heating pads, their medium (which is 5.5" x 20") and their large (which is 11" x 23.75"). This photo demonstrates both bed sizes.

The pockets will help to keep the heating pad positioned in the center of the bed, and the single layer of fabric separating the heating pad and your kitty means they will be able to feel more heat than they could if you placed the pad under a towel. 

 This is little Tink on the large size CATTRESS™

Both the small and large CATTRESS will fit into the Cat Ball® cat bed.

The Cat Ball® cat bed shown with size small CATTRESS inside

The Cat Ball® cat bed shown with size large CATTRESS inside

Right now we are making the CATTRESS beds with leftover fabrics so most of them are one of a kind (OOAK). The beds are filled with a thick 2” batting, so they are super puffy. The fabrics are 100% cotton and can be washed with cold water, no bleach. Tumble dry on a lower setting to avoid excessive shrinking, or dry flat.

Tink likes this bed, I’ve got one set up for her on my worktable and it’s a favorite place for her. I've also put a heated bed next to my computer and this helps her to find a sleeping spot close to me, yet not in my way. Consumer testers have given the CATTRESS bed design good reviews, the cats are are choosing this bed over the same heater wrapped in a towel, probably because this thinner fabric transfers more heat to the cat. 

High quality faux furs are amazing textiles. It’s just incredible to see yards of a continuous plush fantasy leopard fabric, a giant rectangle of warm novelty fur that is waiting to become something fabulous and creative. The attention to details in the length, texture, density, and sheen are incredible, and the fanciful color decisions are entertaining. I have no idea how faux fur is made. How do machines even create this stuff?

We got the camera out, and Tink arrived

We sourced some fantastic faux fur textiles and they are too thick and heavy to use to make our Cat Ball® cat beds, so I had to think of a different way to use them: I decided to create flat sleeping mats.

Tink sits on a stack of prototype luxury fur cat sleeping mats. These removable cushion covers are made with luxury faux fur and a coordinating cotton and are washable.

These mats use a high-quality faux fur on the top and the underside is a coordinating cotton fabric. There is an envelope closure on the back so you can easily remove the outer case and wash it or insert a different cushion in the cover. These beds are shipped with a ½” foam insert that can be removed, replaced, and washed separately with the bed. You don’t have to use the foam, you could put a pillow form, batting or a folded towel inside the case. The foam has a fun floppy character and gives the bed a well-defined shape.

This pink fur is short, shiny, swirled, and very soft

The mats measure about 19” x 17” and can be used alone or inside or on top of other cat beds, cat trees, and cat carriers. You can shove the mat inside a Cat Ball® and it will stick out the front and I think cats will find the shape and padding appealing.

Novelty Leopard Fur

This gorgeous faux fur has the rosette camouflage pattern characteristic to leopards, made here in a fantasy color variation. This fur is chinchilla like in the depth and touch, and has a definite nap. 

Washing This Bed

During our prototyping phase Retro puked on the cotton fabric side of a sleeping mat. I took the foam out of the cotton cover, sprayed a stain pre-treatment on the bed, and washed the two pieces together in cold water (I use cold to keep the cotton from shrinking). I let both components air dry and the puke stain washed out just fine. We haven’t tested cat puke on luxury fake fur yet, but I’m sure there will eventually be an opportunity. I would handle this by first removing any large pieces. I would consider brushing the fur if it looked like the vomit had caked the hairs together, then I would probably wet and gently pre-wash the area in the sink before taking it to the washing machine.

Machine wash on gentle with cold water, right side out, do not bleach, 

When testing the washing I found that I preferred to wash the bed right side out. If the bed is dried flat or on the line you can fluff the fur by hand or dry the still slightly damp bed in the dryer for a short time. If you put it in the dryer I recommend using the Low heat setting. I tested washing/drying with the foam pad removed. 

What happened to our cat bed inventory?

Here we are, just days before Christmas and Winter 2020 has started and our cat bed company is nearly sold out of cat beds! What happened, and when are we getting more? 

It was hard to get fabric

We started making face masks early in 2020, working with fabrics that we had on hand. Making face masks kept us busy but the big thing thing that interrupted making cat beds (and face masks) was getting fabric. The fabric suppliers we work with had to close their warehouses, eventually reopening with limited staff so they could practice social distancing. As a result, all of them had shipping delays. Almost all of the cotton quilting fabric is printed in an Asian country (South Korea, for example) and international shipping was delayed, as were the importing and unloading processes. Every delay simply compounded, creating huge warehouse backlogs, and it got really hard for us to buy fabric in the quantities that we need for manufacturing our cat beds, and for getting new, fun fabrics to make face masks. 

We made our Cat Canoe® and Cat Ball® cat beds as normally as we could over the year, and also "got discovered" by new local mom and pop boutique pet shops around the country, so more people were able to see the nice fabrics we use to make our modern cat beds in person. The increased wholesale activity did reduce the inventory available in our online stores.

All of the face masks!

Let's backtrack to face masks for a moment before getting into our cat bed plans for 2021. We first developed a classic contour face mask design and made it in a size large. We then started to add an adjustable behind the head elastic option, which many people prefer if they wear glasses and/or hearing aids. 

We then added two more sizes, Medium for pre-teens to women, and Small for kids ages 4-10. We can add the adjustable behind head elastics to these masks. 

After wearing face masks myself for a few months I wanted to make some improvements, so I designed a new option (I went to school for pattern making and Apparel Design). This new face mask is reversible and is made so the two components most likely to break or cause problems, the nose wire and the headband, can be replaced. We have made the reversible face mask in size medium and size large, but the flexibility of fit will allow many people to wear either size. 

What are the plans for cat beds? 

We are cutting fabrics for 5 new Cat Ball® cat beds in January 2021 and will have some beds ready by late January to early February. Here is what we are working on, the top fabric swatch will be the shell fabric and the bottom swatch is the lining fabric. 

Fabric swatches for our upcoming "Purple Cats" Cat Ball® cat bed

Fabric swatches for our upcoming navy blue tile fabrics Cat Ball® cat bed

Got Anything Else Planned?

We are currently working on cat sleeping mats that will be made of luxury faux fur and cotton fabrics. These mats would be able to be used on their own or also with our Cat Ball® cat bed. The design will be like a slipcover or pillowcase, so you can adjust the fill material, adding a pillow or sheet of foam, or slip in a heating pad. Here is a photo of the prototypes:

Cat sleeping mats made with super soft luxury faux fur. The bottom is made with cotton. We are working on photos for other fabric options now.

Cute Cat Fabric Face Masks

Are you on “team cat” and want to show full feline allegiances by wrapping your face with cute cat fabric face masks? We’ve combined fun and function with our new reversible and adjustable face masks made with bold cat fabrics.

This photo grid shows four different fabric options. This face mask is shaped to your face with a nose dart. This design allows more of the attractive fabric pattern to show.

Great Fabric, Quality Fabric

Our fabrics were sourced from top quality cotton fabric manufacturers so they are pretty, high quality and will wear well over time. Our original, innovative face mask design is reversible, is made with three layers of woven cotton fabric, and has a filter pocket.

Reversible Face Mask

Wear this reversible face mask either way! The mask easily flips over to be worn with either side showing. We have used the cute cat fabrics on one side and coordinating fabrics on the other.

This mask design is available in sizes Medium and Large

Face Mask for People Who Wear Glasses

A common problem for people who wear glasses or hearing aids is that their ears are already filled up: there just isn’t any more room for the ears to hold ear loops. This face mask design does not use ear loops. Instead, this behind the head face mask stays on with an adjustable ribbon and is also an option for people who can’t use earloop face masks for other reasons. That said, it may be difficult to use this style of face mask if you have mobility issues. You will need to be able to lift your arms above and behind your head and grasp a small bead to use this face mask. It may be possible for people with such mobility issues to use this mask if it has elastic instead of a ribbon, contact us for more information.

The adjustable headband wraps around the back of the head, not the ears, so this face mask can be more comfortable to wear for long periods of time and does not use the ears. 

Easy Access Filter Pocket

Our masks are made with three layers of cotton fabric and the design has a filter pocket if you want to add more. Some people find that folding a tissue into a long strip and placing it high up in the mask, right along the top, helps to create a barrier that will prevent glasses fogging, so that is one reason you might still want a filter pocket in a three-layer washable face mask. I often cut a paper towel into long strips and add it for a filter layer. I designed this face mask filter pocket differently than most (or any?). The filter pocket is open at the bottom. I tested my prototype masks and realized this would work, and the bottom access filter pocket makes it easier to get a filter in the pocket.

The filter pocket is at the bottom of the mask and is wide and easy to access. I often cut a paper towel into strips and use one strip as a removeable filter.

Adjustable Face Mask

Our lanyard style face mask uses a ribbon headband for an adjustable fit and the masks are made with a 54” long ribbon that wraps around the back of the head rather than your ears. Adjust the headband with a sliding bead to get the mask on or off.

The ribbon headband is threaded through two casings and can be easily removed and replaced. We made the mask this way so you can customize or replace it. Your needs may change over time, and we thought it would be great if a mask could be updated to meet those needs.

What else works for a lanyard?

Elastic – Elastic creates a snug fit and I prefer it when I’m doing something really physical, like bicycling or carrying boxes. The original bead will work with ¼” elastic.

Shoelace/Leather Shoelace – These are easy to find and might give a better grip with certain hair types (or lack of hair). Look for something about 54” long.

Stretchy Knit Fabric – Replacing the headband with a strip of stretchy knit fabric is a clever hack and you can do it with a t-shirt. Cut the hem off an old t-shirt and discard it, then in a single layer, cut a continuous strip from the shirt, starting at the bottom. I found a 5/8” wide cut works well, being a good width for my head and the stitched casing on the mask. I cut the strip about 54” long and trimmed the tips to a point and slipped the original bead back on easily. TIP: If you cut the fabric this way and then pull it tightly it will curl up on itself and look like a tube rather than a flat strip and it still works fine.

Things to remember

• Tie a knot at the end of the strap so your bead slider doesn’t pull off
• Don’t want a bead slider? You can also use a toggle or cord lock
• Attach a safety pin to the new headband to make it easier to thread through the casing, or pull it through with tweezers

Quality Fabrics Last Longer

High quality fabrics wash better and last longer, so we buy the more expensive fabrics. We recommend washing face masks in a lingerie bag in cold water. Do not bleach. I smooth and straighten the damp fabric, easing any wrinkles out, and let the masks hang dry. It is OK to put them in the dryer but they will probably get wrinkled.

It’s Not Just Cats - Other Fabrics Available

This is true: we also made these face masks with other fabrics, not just cat fabrics. The reversible design allows you to choose your look for the day. The fun part? If you open the filter pocket you’ll see the secret third layer of fabric we hid inside!

When you lift the bottom hem to access the filter pocket you will see the third layer of fabric. We’ve used fun surprise fabrics in the filter pockets.

Each fabric was cut in either Medium or Large and is only available in that size. Because the masks have the adjustable headband you might be able to wear either size or share masks with others in your household. We save manufacturing time by stacking the fabrics for one size and cut them at once. We suggest that you first view these face masks by size, the Medium reversible face masks are here and the Large reversible face masks are here. If you really love a fabric in the other size just pay close attention to the measurements and have a look at the photos that compare Medium to Large.

This mask design is made in size Medium or Large, here you can see the two sizes on the same person

Our new face mask design is made in size Large for men/adults and size Medium for women/teenagers. The mask is fitted to the face with a nose dart and has a flat front without a center seam. This creates a good shape on the face without putting a seam right down the middle, as you can see in this photo:

Our new face mask design is shaped for the face with a nose dart and does not have a seam down the center front so there is more space to show the design of a fabric. 

This new design is also totally reversible, so we are making them with very different fabrics on each side. 

This face mask is totally reversible so you have two different looks! 

The design has a wide filter pocket that is accessed from underneath. 

The filter pocket is wide and easy to access, just lift up the bottom edge. These masks are made with three layers of fabric and you can see the third layer of fabric here. 

Long Lasting Face Mask that You Can Update

We think people may be using face masks for a long time, and not just because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Some people may continue to use face masks during cold and flu season or may want to have personal protection due to immune issues, so we wanted to create high quality accessories that allow for flexibility and durability while also being easy to use, so we designed this mask with removable or replaceable components. We've continued to use the high quality woven quilting cotton fabrics we're already known for, as they have been very popular with the contour fit face masks we've made for children, teenagers/women and adults. Elastic can wear out over time so we decided not to use it at all. These face masks are shipped with a narrow ribbon headband and sliding bead to adjust the length and tension of the wrap around your head. If you have hair you can secure the ribbon into place with a barrette or bobby pin. If you don't have hair then this band can be easily replaced with a narrow strip of knit fabric, like from a t-shirt. Another thing that works well is a shoelace or leather shoelace. We are excited that this design allows you to control and customize your wearing experience and if you discover something that works for you, let us know so we can share your experience. 

Replacing and Customizing the Head Strap

Does the head strap slip around on your head? Do you want a head strap that grips? You might have better success with a leather shoelace, stretchy t-shirt fabric or even a strip of elastic or elastic cording. We recommend using something around 54" long so there is plenty of room to expand when you're putting the mask on. 

A strip cut from an old t-shirt can make a comfortable headband. In the photo below we cut a 5/8" wide strip from a 2XL t-shirt then pulled the strip firmly all along the length and it will curl up like this. See how it looks like a tube now? 

Old t-shirts are great to use to make a drawstring tie. Cut a strip about 5/8" wide then pull the fabric and it will curl up

Use a big safety pin to thread the t-shirt fabric into the face mask. Bigger safety pins will be easier to use, but it it's too large it won't fit through the tunnel! Test the size before you get too far along. 

The perfect safety pin is the biggest one that will still fit through the casing, so test it before you get too far along

The mechanical drawing in the upper left shows a side view of this face mask design, and the stitches that create a channel that can be used to hold a nose wire. 

 Some People Want Nose Wires

Our main goal with this face mask design was to create a face mask with adjustable sizing and a filter pocket, and we know that some people like nose wires. Nose wires add a layer of complexity and we wondered things like: will the metal be washable? Will it rust when washed? Will the wire poke holes in the fabric when it is washed? Will the wire cause a reaction to skin? What we decided to do is design the mask so that a nose wire could be added if desired. The mask has a stitched channel that is open on each end so you can replace any nose wire on demand and continue to customize the mask. It can be kind of tricky to insert a nose wire, here is what we suggest:

• Get a long tool that will fit into the nose wire channel, a chopstick may work well. We've used a chopstick in this photo.
• Insert your chopstick so that it passes beyond the dart seam at center front of the mask. Keep the chopstick in there and wiggle the nose wire in over it. The chopstick will help you to guide the nose wire in.

We've inserted a chopstick in the channel where the nose wire goes, and use the chopstick to help create a pathway to insert the nose wire

How do you wash these things? They are made of cotton fabric and the instructions are the same as for our other face masks. If you are washing in a machine we recommend:

• Tie the strings together when you wash so they don't pull out
• We recommend washing inside a mesh bag (Pro-Tip: just drop used masks directly in the bag and store them there until washing time!)
• Heat shrinks cotton, so we recommend cool water to preserve fabric color and size of mask
• Bleach till change the color, so we do not advise using bleach on these fabrics
• We like to hang dry to reduce wrinkling. If you use the dryer then keep the mask in the mesh bag and be aware that a hot setting could shrink the cotton fabric

Have you learned any tips or tricks that make face masks easier to wear? We'd love to hear from you. 

You provide the fabrics. Once someone had leftover drapery yardage from her custom drapes and we made a Cat Ball® out of that, it must have been fun to have a cat bed that coordinated with the living room! Usually the client just wants fabrics that we don’t have and she has them shipped directly to us.

What fabrics can be used?

We recommend cottons from the quilting market, and that you select higher quality stuff. High quality fabrics cost more and they are worth it.

• We cannot use bulky fabrics and do not recommend heavy fabrics. A 5-6 oz denim can work, but a 10 oz or heavier denim can cause the bed to droop.
• We recommend fabrics that do not have large expanses of white or light-colored fabric as the foam and seam allowances are likely to shadow through.
• A printed pattern helps to hide anything that sticks to the bed (like cat fur and dust bunnies).

Here are examples of a light color fabrics that worked well. The fabric is not transparent (look for higher quality quilting cottons) and any time there is a tight printed pattern it is harder to see anything shadowing from behind.

Not all light color fabrics work well for our cat bed designs, and here are examples of two that did work well

What happens next?

Make your plan. The Cat Ball® has three elements, the shell, lining, and bias tape. You can use one, two or three different fabrics. Make your plan and send us your direction. We can help you with decisions if you want pointers.

• Source your fabric and ship it to us.
• If you are ordering from a fabric seller you can have them ship directly to us. I’ll let you know when it arrives.
• We pre-wash and custom cat bed dry fabrics before cutting.
• Lead times for custom beds is around 2 weeks after we receive the fabric, depending on the time of year, so I need to know if you have a deadline.

The Cat Ball® cat bed

We can make three different sizes of Cat Ball® cat beds:

Standard Cat Ball® cat bed – This the size you see in our catalog, we suggest it for pets to about 18 pounds.

The mini Cat Ball® cat bed – This smaller bed is about the right size for kitties to about 8-9 pounds. It is a great size for kittens and foster kittens, who will try to climb it, and will launch themselves onto it. The smaller panels are less likely to collapse and the bed tends to kind of throw the kittens off, which is entertaining. This bed uses about as much fabric as the standard size and it is more difficult to make.  We are not currently manufacturing this size in bulk; we are only currently making them custom.

Retro demonstrates how 15 pounds of cat fits into the mini size Cat Ball® cat bed

The jumbo Cat Ball® cat bed – If you have a 25-pound cat or two 12 pounders who always sleep together, this is the size to consider. The diameter is slightly larger, and the shape is elongated. We are not currently manufacturing this size in bulk; we are only currently making them custom. This bed is also best washed in a front loader.

See this chart for fabric yardage needs. Online fabric sellers often require minimum fabric cuts of 0.5 or 1 yard so you may need to round up, never round down.  If your fabric has a grid, plaid, or any large visual element that will need to be lined up and matched then you may need more fabric; please contact me.

Custom Cat Canoe® modern cat bed

We make the Cat Canoe in two sizes.

Standard Cat Canoe® – This bed is long and narrow; I was thinking of cats who like shoe boxes when I was developing the pattern. We suggest this size for cats to about 18 pounds.

Jumbo Cat Canoe® - This bed is the same length, but the bottom is about 50% wider and the sides are higher.

Cat Canoe® fabric considerations

As with the Cat Ball®, light color fabrics are a potential issue. You also need to verify the width, if the fabric is under 44/45” then you need to provide at least 1.5 yards if I’m making two beds or one bed with the same fabric for shell and lining.

This is a pair of jumbo Cat Canoe® beds and the yellow bed is a great example of a fabric design that has a large expanse of light color fabrics that will sometimes shadow through. These are Andover fabrics, and are high quality, and there was no shadowing.

Two custom fabric Cat Canoe® pet beds, made in the jumbo size

If your fabric has a large design that needs to be laid out carefully to make the bed look good then it will take more fabric and I won’t be able to cut two beds from one yard. This custom bed is a good example, I used more than the usual amount of fabric so I could lay the bold pattern out carefully. This bed used 1 yard of shell fabric.

If your fabric is 44/45” wide, there isn’t a pattern that requires a fussy layout like the cats shown above, and you do not mind that one of the bottom panels is cut on the bias, then one yard of fabric can be used to make two Cat Canoe® beds, or as you see in this photo, one yard of tomatoes and one yard of pickles  were used to make a pair of coordinating beds.

Pair of coordinating Cat Canoe® beds made with funny tomatoes/pickles fabrics

Common Fabric Shopping Questions

Where is the studio? Need to check on shipping rates? We are located in the Seattle, Washington area and the shipping zip code is 98008.

What if I have 54” or 60” fabric? Well, is it too heavy to make a Cat Ball®? Fabrics that are 54” wide are likely to be draperies which are usually OK, or upholsteries, which are too heavy. These cat beds can’t be made with heavy and bulky fabrics. Fabrics at 60” are more likely to be bottom weights and are potentially too heavy. Fabrics close to quilting cotton weight work well for this bed. Buy the same yardage as you see in the chart; round up if the fabric is under 45” wide.

Can I use fabric I already have? Yes, you bet. Let me know if you have already washed and dried it. If you don’t have quite the yardage in the chart let’s talk as there may be a solution.

What if I want stripes, plaids, or fabrics with large design elements?  We can work with such designs, but it may take more fabric. This Cat Ball® was made with an artist designed astronaut cat fabric that was sourced from Spoonflower and I compared the measurement of the design elements to the Cat Ball® pattern before advising my client on how much fabric to purchase. Spoonflower fabrics are expensive, but the cat design is so large that I knew it would look better if I was fussy about how I laid it out and cut it, so I wanted some extra. We found a cotton quilting fabric to line the bed, which costs around $10/ yd less than the Spoonflower fabric did.

Custom fabric Cat Ball® cat bed made with a large astronaut cat fabric, printed by Spoonflower

Below is a custom Cat Canoe® that was also made with a Spoonflower printed fabric. I carefully considered this large design before cutting, and we saved money by using a quilting cotton from a fabric store for the lining. This bed was made with 1 yard of Spoonflower printed fabric.

Custom Cat Canoe® made with an artist designed Wizard of Oz inspired fabric that was printed by Spoonflower

This custom fabric Cat Canoe® uses a nice quilting cotton that was purchased at a fabric store and I needed to lay the pattern pieces out carefully to make the bed look nice. This bed used a yard of shell and a yard of lining.

Custom Cat Canoe® modern cat bed made with a fun cat fabric that the customer provided

I recommend buying coordinating fabrics – Many online fabric stores show their fabrics by collection and this makes it easier to buy several fabrics that were designed to coordinate, both in the print theme and in the colors. Buying fabrics from a collection is the best way to get textiles that look great together when you are shopping from a computer.

This is a custom jumbo size Cat Ball® that was made with coordinating, artist-designed fabrics from a collection posted on Spoonflower. The artist had these prints available in different colorways.

Bronson’s exercise theme Cat Ball. This bed is jumbo size

Have I answered your questions about making custom cat beds? Don’t hesitate to contact us if you still have questions. I’ll update the blog post if your question will be helpful to others.

Our shipping policy is to ship things quickly, selecting the best method for your needs and shipping location, for example we always use USPS when shipping to Alaska or Hawaii. We actually prefer using USPS anyway, but if you prefer that we ship with UPS or FedEx, just leave a note when you're checking out and we will use your preferred method*. 

We've been shipping our face masks with USPS Priority Mail, it costs more than First Class, but it has been quite reliable so far this year. 

If you have any requests with shipping, for example maybe you'd like us to include a gift note, let us know. 

*Did you order a cat bed? For best results we recommend removing the shipping box immediately after opening. 

We’ve been finishing our contour fit face masks with two different wearing options: ear loops or behind the head elastic. It turns out that the behind the head elastic (BTH) is popular and the fabric options sell out quickly, leaving people frustrated. We get it, and the issue was bothering us, and then we realized we had a solution: we can add elastic bands to any ear loop style face mask we've already made. 

Two elastic bands have been added to this finished ear loop style face mask

This solution is a smart quick fix. You can choose any finished ear loop style face mask in our size Large or size Medium, and just make a note when you’re checking out that you want us to add the behind head elastic. We will sew it on as an aftermarket addition to your face mask and ship the mask with both ear loops and BTH elastic. If you want to cut the ear loops off you can, it is easy to do, or maybe you’ll like having both.

Here is a video showing a mask I just finished adding the two bands of elastic to:

Can you see how I added two thin bands of elastic, each with beads? The beads act as a slider so you can adjust the elastic tension. This aftermarket customization can potentially make any face mask more comfortable for you to wear. 

Do our photos and videos here explain this well? Does it make sense to you, or do I need to work on getting more photos and video? 

I personally really like wearing the face masks with behind the head elastic. I wear glasses and find that the double bands keep it tight on my face, which is part of the strategy you need to prevent glasses fogging. The secure fit of the double bands makes them my preferred option if I’m moving a bit harder than usual, like carrying boxes into the Post Office. Behind the head elastics don’t use your ears to keep a mask on the face, so if your ears are already filled up with hearing aids or glasses, it’s an option to consider. If your ears simply can’t use ear loops then this style of face mask should be considered. I like the basic concept so much that I’m currently working on a prototype for another face mask style that also stays on the head without using the ears.

Our face masks are made with three layers of tightly woven cotton fabrics from the cotton quilting market. We manufacture our face masks in the State of Washington, where we also make our innovative cat bed designs. 

Face Mask Solutions for Glasses or Hearing Aids

If you using hearing aids or having issues with earloops and your glasses, you need to try face mask that stays on by wrapping around your head some way. We currently offer a "behind the head" elastic option, like this:

The double bands of elastic hold the face mask close to the head

I like this style because it holds the mask close to my face, I pull it up high on my nose and sit my glasses on top and I don't have major problems with my glasses fogging. That said, this style mask might not work for you if:

• You have mobility issues, as you need to be able to lift your arms up to get the mask on
• You have really thick hair
• You have a really big head

Does anyone have ideas or suggestions for people who have limited mobility? I want to hear from you. 

Our behind the head face masks have been so popular that we are selling out of them and I'm getting requests for fabrics we no longer have, inquiries about inventory levels, and worried emails from women trying to find a face mask with a neutral look for their husbands. I've got two solutions for you to consider.

Try an Ear Saver With your Face Mask

Ear savers are any device that connect ear lops to each other behind your head, keeping a face mask on without using your ears. Why should you try an ear saver?

• Potentially use an earloop style face mask with hearing aids or glasses
• Let you wear a mask that is not quite the right size
• Wear a mask that has uncomfortable ear loops
• Wear a face mask without getting your ears involved
• A way to wear multiple layers of  face masks
• They are not expensive and you can even make your own

If you make your own, I found that larger buttons are easier for me to use, and a stretchy band can be be more comfortable. You may already have things at home you can use to make an ear saver, for more ideas for homemade or home found ear savers see this blog post; the Barrel of Monkeys is my favorite idea. 

Many people are making laser cut ear savers and you can get open source files if you've got the equipment. Both the acrylic and polypropylene are easy to wash or disinfect. We are selling ear savers here, this is our transparent acrylic ear saver, and this is our flexible polypropylene ear saver. We are working on novelty styles now. 

Our Aftermarket Solution for Behind Head Elastic

We are willing to sew on two bands of elastic to any of our finished ear loop style face masks. We aren't cutting the ear loops off, we are just adding the elastics to a finished mask, so now you can wear it either way or cut the ear loops off. We can add two bands of elastic to the mask so you can wear it without earloops

If you want us to do this to your mask before we ship please make a note in the comments while ordering. The alteration may slow shipping down by a day. 

We are making child size and pre-teen/petite adult size face masks. They are made the same way we make our adult size masks, with three layers of woven fabric and a side-entry filter pocket. These face masks are constructed with cotton/Lycra ear loops.

This child is 5 years old

The child size face mask is very small, and we will refer to it as size Small in our catalog. It fits kids from about 4 years old to about 11 years old. In this photo you can see four different ages wearing the same size mask. 

These children are from ages 2 to 9 and are all wearing the same size face mask

Here is a size comparison of our Small mask next to our size L mask, which fits most adults.

 It's tiny and cute! The filter pocket really is not functional in this small size.

We also are making a size Medium face mask for kids around 12 to petite adults and we are working on getting photos to help show the size. Here are all three sizes stacked together:

Our face masks in sizes S, M and L

What Size Does My Child Need?

The feedback we've received is that our size small fits about ages  4 to 11. Our medium fits around age 12 and up and will provide a better fit for petite adults. We hope these photos will help you to understand the sizes.

Comparing size small to medium

Comparing size small to medium

 Care and Cleaning

We recommend putting face masks in a mesh lingerie bag and washing in cold water. You can hang to dry, flat dry or tumble dry. We do not recommend bleach at all, as there is not a CDC recommendation to add bleach and it will change toe appearance of the fabric. Using hot water can affect the color of the fabric and cause shrinking, and a hot dryer can also cause shrinking. 

Our face mask blog post offers more information on washing our face masks and cleaning face masks in general. We made a follow-up post with more information on managing face masks here. 

Simplify Storage for Clean and Dirty Face Masks

You need to keep the clean ones clean and the dirty ones away from everything.  Here is what I'm doing:

Clean masks: I use a container with a snap-lock lid to store clean face masks and my filter stuff. This plastic box stays by the front door. 

Dirty Masks: I have two storage solutions, one is a dedicated bag in the car so we can remove them at the end of a trip and just close them in the bag. The other is a box in the garage with a mesh lingerie laundry bag inside. I put the masks into the laundry bag and close the box. When it's time to wash they are already in the laundry bag and ready to throw in the machine

Solutions for Washing Face Masks

To save time I wash all the masks at once inside mesh lingerie laundry bags. After the masks are in the washing machine I sanitize the surfaces they were on and wash my hands.

Why Do Different Manufacturers Have Different Washing Instructions?

Not all cotton fabrics will shrink the same amount and the factors that can affect shrinking are partially under your control and partially due to the fabric itself. Cotton will shrink more if washed and/or dried in hot temperatures, so if you are happy with your face mask at the current size then you should stick with cold water and low heat (or even line drying) to prevent that mask from shrinking. When manufacturing sewn items the fabrics are stacked and cut all at once in tall stacks. It is not possible to pre-shrink cotton fabrics unless you are cutting the fabric in a small quantity.  And in case you haven't already learned the hard way, adding bleach will affect the color. Bleach can also damage elastic, so it might be best to avoid it entirely. 

These face masks wadded up during the wash, and it may be impossible to avoid this when using a washing machine. I wash in a lingerie bag, remove the damp masks and straighten and flatten each mask individually, then let them hang dry or flat dry. 

Mask Washing Tips

• Remove wet masks from the mesh bag after washing and smooth and straighten damp masks at the seams and edges, then hang to dry. This is a fast step that you can use to minimize wrinkling and it will stretch out the fabric along seam lines just a little. 
• Cotton face masks can be ironed. Do not iron elastic. 

You can read the CDC article on washing personal use face mask coverings here.

Problems Wearing Masks - Fogging

If you wear glasses then you are probably concerned with fogging. Here is what we've learned:

• Adding a facial tissue into the filter pocket is helpful.
• Wear the mask high on your nose and place glasses on top of the mask.
• You do not want a gap at the top of the mask, as a gap would allow your exhale to blow upwards. If there is a gap can you tighten the mask behind your head? Fold a tissue and place it between the mask and your skin, creating a layer of absorbent paper. 
• Wash glasses with simple dish soap (this kind of soap recommended as it is gentle on the expensive lens coatings you bought) and then allow the glasses to air dry.
• Use an anti-fogging agent on your lenses, look for products made for ski goggles or snorkel masks.

I wear my face mask high on my face and place my glasses on top to help reduce fogging, but I also do the other things mentioned above. 

When we started designing face masks we knew that some people would not want ear loops, and our solution was to make an option with behind the head elastic. This style uses two bands of fixed elastic. You've got to "crawl" into the mask, so it might not work for people with mobility issues. You can see our face mask with behind the head elastic here. 

 Our behind the head elastic face mask does not use the ears or ear loops

Problems Wearing Masks - Your Ears

There are a number of reasons some people can't use ear loop elastics, you may not have even though about this if you don't have the problems yourself. Not all people have an ear shape that is compatible. Sometimes there is just too much competition for that space, like you might already have glasses and a hearing aid and there's just not more room for an ear loop. These solutions are also worth trying if a mask is too large.

Attach Ear Loop to Ear Loop

The ear loops don't need to hang on your ears, they can attach to each other. This might require an extension. Here is one I quickly made with a piece of grosgrain ribbon and two big buttons. 

The finished length is about 4 inches, and here is a selfie photo showing this simple thing in use. This would be a good way to control the length as you attach two ear loops behind your head. 

Homemade ear saver made of ribbon and big buttons

This piece of grosgrain ribbon is about 4" long. I think that it will be easier and more secure if you use big buttons. You can buy things like this from Etsy sellers, I'd suggest doing a search for "ear saver mask holder" or "ear saver crochet". 

3-D printed or Laser Cut Ear Savers

We are offering a laser cut ear saver made of 1/8" thick clear acrylic. It's easy to disinfect and allows a lot of adjustment. 

Ear saver made of 1/8" thick clear acrylic

We also have flexible ear savers made of laser cut polypropylene plastic. This substrate is lightweight, thin, and can be disinfected. The flexible ear savers have multiple notches which makes them sizeable. 

The hooks on the flexible ear saver allow you to adjust the fit of the face mask. These think polypropylene ear savers can be trimmed if too long. 

Other Household Items

You may have access to other things that can work as a hook, clip or extension. Here is a fun example:

The monkeys from the Barrel of Monkeys game can work well as an ear saver

 Face Mask is too Big

If your face mask is too big and just hangs off of your ears you may still be able to use it if you attach it behind your head or to a hat. Sometimes if a mask doesn't fit you can get better results by adding an ear saver. 

Out and About with Face Masks

Face masks need to be dry so sneezing or coughing are going to reduce their effectiveness. You may want to carry a backup face mask in a sealed plastic bag. My spare kit also includes some tissues and a travel bottle of hand sanitizer. 

What Have You Learned?

People are good at solving problems, and we would love to hear how you've solved yours! I anticipate I will be updating this blog post after reading your comments, and will probably share some of these tips in upcoming email newsletters. Please leave any ideas or suggestions here, or drop us an email. You can read our first blog post about face masks here.