Who doesn’t love a little extra support, especially when relaxing? This bolster dog bed tutorial from Bonnie at Peppermint not only gives your dog their very own place to relax, but it also provides them with extra cushions to prop up their head with and be embraced by. And when made with a cute doggone-approved design from Spoonflower, your pup will be both snuggly and stylish.

Image of the finished rectangular dog bed made in fabric that is white with black cow-print shapes. The bed has a rectangular base and a U-shaped bolster at the back and two sides. A small white dog is sitting on top of the bed.
Winston on the finished bolster dog bed.

Bonnie: Doesn’t man’s best friend deserve the very best? If you love your pooch and you know it, and you’re not afraid to show it, why not make them a deluxe doggy bed? With its beautiful bolstered sides, this project will allow your little buddy to enjoy the joys of sitting on a little couch for dogs.

Plus, the top section can be removed and placed on your couch so the two of you can enjoy the wonders of couch sitting—at the same time! This also serves the purpose of protecting your couch from any shedding, digging or other pesky behaviours your pooch might be prone to. What are we waiting for? Let’s get making! 

Image of a piece of fabric with three bolsters attached, one on each side and two at the back. It is sitting on a yellow couch. It is made from fabric that is white with black cow-print shapes. A small white dog is sitting on top of the bed.
Winston lounging on the bolstered section of the bed, which is removable from the bed, to allow for sofa sitting for all!

Skill Level: 
Intermediate  

Materials List

Steps to Make A Bolster Dog Bed

Part 1. Make the dog bed base.

This dog bed is made entirely from rectangles and can be adjusted to any size to suit your special canine. I’ve put together some extra small, small, medium and large sizes, which you can review at this link. 

To create your dog cushion base, follow along the steps in this excellent Spoonflower DIY dog bed tutorial. 

Image of the finished rectangular dog bed made in fabric that is white with black cow-print shapes. It has a black zipper enclosure.
The finished dog bed base.

Part 2. Build the bolster focusing on three sections: inner bolster, outer bolster and top bolster.  

1. Cut out your many bolster pattern pieces. Try to keep them organised together.  

Create the inner bolster. 

The Inner Bolster pieces have been cut out of fabric that is white with black cow-print shapes. The two center pieces have been pinned together at the edges wrong side out. The longer side pieces are laying on top of the shorter center piece.
The inner bolster pieces with two center pieces pinned together wrong side out.

2. Take your inner bolster pieces and sew them into one continuous length. Attach them with right sides facing, with the two inner bolster side pieces attached to the short-sided edges of the centre piece. (Pro tip: Having the project diagram available during construction is a great visual to keep on hand!)

Two longer side inner bolster pieces lay wrong side up and parallel to each other. A shorter center piece is placed at the top of the two parallel side pieces, forming a U. These fabric pieces are on top of fabric that is white with black cow-print shapes.
Pinning the side and center pieces of the inner bolster together.

3. Place your new long inner bolster strip right sides down on top of the right side of your bolster base piece. The inner bolster centre piece should be aligned with one of the long edges of the bolster base. The inner bolster side pieces should align with the width edges of the bolster base.

4. Pin everything in place so that the outer edge of your inner bolster piece is 5.1” (13 cm) from the bolster base edges. Sew in place with a 0.4” (1 cm) seam allowance so that the stitch line will be 5.5” (14 cm) from the bolster base edge. Make sure to pivot on the corners without catching the bulk of the inner bolster strip fabric, raising your needle if you need to.  

Next, focus on the top bolster.  

1. Place your top bolster pieces together right sides facing, with the two top bolster side pieces attached to the short 5.9” (15 cm) side edges of the top bolster centre piece.

2. Measure 5.9” (15 cm) inwards from the edge of these short sides (3.9” or 10 cm if you are making an XS-size bolster) and draw a diagonal line from this mark to the opposite corner. Repeat for the other side, making sure both inward marks are on the same long edge.

The wrong side of the fabric is turned up and a diagonal line has been drawn from the bottom right corner up 5.9” or 15 cm. Pins are placed along the diagonal line. A brown wooden ruler is at the top of the fabric, making sure the line ends at 15 cm.
Creating diagonal lines to make the top bolster.

3. Stitch your top bolster pieces together along these diagonal lines. Trim seams and press open. You should end up with a shape like this.   

Three pieces of the top bolster have been sewn together. Two shorter sides have been sewn on either side of a longer base piece with a diagonal line where each short side meets the base piece.
After stitching the top bolster pieces together.

4. Attach the inner length of this top bolster piece to the free edge of the inner bolster piece, right sides together, matching the corners. You should end up with an extra 5.9” (15 cm) of top bolster piece at the ends (3.9” or 10 cm if you are making an XS-size bolster). Position this so it turns the corner and aligns with the remaining free short edge of the inner bolster side pieces.  

A hold holds up a corner of the inner bolster piece with the wrong side facing out. It is laying on on top of fabric that is white with black cow-print shapes.
The inner bolster is coming together!

5. Sew in place with 0.4” (1 cm) seam allowance. Flip so the right sides of bolster pieces are facing out and you begin to see some corners forming.  

Attaching the rectangle sides of the Inner Bolster together where they meet the Bolster Base. The end of one side of the Inner Bolster has been closed with a small square piece of fabric. The fabric is white with black cow-print shapes.
Attaching the rectangle sides of the inner bolster together with the bolster base.

6. Attach the remaining 5.9” (15 cm) edges of the top bolster piece to the bolster base, right sides together, so that it forms a straight line to the outer edge of the bolster base from the edge of the inner bolster base. Repeat on the other side. 

Attaching the small square sides connecting the top bolster together where they meet the Bolster Base with pins, design side out. It is laying on fabric that is white with black cow-print shapes.
Pinning the edges of the top bolster to the bolster base.
After sewing the small square sides connecting the top bolster together where they meet the Bolster Base. The fabric is white with black cow-print shapes.
Creating the edges of the top bolster.

c. Lastly, make the outer bolster. 

1. Sew your outer bolster pieces together right sides facing with the two outer bolster side pieces attached to the short side edges of the outer bolster centre piece.  

The side pieces of the Outer Bolster have been pinned to the center piece of the Outer Bolster. The fabric has been pinned right sides together.
Pinning the outer bolster’s side pieces to the outer bolster’s centre piece.

2. Attach the outer bolster to the top bolster, right sides together. Match corners and sew in place with a 0.4” (1 cm) seam allowance. 

The entire bolster is pinned right side out to the base of the dog bed, which is right side up. The fabric is white with black cow-print shapes.
Pinning the entire bolster to the bolster base.

3. Flip so that the right sides of the bolsters are all facing out. You should now be able to see your cuboid shapes coming together. Attach the remaining edges of the outer bolster to the edge of the bolster base, both with right sides facing up. Sew in place, leaving a 3.9” (10 cm) gap on each side to use for stuffing bolsters.  

The bolsters are now sewn to the base of the dog bed. The fabric is white with black cow-print shapes.
After sewing the bolsters to the bolster base.

Part 4. Finishing up the bolster.

Stuff the bolsters.  

1. Stuff your bolsters so they are nice and plump and shapey, but not so much that they are too bloated—you want them to maintain a nice level of squish. You can use all sorts to fill the bolsters. We used a combination of scraps and old soft clothes that would have otherwise been thrown out. Not only was this a nice spot of sustainable thinking, but it also means the bed smells like the dog’s owner so he’s even keener to snuggle down.  

The bolsters are now sewn to the base of the dog bed and stuffed with fabric. The base of the bed still needs to be filled with fabric. The fabric is white with black cow-print shapes.
After stuffing the bolsters with fabric.

Bind the edges.  

2. Baste close your stuffing gaps. Now take your bias binding and bind all four edges of the booster base. This will enclose the raw seams of the outer bolster and create a nice neat finish. Depending on the size of your project it may be awkward or difficult to maneuver this stitching on your sewing machine. However, it’s easily done by hand by backstitching the first side of the binding in place and then whipstitching the second side!

The rectangular dog bed has been flipped over so that its all-white bottom is shown. Black bias tape is being pinned around all four edges of the bed.
Pinning the bias tape to the bottom of the dog bed.
The rectangular bolster base has been flipped back over so that the fabric, which is white with black cow-print shapes is showing. This is a close up of the black bias tape being pinned around a bottom edge of the bolster base.
Pinned bias tape to the front of the bolster base.

3. You are now done! The a) bolsters and bolster base and b) the dog bed can be used separately or together as the dog bed fits nicely inside the bolsters and on top of the bolster base.

If you have a particularly wiggly pup you might attach some Velcro or fasteners to affix the removable bolster top and dog cushion to each other more securely. Otherwise, it’s time to settle down for a celebratory cuddle with your best canine!  

Image of the finished rectangular dog bed made in fabric that is white with black cow-print shapes. The bed has a rectangular base and a U-shaped bolster at the back and two sides.
The finished bolstered dog bed! Since the bolster section can be removed, the top section can go right on the couch for even more lounging possibilities!
Image of the finished rectangular dog bed made in fabric that is white with black cow-print shapes. The bed has a rectangular base and a U-shaped bolster at the back and two sides. A small white dog is sitting on top of the bed looking at the camera
A look at the dog bed from above.
A close up of a corner of a finished rectangular dog bed made in fabric that is white with black cow-print shapes. The bed has a rectangular base and a U-shaped bolster at the back and two sides. A small white dog is lying on its back with his front paws in the air looking at the camera.
Winston hamming it up for the camera on his new bolster bed.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much fabric do I need to make this project?  
You’ll need 2-3 yards or meters of fleece to make the dog bed as well as the dog bed bolsters and bolster base.
What other fabrics can I use?
We’re using Polartec Fleece for this project, but something snuggly like Minky would work well too. For a non-fuzzy option, try this project in Recycled Canvas.  
What can I use for the dog bed stuffing?  
You can use a dog bed insert or leftover fabric scraps for stuffing, as well as old blankets or wardrobe items.  

Next Up, What About Sewing Your Pup a Matching Collar or Leash?

With a little bit of our Lightweight Cotton Twill and your favorite design, you can turn your dog’s accessories from blah to bow wow!
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