How to make a pet carrier bag

1. Materials & tools

Materials (standard size)

• Main fabric (8–11 oz canvas or quilted cotton) — about 110 cm wide × 130 cm (44 × 51 in)
• Lining fabric (water-repellent or washable) — the same amount
• Mesh fabric — about 40 × 30 cm (16 × 12 in)
• Heavy fusible interfacing or batting — for the body
• Webbing for the handles — the length you chose, × 2
• Zip for the top opening — 1
• Plastic board for the base

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Pets” → “Pet carrier bag” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the finished width, height, gusset and the handle length and cut width. Presets cover cat/small dog, standard and large.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Measure your animal
   Measure the body length lying down and the height sitting up. They will not stand in a carrier, so lying measurements are what matter.
2. Trace the pattern
   Trace the body panels, the gusset, the top and the handles.
3. Cut
   Cut everything in main and lining, plus two handles, and fuse heavy interfacing or batting to the main body and gusset.

4. Sewing

4-1. Make the mesh top

1. Cut the window out of the top panel.
2. Lay the mesh underneath and stitch 3 mm outside the window edge.
3. Bind the window edge with bias tape, or enclose it between the main and lining layers. A raw mesh edge catches claws.
4. Set the zip along one side of the top so it opens.

4-2. Attach the handles

1. Stitch a handle to each body panel, running the stitching a third of the way down the panel and finishing with a rectangle and a cross.
2. The animal's weight is on these. Reinforce them thoroughly.
3. Do it while the panels are flat.

4-3. Attach the gusset

1. Match the center of the gusset to the base center of one body panel and pin outward from there.
2. Sew all the way around, clipping the gusset at the base corners.
3. Attach the second panel the same way, and assemble the lining likewise leaving a 15 cm (6 in) gap.
4. Working from the center outward is what keeps the two pieces in step.

4-4. Attach the top and finish

1. Turn the main carrier out and slip it inside the lining, right sides together.
2. Sew the top panel into the upper edge on three sides, leaving the zip side free to open.
3. Turn through the gap, close it, push the lining in and topstitch around the opening.
4. Cut a plastic board to the base size and drop it in.

✏️ The mesh edge must be bound. A raw mesh edge is exactly what a claw catches on, and a claw caught in mesh is a genuine injury. Bind it or enclose it between two layers — this one is not optional.

5. Tips & variations

• Base board: plastic board in the base stops the carrier sagging, and an animal on a firm floor settles much faster.
• Washable lining: accidents happen. Water-repellent lining, or a separate removable mat.
• Add a shoulder strap: D-rings at each end let you add one, which is far easier over any distance.