How to make a pet tent

1. Materials & tools

Materials (one tent, standard size)

• Fabric (canvas or heavy cotton) — about 110 cm wide × 130 cm (43 × 51 in)
• Dowels, 1.5 cm diameter — 44 cm × 2 and 48 cm × 2
• Bias binding, 12.7 mm — about 1.5 m
• Sewing thread

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 tent” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the base width, the height, the depth and the door width. Presets cover cats and small dogs, standard, and medium dogs.
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. Trace the pattern
   Lay the pattern on the wrong side and trace both lines.
2. Cut the pieces
   Two roof panels, one front, one back.
3. Transfer the notches
   Mark the ridge on the roof panels and the apex of the front and back.

4. Sewing

4-1. Finish the doorway

1. Bind the edge of the doorway on the front panel with bias tape.
2. It is curved, so ease the tape as you go.
3. Doing this first makes the later steps easier.

4-2. Join the roof

1. Place the two roof panels right sides together and sew the ridge.
2. Press the allowance open and topstitch either side to settle the shape.

4-3. Attach front and back

1. Sew the front panel to one end of the roof and the back panel to the other, right sides together.
2. Match the apex notches first, then sew downwards.
3. If the apex is out, the whole tent twists.

4-4. Hem and thread the dowels

1. Hem the lower edges, forming casings for the dowels as you go.
2. Leave openings at the four corners for the dowels to go in.
3. Thread the four dowels and drop the cover over.

✏️ Match the apex notches before you sew the front and back on. Starting at the hem with the apex out of line always leaves excess at the top, and the tent leans to one side. Fix the apex, then sew downwards, and it stands straight.

5. Tips & variations

• Dowels from the hardware shop: most will cut them to length for you.
• It washes: the cover comes off the frame and goes in the machine.
• Add a mat: the pet mat or pet blanket inside makes it somewhere to stay.