If youre in Minnesota you know, the winter weather has started with a vengeance. We had our first snow, hail, and sleet last Friday as we explored a local apple orchard. I don’t care so much about the weather for myself but our poor kitties have suffered. We lost three overnight. Our best guess is due to the cold. We make insulated kitty houses and last year our cats did just fine. Our new kittens however don’t seem to be as durable as our 3 month and older cats.
After some googling today I came across self heating cat blankets. Naturally I went to amazon and the soonest I can get them is in 7 days. The joys of being in the middle of nowhere, no one to bother you but also no one to rush your mail. So I went back to google and searched how I could make them myself. It turns out it really isn’t hard.
A Walmart stop later and I had all the supplies. Quilters cotton and mylar emergency blankets. Im assuming you could use whatever fabric as a topper but I wanted to make sure the mylar wasn’t too hurried under fabric so it would still warm the kitties.
I discovered mylar blankets are HUGE. I have so far made two blankets both with two layers of mylar and Im not even halfway through the first blanket. I plan to make more with four layers of mylar.
How to make your self heating cat blankets
Step 1. Gather your supplies
- Sewing Machine
- Fabric
- Mylar
- Blankets
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Pins/Wonder Clips
Optional:
- Serger
- Rotary Cutter
- Cutting Mat
The most cost effective option for fabric is to get by-the-yard cuts. Preferably on sale. I grabbed fat quarters from Walmart just because I wanted to get in and out. My tutorial is based off using a serger but if using a sewing machine you can either T&T (turn and topstitch) or Use a zigzag near the edge of your fabric.
Step 2. Measure your cats space
We make insulated cat houses. A bin in bin system. I looked up the dimensions of the inside of the inner bin and my blankets needed to be 19 3/8 x 13 3/4. I added my 1/4 seam allowance to the measurements.
Step 3. Cut your materials
The mylar will be slippery and hard to keep lined up. I suggest lining up the edge of your mylar(doubled over if you wish to make it doubled layered) with the edges of your fabric, pinning or clipping and then measuring and cutting. This will prevent your materials from shifting too much.
Step 4. Assmble your layers
If using a serger or zigzagging the unfinished edges with a sewing machine you will sandwich the layers of mylar between your top and bottom fabric. Pin or clip all the way around.
I dont suggest it but if you are going to T&T your fabric will be layered as follows – bottom fabric right side up, top fabric right side down (so both right sides of your fabric are touching with wrong sides showing), then your layers of mylar. Pin or clip all the way around. I suggest putting pins going the wrong way in the spot you plan to turn your fabric through. This will prevent you sewing around the entire blanket without leaving a turn hole.
Step 5. Sew
Sew through all the layers all the way around. If you are T&T do not forget to leave your turn hole. If zigzagging you are done. Enjoy!
Step 6. Finish off
If you used your serger now is the time to tie in your thread ends. I typically use a darning needle to weave the ends back in. You can also use a sewing machine with a zigzag stitch to sew the threads down at each end.
If T&T you will turn turn your blanket right side out and topstitch all the way around. Trim threads and you’re done!
