They really are like Buffy and Willow in matching twin beds in their dorm room.
When we go anywhere, such as the vet, I take both sacks with us. They tend to feel safer in the sacks, so it helps with the whole vet trauma.
Mama, we're not so sure about this whole vet thing. Can we go home yet? What do you mean we're waiting for nail trims?
So, on to actually making sacks.
Again, as with the tunnels, hit up the fabric remnant section of the fabric store. This pattern uses a 12" or so length of standard 58" fleece. I used batting for this sack, but you can also use Uhaul liner or a hand towel. You'll also need boning of some sort for the sack opening. I used these 36" cable ties again.
First, fold the fleece in half lengthwise so it's 12" (or whatever length you bought) by ~29", with the right sides facing each other.
Now, basically cut the largest sized rectangle you can with the fleece you have. You'll need two pieces of fleece and one piece of liner in this size.
The strange dancing pandas are face to face.
I like to pin two adjacent sides.
Face the WRONG side of the fleece with the liner, then fold in half with the RIGHT side of the fleece facing in. Pin.
Make sure you pin the same two sides you did above.
Sew along where you pinned. Make sure to leave a hole in the SINGLE FLEECE piece through which you can turn everything inside out.
Pin along the edge and sew.
Pull everything right side out through that hole you remembered to leave in the single fleece layer.
Now, grab your cable ties or whatever you're using for boning. With cable ties, first cut off the head and pointy tail, then bend it so it'll fit through that handy hole you left, and push the whole thing right up against the seam between the fleece and fleece/liner pieces you just finished sewing.
Make sure the cable tie is flat between the layers.
Pin just below the cable tie.
I like to put the foot right up against the cable tie.
Finally, sew that hole closed. It doesn't have to be pretty.
Yay, a sack!!
One final step before handing this to your piggies. If you didn't already wash the fleece, time to do so now. New fleece comes with a protective barrier that prevents moisture from going through, so you want to break down that barrier. Fabric softener and dryer sheets help replenish the barrier, so do NOT use those. I've had good luck soaking for a few hours in hot water, then one or two hot water wash/dry cycles, but no guarantees.
Hopefully your piggies love sacks as much as mine do!! Mine like to nose around in their sacks, talking to themselves and making things exactly right for optimal comfort.
Willow demonstrates two methods of using sacks: in and on.
Buffy stays warm and cozy in her sack.
