Crafty peoples, help me out...

I don't know if you can get plastic like that at a fabric store, but shower curtain liners from a dollar store might work.  Keep in mind, though, that for humans it would be hot and sticky to lie on in warm weather.

Another option might be fabric for outdoor furniture or a fabric shower curtain.  Those would be treated to be water-repellant.  Or just laying an inexpensive bathroom throw rug over the foam.  I've been doing that for my crates and it works great and washes when dirty.

Wow, the perfect thread for me. I sew cloth diapers and am starting up a cloth diaper-sewing business. This is funny, because it's the third time I've mentioned cloth diapers on this board today!

Anyway... I wouldn't recommend the plasticy stuff. I have plastic pants for Isaac made of that and it cracks and tears soo easily, not to mention it feels all stiff and gross. I recommend polyester with a PUL (polyurethane laminate) coating on one side. On the one side, it feels like normal polyester fabric and on the other, it's a total barrier. It's completely waterproof. Naturally, of course, you can add whatever fabric you want on top of that if you want, although you certainly don't need to because it's not plasticy. PUL also washes better than nylon or plastic. It doesn't get damaged by the dryer as easily.

The diapers I use are made with a PUL coating on the outside and they get a lot of wear and washing because, well, they're diapers and I wash and dry them every few days.

You can get PUL at the following online stores:

www.sewshoppe.com
www.sewzannes.com
www.onestopdiapershop.com
www.wazoodle.com
www.diapercuts.com

Also, a heavy weight polar fleece will be waterproof, although is prone to compression wicking (this means if you press really hard where it is wet, the moisture will leak through the fabric) unlike PUL, which is a total barrier. It also clings to fur and doesn't look new once it's been washed, although it is incredibly soft and very readily available at any old fabric store. For diapers, people use malden mills or tonitex brands, usually 300 or 400 weight, although you could certainly get away with using cheaper stuff, because diapers have to stand up to a lot of moisture and washing.

Lanolized wool is also waterproof, warm, and soft. If you get a nice wool (not itchy stuff) you can lanolize it really easily with lansinoh nipple cream, which is made from pure lanolin and is available at any drug store. Lanolin is the natural oil in sheep's wool that keeps the sheep warm and dry. You can use an old sweater or wool pants. To wash it, use the gentle cycle and some wool wash. It'd be super cheap if you happen to have a wool sweater! People are often skeptical about wool, but it truly is amazing stuff. When it's lanolize, it's waterproof, anti-bacterial, and hides odours extremely well. A woolen diaper cover only needs to be washed every three weeks, and that's really saying something because we all know diapers stink.

Anyway, I'm totally into this stuff, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Thanks, rolenta!  I'm sure all of that will help.

Marty, the dog won't be laying on the plastic, it will be between the fabric covers and the padding (like when you're real little and your mom put a trash bag between the sheets and the mattress...well, my mom did at least!).

I never thought she'd be laying on the plastic itself.....

I never thought she'd be laying on the plastic itself.....

Oh, I thought that's what you meant if it's hot and sticky.  I don't think it will get hot or sticky with several layers of fabric (two layers of cotton and a few layers of fleece).

I like all the groovy fabrics rolenta mentioned, or else just using stuff that can go in the washer, stuffing and all. I throw pillows and my dog's beds in the washer and they have stuffing in 'em. No problemo.

I've slept on beds that have plastic liners under the sheets, it's icky and sweaty. Even though the plastic isn't touching you, it still affects your comfort.

Sorry, OT
PS rolenta ... when I travelled in China, it was really cool how folks traditionally deal with the whole diaper thing: no diaper rash!:

I've slept on beds that have plastic liners under the sheets, it's icky and sweaty. Even though the plastic isn't touching you, it still affects your comfort.

Yeah but it's right under the sheet, right?  How is something plasticy under several layers of sheet material and layers of fleece different than sleeping on a fleece blanket (or any blanket) thrown over the plastic crate bottom?  If she's THAT picky, we're going to have more issues than just a dog bed!  []

BTW, rolenta, I'm taking your advice re. the fleece since someone gave me a bunch of it for free, so I'm going to use a few layers of it with something else as the top layers. I agree that it picks up too much hair.  My cats sleep on fleece and by now the cat hair is thicker than their blankets!

OMG, that's too funny!  But yeah, no rash!

[]

Fabulous Reasoning, Holmes! ... the crate bottom itself is plastic, and then there's all that insulation ... thusly, any added plastic, that is moot! Ah, yes! ... Well said!

(I wish I had a pipe smoking emoticon [])

BTW what kind of design motif is Chop (is that his name?) getting? Boyish bold solids? Ecclectic chic? My girl's got some furry pink and orange (because it was cheap and I could), otherwise, camping colors all the way. [&:]

I wanted to make the crate cover burgundy on the outside and black on the inside, because I think that matches a black and tan GSD and her collar is burgundy, but nothing I own is that color scheme so the crate cover will be beige and black and sewn so it's reversable.  The beige fabric feels like plain old "couch" type material and the black is thicker quilted stuff so it will kind of have a shape and feel kinda padded.  The beds I'm making are turquois on the outside b/c the fabrics were donated.  

ORIGINAL: Liesje

We were also going to sew a custom crate cover, but after I chose what type of fabric I liked for the top layer, I realized it was FAR cheaper to buy a pre-made one than make one []

I've made 2 crate covers.  They were both for a small dog crate but only took one yard of fabric.







 

Those are sooo cute!!!  I really like the second one a lot. 

I decided to make one after all, because the cheap ones I found online were all the same and I didn't like 'em.  It's for a 36" crate so I got 4 yards and if there's leftovers maybe I can make a liner or a bumper.  We're they easy to make?  If I pin it together, my sis can sew it.

The 2nd one is paw prints... hard to tell.  It was actually the 2nd thing I ever sewed.  The other one is much better in person and I made it a couple months ago.
 
I did pin everything together and then it is easier to sew.  The only issue is my crate has a handle at the top so there is a little bump there.  With no bump, measuring and pinning and sewing should be really easy.