Re-usable cage liners: HOW TO DIY Tutorial

So, I finished Kiwi's new washable cage liners over the weekend! I ended up making 4 washable cage liners, 2 play-tree liners, 1 liner for his bird backpack and some rags specifically for cleaning up parrot poo out of the remnants

I'm not the *best* at writing instructions, but hopefully anyone interested in trying these will be able to figure out what the heck I'm talking about. To make these, you do need a sewing machine and know basic sewing terminology/skills

Materials:

• Flannel
• Quilt Batting (lightweight)
• Ripstop Nylon OR PUL (for waterproof backing)
• Coordinating thread

***PRE-WASH+DRY FLANNEL AND RIPSTOP NYLON/PUL (as-per washing directions) TO prevent shrinkage/bunching from subsequent washings!!!***

1. Measure the INSIDE dimensions of the tray you plan to line. Write down measurements and add seam allowance (standard is 5/8", but I prefer 1/2" personally because it's easier!). For those of you not familiar with making patterns, seam allowance should be added to all 4 sides. FOR EXAMPLE, if you need a 20X30" square and use a 1/2" seam allowance, you would want to cut your fabric 21X31" (1/2" extra on each side, or 1" total addition to each width and length measurement).

2. Once you have your measurements, calculate how many liners you would like to make and how much fabric you will need.

3. Purchase fabrics/batting in equal amounts (i.e. you need 1 yd, buy 1yd of each fabric). For my project, I used different prints for the flannel tops, but you could do all the same color/print.

DON'T FORGET COORDINATING THREAD!


1. Cut fabric (remember to add the seam allowance!)

2. When you pin together- right sides of flannel and ripstop nylon/PUL, with batting on the BACK (see photo)

*This ensures when you turn the liner right-side out after sewing, the batting ends up on the INSIDE

3. Before stitching, be sure to mark opening to turn liner right-side out

4. Stitch together, back-stitching at the opening

5. Clip threads and turn right-side out

6. Iron flat, being sure to turn in raw edges from gap. Pin gap shut.

7. Top-stitch close to edge (I suggest a wide zig-zag) and around whole liner, and do another round of stitching 1-1.5" in (will keep batting from shifting during washing)

8. Clip threads, iron if needed and your DONE!

FINISHED (cage liner is the apple print):


***You can use your larger flannel remnants to make parrot-poo cleaning rags***


(This is a little more difficult/advanced that a square/rectangle liner)

1. Measure tray to line same as above

2. Measure distance in from top and side to "obstacle" and measure diameter

3. Mark and cut fabrics to accommodate "obstacle" with measurements made

4. Sew same as above, including leaving gap to turn right-side out

7. Clip around curves to allow for fabric to sit flat when turned right-side out

6. Turn, iron and topstitch same as above

7. Using small remnant, make tab for closure (see photo)


8. BEFORE stitching tab on, set "male" snap on INSIDE of tab to lessen the ability of a curious beak pulling it off. Top-stitch around snap for stability (see photo)


9. Stitch tab onto side, and set "female" snap on opposite side so tab can snap close so liner is held in-place around "obstacle"



So heres the COMPLETE set of what I made:


The liner IN his cage:


I also set some snaps into the plastic "sheet" on the bottom of his bird backpack and did a snap-in liner for that too, which will be much easier:


As for CARE INSTRUCTIONS, as I just got these done yesterday, I won't be able to wash until tomorrow (when I change the cage liner), HOWEVER, I can pretty much guarantee it'll be a matter of shaking outside, scraping off the "big chunks" of poo/fruit, spraying with bac-out and tossing in the wash. Having use these materials and similar construction in other washable items, I would recommend LINE-DRYING or only tumble-drying on the air setting (no heat) and WILL update after I wash them. Hope this tutorial is more helpful than confusing!

Those look awesome! Let me know how it goes. I think this is a great idea!

WOW! I think you are clever AND talented! What a great job.
Kiwi has a great mommy

They look great!

Those are beautiful April! very nicely made too.

Alas I cannot sew.. but you did a great job!
I will be interested to know if this makes life easier and if they wash and wear well.

I can't honestly say I've ever been "excited" to clean Kiwi before lol, but I'm so interested to see how these wash up, it borders on excitement:09:

For the non-sewers, it may cost a bit more than making them, but there are sellers on etsy who make pee-pads for puppies, and could probably make something similar for a parrot cage to your dimensions Or if you have a family member who sews The cage liners are actually a super easy beginner-level sewing project if any of you plan on learning to sew:54:. Really no more difficult than a pillow case! It's the ones that wrap on the play tree or if you made it for a t-perch that's intermediate skill-level.

We may just have to hire you!

Phlox said:

We may just have to hire you!

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I don't know about that, sounds like some serious work..... Don't you have a lot of birds:20:lol

I only have 3 cages though...so that's not a big deal right?

Oh my goodness. Seriously April, you SHOULD be selling your skills! I would buy that stuff in a heart beat, especially for my current travel cages and for when I get my own Pac-o-Bird on my birthday (one more month until fun time adventures!). I would fail so miserably at doing this... it be like those really hilarious but horrendous before and after baking memes.

Those are awesome! Hmmm...my mom sews and quilts....

I've considered selling sewing projects before, but have always ran into the same problem-how much you'd have to charge as a small seller Then I think about if I were in the buyers shoes, would I be willing to pay that kind of money? Unfortunately, we have all become conditioned to the prices of cheap goods from overseas factories.

For example, since I don't buy enough fabric to get bulk/wholesale prices, I still have to shop at retail fabric stores. Depending if the fabric is on sale/I have a coupon the materials alone to make (4) 24X18 liners (inside dimension of the tray) would be around $30-$40. Then what about my time and labor? At least 4-5 hours, so what to charge for my time? $10/hr, $12/hr? I don't even know what a fair pay rate is, but even at $10-12/hr, that would mean $40-$60 labor. Thats $70-$100 for 4 cage liners, plus shipping! THAT is why I don't see it as a feasible thing to sell them. Who'd pay that for their bird to poop on lol?

4dugnlee said:

Those are awesome! Hmmm...my mom sews and quilts....

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Sounds like your mom may have a special request from Cisco and Sassy lol

Just saying, Miss Sassy would probably love some pink zebra print in her cage Still haven't heard a better name for a zon the "Sassy"!

OK- so here are the result of the "washability" and I am so happy Kiwi, thankfully, is not the messiest bird in the world and doesn't fling food, but he does take big poops, usually in the same 3 spots:31:

Liner was put in Sunday PM and changed Tues AM (photographed while still in the tray):

(Liner had kept moisture in and lifted up easily without debris going everywhere while being carried outside!)

After shaken outside and the "big chunks" scraped off (also showing backpack liner). Shaking and scraping took under 3 minutes:


Both liners were pre-sprayed with bac-out, allowed to sit 5 minutes, then washed in warm water+regular cycle and put in dryer on AIR DRY (no heat) for 15 minutes. There are NO stains from the poop!:11::


"Thanks mom for the nice green liner! I blend in so well, you'll never spot my adorableness whilst I play with this toy"

Wow...that is such a WONDERFUL idea. I have been having a terrible time finding enough newspaper to line Valentino's giant cage for everyday change outs. As gross as this sounds I have been resulting to changing the paper twice a week because I run out of paper so quickly. HOW DISGUSTING!

I am a every day change paper kinda person. NOT TWICE A WEEK!

Anyway I thought getting the brown paper grocery bags and taking them apart to use with lining the bottom of the cage would help get me though the newspaper shortage but I am no real thrilled with how they work. Its kind of more discusting than using newspaper.

I "think" maybe making cage liners might solve my problem of my need to clean his cage every day. Valentino's fresh food does land on the bottom so I do wonder if the peppers and such would stain the fabric but if having these cage liner will help with me being able to keep it clean every day I won't care of the peppers stain the fabric. LOL.

I figure with how often I do laundry (once a week) I would need 8 liners total. 7 for the week and one to put in there while I am washing the previous 7. Do you think this is feasible? I have so much fabric left over that I am planning on getting rid of with my forced move. I wonder if a cotton or jersey would be alright to use.

On the Kings website their cage liners (paper liners 60 liners for 50 bucks!) the size is 41.50 x 27.50. I think this might be doable except I only have a working surger as my sewing machine needs to be repaired.

It would be very nice to be able to change out the bottom every day.

A serger would work great! Sew the outside with the blade down with the material on the outside and the batting on the inside (you won't have to turn the material if you use a serger). Then lift your blade up and sew just an inch or so from the edge. If that doesn't make sense please PM me.

Wow - this is such a great idea.

I agree that a serger would do well. I used flannel because I already had some, but jersey knit would work too. Only thing you want to be 100% sure of is pre-washing/drying everything or else you will have it looking terrible if it all shrinks at different rates.

I'm sure at *some point* stains will develop, but as they are cage liners, so long as they've been washed and are clean, stains aren't a big deal IMO. But for the price of one pack of disposable liners, you could probably make a set of reusables that would last a few years. Just be sure you know how to finish of the served edge. It's one of the biggest reasons I rarely, if ever use my serger. It makes a lovely edge, but the whole thing unravels after washing because you can't back stitch and I'm unsure how to "seal" it (besides the glue stuff, which doesn't work for me).

Since I have neither a functional sewing machine or serger, I'm thinking of trying this with heat set tape and whatever is on sale. The worst that will happen is it won't work....

Phlox said:

Since I have neither a functional sewing machine or serger, I'm thinking of trying this with heat set tape and whatever is on sale. The worst that will happen is it won't work....

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Do you know how to do a blanket stitch? It's a hand sewing stitch people use to finish the raw edges on fleece blankets. Super easy to do and while it may be a bit more time-consuming than a machine, it's actually a very quick stitch to do and you can use embroidery floss or yarn for durability


(P.S. I just googled this image, but it gives a good idea of the stitch I'm talking about. Lots of youtube videos on how to do it too)