# Your Handmade Cage Accessories



## ratazana (Jan 26, 2013)

I finally figured out how to use a sewing machine! Here are the products of my first time sewing: 

































I made a cube nest, a large hammock, a corner hammock, and a hanging tube. 
Overall, I'm pretty happy with what I made. Let's see how long they last though! 

I think it would be nice to post all our creations in the same place instead of in individual threads. 
(I did a search & couldn't find such thread, so let me know if I'm wrong.)

*Post your handmade cage accessories too!*
We can gain some inspiration from each other


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## Sugapot (Mar 3, 2013)

Awesome! I got a sewing machine last week and on the weekend made 2 hammocks, a sleep sack type thing and this little bed type thing.







Only have the one photo on me. 
I made this cause I always find them curled up in little balls at random spots. They seem to like to curl up in there. 


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## JBlas (Oct 21, 2012)

Great job to both of you! Ratazana--that is amazing work for your first projects! I bet your ratties are loving them already!!


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## ratazana (Jan 26, 2013)

*Sugapot* - That's so cute!!! Do you have a link to a tutorial for that little bed? My rats would love that!

*JBlas - *Thank you! The cube was really hard! I had to fix it 4-5 times before I was happy with it... I think making rat things is a great way to practice sewing, because the rats don't care if you mess up! 

My next project is to make a bonding pouch


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## Aether (Mar 7, 2013)

Very nice! I wanted to start making things like this, but then I saw what sewing machines cost these days! Maybe my old one still works...I'm stuck with the corner-tied fleece hammocks right now xD


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## Sugapot (Mar 3, 2013)

Ratzana - I made it up. Was just a circle with a stuffed "sausage" attached. It's stuffed with more fleece. It wasn't the easiest to make- but not too hard. I want to make another bigger one for them all to cuddle in. 
Been really enjoying the sewing on the weekend... Even considered having a sick day on Monday just to sew stuff - LOL


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## ratazana (Jan 26, 2013)

Sugapot said:


> Ratzana - I made it up. Was just a circle with a stuffed "sausage" attached. It's stuffed with more fleece. It wasn't the easiest to make- but not too hard. I want to make another bigger one for them all to cuddle in.
> Been really enjoying the sewing on the weekend... Even considered having a sick day on Monday just to sew stuff - LOL
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


That's awesome! I think I can make up a plan to make something similar. I'll try that sometime soon! 

Also, a "sick" day for sewing sounds quite nice haha. Sometimes you have to live your life for pleasure


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## Sugapot (Mar 3, 2013)

Ratazana - do you have a link for a tutorial for a bonding bag? I am definitely keen to have a go at that.

Yesterday I decided to book next Monday off, Annual leave - just because - LOL


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## ratazana (Jan 26, 2013)

The PDF I used while sewing my cage accessories also has a tutorial for bonding pouches! I intended to post the link for it earlier in this thread but I forgot...

Here it is... (The bonding pouch is the second last tutorial on this page):
*Tutorials for Common Rat Hammocks and Accessories by Vonda Z*

I found a couple more tutorials for bonding bags... All I did was type "bonding bag tutorial" in Google & I got a page full of hits! Most of them are for Sugar Gliders, but still good for rats!

This one is really cool, because it has a "window" but seems like a more difficult design (at least for a newbie sewer like me): 
*Bonding Pouch Tutorial by Sugarglider.com
*


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## lynrichards13 (Mar 21, 2012)

Ratazana- that PDF is amazing!! THANK YOU! I myself just got a sewing machine for Christmas and broke it out yesterday to make things for my girl. I had an idea of putting newspaper in between the liners of her cage so I made folding liners with a slot to put hte newpaper and I figured I could pull it out if/when she peed on the liners and it would ruin the liners less quickly. Course she pulled the newspaper out in like 20 minutes!! So my brilliant idea wasn't so brilliant BUT as you said making stuff for the rats is perfect practice. My daughter wants me to make her a cape so I'm going to have to learn how to use this thing properly! Anyways, I LOVE these especially the bunk bed and am definitely going to be using this PDF profusely!


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## ratazana (Jan 26, 2013)

I know! Isn't it great!? 

I made some cage liners yesterday... I'll post picture tomorrow  It worked out great. 
My rats already made a hole in their cube! >_< but rats will be rats I guess! So far they are very happy with their new cage accessories... I'm planning out the bonding pouch soon, I already bought some fleece from the second hand store to make it. Hopefully I'll have it finished by the end of the week.

Happy sewing !


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## ratchet (Sep 27, 2012)

That fleur de Lis pattern is awesome!! Love the accessories... Have you tried making a pyramid yet? My talent ends at the cube hahha


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## ratazana (Jan 26, 2013)

Thank you, *ratchet. *I bought that fabric at Walmart! It was very cheap  
I haven't tried the pyramid yet, but that's next on my project list! I'll post all my creations here, and I encourage other people to post their creations here too!


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## ratchet (Sep 27, 2012)

What!! My measley wAlmart does not have such cool patterns. I bought all mine from there.. Yours look great!!

I've made three thus far but the girls have DESTROYED them. That ended my ambition!!










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## Freerangepirate (Jan 18, 2013)

I made a double hammock, a tube and a corner hammock





















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## ratchet (Sep 27, 2012)

When you do the pyramid give me some "doer's insight"! I made a few rookie mistakes my first cube attempt and the girls butchered my novice art.. They seem to make it their mission to destroy it and bring it to their nest instead of MAKING it their nest. The wretches. I was going to try a corner hammock as that looks great but I have no eyelet or extra tools haha. Maybe next time I visit Walmart they will have the fleur de Lis!


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## ratazana (Jan 26, 2013)

*@freerangepirate *- That looks awesome! Especially the double hammock. 

*@ratchet *- I will try the pyramid soon! My rats are destroying their cube too. 
They love it though. So I'll definitely make another one once the old one is ripped apart haha. 

Today I made some cage liners, which are held down by tying the corner with ribbons... I made it using an old bedsheet of mine.
And I also made a bonding pouch... Mine is a bit different from the the one in the tutorial but it still works well  I'll try to get a better photo of it next time.


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## anglethatispurple (Jan 3, 2013)

your cage liners look awesome i made some simple ones for my girls of just fleece with towelling sew to the underside but they are chewing them heaps. i've secured them with Velcro and bulldog clip which is kind of working for now, would love to heard how the grommet and ribbons work out for you. They look so pretty. Also if anyone knows of any liner tutorials that would be great as i've been looks for some for a while.


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## Booder81 (Mar 4, 2013)

I got a sewing machine recently and this was my first attempt at making a cube for my 3 big girls  

Going to try some other things soon. 


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## ratazana (Jan 26, 2013)

So cute!!! I love all the colors!


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## ratazana (Jan 26, 2013)

I don't have any tutorials for liners... I just kind of made it up as I went... it's essentially just a blanket, two pieces of fabric sewn together around the edges. Tutorials for adding grommets can be found all over youtube.


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## tillyouise (Apr 9, 2013)

these are brilliant let me know if your going to start making to sell


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## graphite (Apr 6, 2011)

Just made a whole pile of hammocks for my boys! 










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## Booder81 (Mar 4, 2013)

Wow those look great!!!


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## ratazana (Jan 26, 2013)

tillyouise said:


> these are brilliant let me know if your going to start making to sell


My sewing skills are no where near good enough to sell! Although, thank you for the compliment! haha


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## ratazana (Jan 26, 2013)

graphite said:


> Just made a whole pile of hammocks for my boys!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


WOW!!! They're gorgeous! I love the sparkly ribbons you used for the corners. Also, I envy your sewing technique. Those edges are perfect. Cute fabric too


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## graphite (Apr 6, 2011)

Oh thank you! I used to make hammocks to sell, but I havent had the time lately... until yesterday haha. But these are all for my boys.


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