# Best Fabrics for DIY Cage Accessories?



## MaryLiz (Jun 15, 2014)

I know that there are some users on here that sell cage items like hammocks and hides, and I've looked at two shops in particular and you guys both make awesome beautiful stuff  I don't know if there are more of you that have shops, if you do I'm sure that they are all equally as nice 

Anyway, as an art major I really like working with my hands and making things, so I'm wanting to sew some of my own hammocks and accessories (this has also been my excuse to FINALLY get my mother to teach me to use a sewing machine, woo!) I found a pdf via another threat on the forum, and it had some sewing guidelines. I noticed that their way of making things was to use fleece on the inside and cotton fabric on the outside.

I know that many of you DIY your own hammocks and things, so I thought I'd ask... what fabrics are best? I noticed one of the small businesses seems to only use fleece, the other of the custom small businesses I looked at offers cotton, fleece, and flannel. I know the reason fleece is used is because it doesn't fray, and some people seem to be against using cotton fabric. But because I've seen two people now use the thin cotton fabric on the outsides of their accessories I assume that they haven't had a problem and that it's safe.

So basically I'm just asking opinions, on what fabrics do you think I should start out using? Thanks in advance for any help  I can crochet but I've been wanting to learn to sew for a long time so I'm going to use this as an opportunity to get started on that.

Oh and what are the differences between fleeces? (I was looking at Joann Fabrics online after I posted this). What is the difference between blizzard fleece and anti-pill fleece?


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## Aeyna (Jun 16, 2014)

I tend to stick with only fleece, because it was drilled into me when I had sugar gliders that tiny nails can get caught on the threads of cotton, and I've heard horror stories of animals losing toes and such. Back when I had a hedgehog, I had to be careful when drying her with a towel after bathes because her nails would always get caught in the fabric if I wasn't paying attention. 

I'm not 100% sure how that translates to rats, but I just ordered a big custom set last night (probably from the seller who does cotton on fleece ) and I decided to go all fleece, just to be safe because Gadget has really sharp nails that I don't want getting caught on things in between nail trims. 

It might just come down to what you like. I really like the look of cotton on fleece, and if I wasn't super paranoid, I probably would have gone with it.


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## MaryLiz (Jun 15, 2014)

Ah, that makes sense. I knew that was the case with cotton towels and rags, because of the way those little loops come up, I wasn't sure if it was the case for the really thin quilting-type cotton that seems so smooth. I really like the way it looks, and I like the thought of it because I feel like the cotton layer would keep the fleece from stretching out of shape so easily (I had a theater major friend who talked me out of using fleece for a 3D project once because it stretched so bad and she said I would go crazy trying to sew it lol), but I did notice with the red fleece I bought for cage liners that it seemed to stretch one direction, but not in the other, if that makes sense, so I don't know if all fleece is like that or not but if it is I guess I could sew the directions crossing so that the final result wouldn't stretch as much, if that makes any sense XD


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## ratbasket (Apr 26, 2014)

When I make hammocks, I use cotton fabric from old sheets, fleece that has chewed bits but is still salvageable, and whatever other random fabric I can find around the house. The cotton is safe for rats in my opinion the only drawback is that you have to remember to put a hem on it to keep it from getting threads all over your cage. The threads take forever to clean up... I also trim my girl's nails because I'm always really worried that they might get snagged on something and bleed so that might contribute to it.


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## MaryLiz (Jun 15, 2014)

ratbasket said:


> When I make hammocks, I use cotton fabric from old sheets, fleece that has chewed bits but is still salvageable, and whatever other random fabric I can find around the house. The cotton is safe for rats in my opinion the only drawback is that you have to remember to put a hem on it to keep it from getting threads all over your cage. The threads take forever to clean up... I also trim my girl's nails because I'm always really worried that they might get snagged on something and bleed so that might contribute to it.


Ok. As long as I don't hear of anyone who's had a problem with it I'm probably going to try cotton on the outside... mom has some left over fabric that would match well with the two colors of fleece I already bought for cage liners. She used to be a really good seamstress when she actually enjoyed sewing, she's going to teach me to hide my seams and stuff like some of the nicer hammocks I've seen (When she was younger, she sewed her own dress for her first wedding. She also used to quilt but refuses to teach me because she said it always took too long and she's tired of it >_>)

Do you use grommet pliers and put grommets in your hammock corners? If so what would be the best kind to get? I almost got a pair at walmart today but they didn't look like the ones I have seen on tutorials so far...


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## delilahrene (Nov 1, 2013)

I am not a big fan of grommets on hammocks, I find my rats chew them out which ruins it, and I do not like them trying to eat the metal. I really like hammocks that have fabric loops to hang from. It is all up to personal preference though.


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## MaryLiz (Jun 15, 2014)

delilahrene said:


> I am not a big fan of grommets on hammocks, I find my rats chew them out which ruins it, and I do not like them trying to eat the metal. I really like hammocks that have fabric loops to hang from. It is all up to personal preference though.


Ah, ok. I had imagined it would be the opposite, that they would chew the ribbons and tear down the hammocks but that the grommets would be sturdier. If this is the better of the two options then I won't need the grommet pliers (a pair from walmart was going to cost 13 bucks, and I know walmart tools are usually crappy anyway, I've been advised not to buy things there for classes before), I'll just need to get some suitable ribbon or fabric to make loops from.


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## inod3 (Jun 13, 2014)

There's also different kinds of grommets. I do not like the one piece grommets that you push through and use a plier like tool to flare the other side out. I think they call that variety an eyelet grommet. They seem to fall out easy even without the rats giving them any attention. I do like the two piece type that requires a hammer to apply heavy force to the back side to hold the second part on. You can also find grommet presses that will handle that type of grommet but you're looking at $70 for a cheap press, potentially several hundred $ for a good one. For the minimal use I have, I find the cheap hammer tool works fine. That kind of grommet holds onto the fabric much better - I use #0 which is 1/4" holes I think? I like that I can buy some double thick fleece and put grommets on it and have a hammock with no sewing.


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## Charlottesmom (Nov 27, 2013)

I'm getting started on doing a bunch of hammocks and tunnels for my future rats, I'm thinking of just using fleece and ribbons and hanging with those colorful plastic interlocking rings. Pictures to follow at some point....


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## MaryLiz (Jun 15, 2014)

I think I know what you mean with the interlocking rings. I was kind of thinking of using the metal rings like I've seen some sellers do, I saw someone comment that they liked those because their rats didn't chew them and destroy them. I guess that depends on the rat though, my boys aren't bad about chewing plastic things like the litter box and the base pans, but they like chewing up what they sleep on (I got them a ferret crinkle tube and they have decided that one hole in the middle wasn't enough.)


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## Tiffisme45 (Jun 22, 2014)

im just learning how to sew(and im not very good at it), so i have found that fleece is the easiest to use c: it makes for cute, simple cage accessories. plus, you can buy cheap fleece at many fabric stores. (if price is an issue) i have also used flannel to line a hammock before, and it turned out quite nice.


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## ratbasket (Apr 26, 2014)

Another thing that is nice about fleece is that it doesn't fray so that eliminates the need to hem things.


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## MaryLiz (Jun 15, 2014)

Thank you all  I will actually be posting a photo of my first attempt at making a hammock soon lol I attempted to "fix" my mother's sewing machine, and did fix the initial problem but tightened something too much or got something out of line so it was running really tight like something was rubbing, so a man at church offered to look at it, he's a retired sewing machine mechanic and I never knew it XD I did get one hammock sewn together though before handing it over to him and I should have it back next week. I have plenty of material now to make the hammocks with and ribbon to sew into the corners for loops  (My first hammock is deformed, I accidentally sewed closed one of the ribbons to hang with >_>) I have mostly fleece, but my mother has given me some pretty cotton fabric that she had left over from projects years ago so since I already have it and it even matches my fleece I'm going to use it for the outside of hammocks and things. Aside from my screw up with the one loop for the corner, my first hammock is in pretty good shape, and I'm going to put it in their cage when I clean today


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## mrsblazer_x (Jun 20, 2014)

when I make my hammocks and such for my rats and hedgehog, i use cotton on the outside, and fleece on the inside. the cotton basically just for fun because they lay and sleep on the fleece.


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