Ferret Hammock Take II

*NOTE* After 24 hours of this hanging in my ferrets' cage, I have found that the shoelaces method is much better. My male ferret is a big guy and it stretches way down when he gets into it. It was a good thought, but didn't work well. This post still has more pics as far as the making of the hammock is concerned.

Yesterday I posted a semi-tutorial on making a ferret hammock using fabric, D-clips, and shoelaces.

Today I'll make one using fabric, D-clips, and thin elastic headbands.

Supplies:

• 2 pieces of fabric approximately 15" x 15" each. I used denim and old flannel.
• 4 elastic headbands. I am pretty sure I got mine from the Dollar Tree a long time ago. I want to say it was a 5-pack, but I can't be sure.
• 4 small D-clips (I got mine from Walmart for $0.97/pair)
• Sewing machine and thread
• Tape

Step 1: if you haven't already done so, cut your fabrics down into pieces about 15" x 15", or however big you want the hammock to be.

Step 2: with one piece of fabric laying face up, pin the headbands into the corners. Avoid getting the metal pieces into the corners. Then tape the headbands to the center to keep them in place.

Step 3: put your second piece of fabric on top, laying right side down and then pin into place.

Step 4: Sew around the outside edge, approximately 1/4" from the edge. Leave a hole big enough to get your hand through for turning it right side out. Also, pay close attention to the corners. I went over the corners multiple times to hold the elastic bands into place.

Step 5: Turn right side out and sew the edge where you left a hole.

Step 7: add D-clips and hang in cage.

The drawback to this is that you have no control over how low the hammock hangs. With the shoelace method I posted yesterday, you can still shorten the shoelaces or lengthen them to adjust the length.

It's not perfect, but it will do the job.

I'm trying to think of a way to make these no-sew...

Ferret Hamock Using Items Around the House

Like I mentioned the other day, we had a pair of ferrets given to us; cage and all. They already had one hanging thing (it looked like a stuffed pirate ship or ark). My brother bought them another hammock.

The problem I have is that I really only get a chance to wash them once a week, and just washing them doesn't really cut it. They need to be soaked to get all of the smell out of them. So, I decided to make a few more so that I can change them every other day or so and soak the dirty ones until wash day. Buying them--since I want at least six altogether--can get expensive at $8 each.

I dug out some denim fabric I had, then went in search of some scraps for a contrasting color. Then I ran into the dilemma of the straps. I probably could have used ribbon if I had some that was narrow but ribbed, but I didn't. Then I found two things that could probably work. Shoelaces and head bands.

I used shoelaces for the first one I made. I took one pair that were approximately 45" each and cut them in half. That covers all four corners.

Then I cut the two fabrics (denim and contrasting fabric) into squares approximately 15" x 15".

I then placed them right sides together.

Next, I pinned the shoelaces into the corners between the two layers of fabric. To keep the shoelaces from accidentally sewn into the outside seam, I taped them to the center of the fabric.

Of course, somehow, I forgot to take a pic of the tape step.

Anyhow, I then sewed the outer edge of the square, approximately 1/4" from the edge. I left a hole on one side so I could turn it right side out.

Boy, looking at my pics, I realize--a little too late-- that I missed a lot of steps.

After turning it right side out, I sewed up the hole I left.

Then I tied the ends of the shoelaces into a loop, trying to get them all about the same length. I then slipped a D-ring into each loop and hung it in the cage.

I hadn't even finished hanging it up and they were trying to get into it. I guess it's now ferret approved!

I promise to take more pics with the next one I plan to try, using headbands. That one will be bouncy. I'm not sure if that will make it more fun for the ferrets or if it will hinder them getting in and out of it. But, I'm going to give it a try.

The only thing I bought for this project was the D-clips. I got them at Walmart for $0.97 a pair. Since I'm using the loops, I don't need a set of D-clips for each hammock, I only need enough clips to hang two hammocks in the cage.