Re-usable cage liners: HOW TO DIY Tutorial

[Phlox]

I do know how to do that...I've hand sewn costumes, I'm jut trying to think of a way to make it faster. That heat set tape does work really well. I've hemmed dresses with it (I'm short) and it seems to last forever.

 

[Kiwibird]

I've never used heat tape, in fact, I've never even heard of it lol.

I just wanted to update and say after using them all this week (washed 3 cage liners, 1 play tree liner and the carrier liner +3 poop rags), they really do seem to work well. No major stains or residue on them and were much tidier, though did take a little extra time to brush off poop and debris. I found shaking off debris then letting all the poo dry overnight before brushing it off was MUCH easier than trying to brush wet poop off

 

[getwozzy]

AWESOME!!!!! Good job April!! Kiwi's such a spoiled boy!!!!

I second the serger- I have one, and it trims the raw edges as it sews, and the results are wayyyy better than a zigzag stitch. Maybe you could find a decent one on CL?

 

[Kiwibird]

AWESOME!!!!! Good job April!! Kiwi's such a spoiled boy!!!!

I second the serger- I have one, and it trims the raw edges as it sews, and the results are wayyyy better than a zigzag stitch. Maybe you could find a decent one on CL?

Mine does the edge trimmin too and it can also supposedly roll hems if you take off the blade. Maybe it's just my serger (or how I thread it!) but it always unravels. Doesn't seem to matter what I do with the "tail", it always comes loose the first time I wash the item and then unravels from there I really should take the time to learn how to use it properly, but I've had my sewing machine for so long, it's just so much easier to use that lol.

 

[Phlox]

So inspired by this...I found my mom had years worth of old towels in her basement, so I'm giving those a try before I do a sewing project.

 

[Kiwibird]

Old towels will probably work fairly well Mine have been working out great. Change them every other day and they wash up great! I'll be curious how the towels work out.

 

[IRN_Mom]

This is just perfect! I have been trying to figure out how I was going to line the Double Critter Nation I have for Deuce, and this will work out perfectly! Thank you so much!

 

[Phlox]

So far, so good with the towels. It's WAY easier to ball up and prevent getting dirt (seeds and pellets and thrown food and wood shreddies) all over the place. I didn't cut them to size, but I think I will for the smaller cage (the folding isn't real convenient for the 31x20 cage, but its fine in the bigger 36x24 cages)

I'm usually an every other/every third day paper changer and it would get a little stinky before I got to it. The towels are so absorbent, the poo doesn't stay wet so no scent at all.

This is SO much better than newspaper!

 

[faeryphoebe1]

Those liners are quite beautiful. You're very talented!

 

[Kiwibird]

So far, so good with the towels. It's WAY easier to ball up and prevent getting dirt (seeds and pellets and thrown food and wood shreddies) all over the place. I didn't cut them to size, but I think I will for the smaller cage (the folding isn't real convenient for the 31x20 cage, but its fine in the bigger 36x24 cages)

I'm usually an every other/every third day paper changer and it would get a little stinky before I got to it. The towels are so absorbent, the poo doesn't stay wet so no scent at all.

This is SO much better than newspaper!

Glad they're working out! How do you find the terry cloth is washing up?

 

[Phlox]

Glad they're working out! How do you find the terry cloth is washing up?

The first batch was still in the washer when I left for work, but I'll update once am home and have them in the dryer. These are pretty old towels and mostly darker colors, so I think the worst case scenario is a bit of staining. However, I have an HE washer, I swear its magical at removing stains. Fingers crossed.

I figure if it works out (and I really think this will), I can just pick up cheap replacements as needed at WalMart and garage sales and the too icky ones can get washed one last time and become shop rags for the hubby.

I can't believe after 20 years of bird keeping I never thought of this...thanks again for having such a smart idea!

 

[Zirstonas]

Wow amazing, it's a very good idea, I should try this

 

[Betrisher]

I'm coming in late on this thread, but I'm considering doing this for my three cages. The Beaks' cage is enormous and we simply can't keep up with enough newspaper for it. I usually disassemble all the junk mail that comes into the house and we layer the sheets a few deep. Being that the cage floor is about seven feet by three feet, it takes a huge amount of junk mail, all in roughly A3 or tabloid sheets. Madness!

So-oo-oo... do we have a consensus on what the very-best-most-fabulous fabrics are? I doubt I'll be able to find flannel wide enough for the Beaks' cage on account of, it's sold over here in 30" widths. I don't fancy piecing it together because that will put a big, fat, poo-trapping seam in the middle. So I thought maybe some el-cheapo jersey or interlock fabric? I'm afraid of towelling because of the thought of mountainous mega-poos worming their way into the towelling and not being washed out adequately. Maybe canvas? Denim even?

Also, how necessary is the quilt batting? That costs megabux here in Oz. S'pose I used a towelling layer instead of batting and covered one side with (insert useful fabric) and the other with ripstop? That'd be way cheap, wouldn't it?

Also, what about using an el-cheapo vinyl tablecloth as a backing? Would that work? Or even an el-cheapo shower curtain? Suddenly, this whole idea is feeling a lot more attractive to me as I can imagine a much cheaper alternative... What with two Really Big Cages and one Ordinary Big one to keep clean, I'll be up for at least a dozen liners. And I don't have megabux, sadly. Hmmm... Lemme think on this for a bit. If I manage to construct anything worth singing about, I'll post pictures. Everyone else who does it, please also post your pics. April's liners are perfect! We have a high standard to live up to!

PS. Here's how I end off my serging.

1.Always chain off a goodly length of thread at both ends. You want enough tail to be comfortably able to tie a knot in it. Say, four to six inches.

2. After cutting the project free from the serger, gently run your fingers from the fabric out to the end of the chained-off thread tail. This lines the threads up ready to be tied and makes sure there's no slack to ruin the knot you're about to make.

3. Tie a granny knot as close as ever you can to the end of your serging. I keep a big fat tapestry needle (size 18 or 16) near my sergers for this purpose. Use the needle to pull the loop of the knot right down and then pull it as tight as you can. Remove the needle.

4. Now, thread the end of the chained-off tail into the tapestry needle and thread it back through the loops of your serging between the two halves of fabric in the seam allowance. This way, your ending-off is invisible. Make sure you pull the knot into the serging as well. I thread my tails about two inches in, weaving them a bit into the serging to be sure they don't work loose (which they never do).

5. Repeat at the other end of the serging.

Hope this helps? I invented this method when making cuffs for babies' sleeves. There is no way on the Good Lord's earth I can put ribbing cuffs on 'the right way' in those teensy sleeves. So, I attach the cuffs before stitching the sleeve and then stitch the lot in one straight seam. I finish with my knot and weaving and bob's yer uncle.

 

[Phlox]

I don't know that the seams would be that big of a problem, since they'll be washed every couple of days? The key would be something absorbent, which is why I thought of towels.

 

[Phlox]

Just an update on the towel liners --- this week was a RUIN. I got a job change and a dozen other bits of crazy popped up and I ended up going 4 days without a cage cleaning. I expected the house to smell like a chicken coop and everything to be gross and....it was fine!

Not that I recommend being a bum, but it still worked perfectly. No smell, easy to clean. Just all around the best.

I'm NEVER going back to newspaper.

I might still make some nice ones someday. Kiwi's liners are much prettier than my old towels, but the absorbent fabric is the way to go!

 

[DallyTsuka]

you, my friend, are a genius!

 

[Kiwibird]

Trish- Thanks for the tip on keeping the chain from unraveling. Perhaps I'll dust off my serger and see how this works I've had it for a long time, and it makes beautiful edges, but after a few projects getting screwed up due to unravelling, it's been collecting dust for a few years:54:

As for the batting (and waterproof layer), I used it because Kiwi is a MESSY and DAILY bath-taker. When he'd saturate the newspaper, it would stick to the tray. When I scraped the stuck paper off the tray, it chipped the paint, and subsequent moisture made it start getting (very small, but sure to grow larger) spots of rust The batting absorbs the excess water and the waterproof backing protects the tray We are saving to upgrade Kiwi's cage to something much bigger and stainless. Once we have a new cage, we'd like to donate his current one to a avian shelter/rescue group and don't want the tray to become a rusted out heap of junk that makes it unusable:20: Right now, it is in overall good condition and the cage lines should keep it that way

Fabric-wise, anything durable (will hold up to multiple washings) and absorbent will probably work. Phlox is having good luck with towels

Phlox- Glad the towels are working I bet they did keep it a little more sanitary when you went 4 days without cleaning. I think it happens on occasion to the best of us:54:

 

[Jumpingtadpoles]

I LOVE this idea!!
I use old blankets under the birds hang out areas and wood chips in their cages. But I may consider making my own cage liners!!

 

[Kiwibird]

I LOVE this idea!!
I use old blankets under the birds hang out areas and wood chips in their cages. But I may consider making my own cage liners!!

I strongly suggest giving it a try! I know I will NEVER go back to newspaper or paper liners of any kind. This is SO much easier, cleaner and less wasteful. You never run out either!

 

[Jumpingtadpoles]

That's why I do the blankets I have two macaws, so poo is just to large for paper. It soaks it, then dries, permanently sticking it. The blankets I shake outside for the chickens, and then throw in the washer. The wood shavings are great because they clump like litter, but it takes a long time to sift through two large macaw cages.
I've wondered why more people don't use blankets. It's just way easier and doesn't fill my garbage can.