Moderncat reader Andrea really wanted a neko chigura after seeing it posted here last month, but since they don’t seem to be available in the US, she decided to make her own. She used 1/2 inch piping and 1 inch strips of calico fabric with a coil basket weaving method to create a shape similar to the traditional Japanese neko chigura cat beds. I love the photo above with her two cats testing the unfinished design with a hole in the top!
Andrea ran into a structural challenge, since her cats kept sitting on the top, causing the basket to cave in. She tried to reinforce the sides, but eventually gave up and dismantled it to create two separate beds, which seem to work quite nicely.
I hope that Andrea can figure out a way to reinforce the basket to achieve a similar structure to the original neko chigura. If she does, perhaps she will share her design with us.
Read all about Andrea’s project over on Craftster.
February 10th, 2010 at 12:20 am
You know, I think it works pretty well (and still looks really nice) with the hole in the top!
February 10th, 2010 at 7:07 am
Awesome how cute is the basket. Any cat would love it.
February 10th, 2010 at 7:23 am
I LOVE IT! I hope she can figure it out and will sell them! I’ll be her first sale!
February 10th, 2010 at 8:12 am
I love it!
I wonder if leaving the hole in the top might be a solution. It’s hard to sit on a hole, and the cats might like having an extra exit.
February 10th, 2010 at 8:13 am
oh, whoops. Just read the forum. Apparently she tried that.
February 10th, 2010 at 9:13 am
Love it! Going to have to learn basket weaving, now.
February 10th, 2010 at 9:15 am
Very inventive. Even though she couldn’t make the neko chigura cat bed, the beds she ended up with look great and comfy.
February 10th, 2010 at 9:31 am
Wow! These are adorable! Stacked or unstacked, looks like the kitties love them. Great work, Andrea! If you ever market them, be sure to let us know!
February 10th, 2010 at 9:59 am
Oh… she needs to sell this on Etsy. Kush and I are drooling. (Well, he’s drooling because he’s sucking on a catnip fortune cookie. I have no excuse.)
February 10th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
In my email it said “Gladys” but on here it says “Andrea”? Whatever her name is, she’s crafty!
February 10th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
Twin cat-cups are very nice, too, Andrea; your two adorables seem very content curled in them! Thanks for sharing this, Kate and Andrea and two…<3
February 10th, 2010 at 2:21 pm
Excellent! There has to be a way to reinforce – but the 2 beds are twice as nice. Good for you Andrea!
February 10th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
What if a very large plastic bowl was used to put the fabric around and a hole was cut on the top also. I really like the extra exit idea. If Andrea can make some I would certainly buy a couple.
February 10th, 2010 at 3:56 pm
An actual basket would probably give enough support to put the fabric around and it would also be easier to cut a hole in it. Baskets also come in big sizes too.
February 10th, 2010 at 6:39 pm
Oh, she did a wonderful job on it!!! It’s beautifully executed, even if it had to be taken apart. I had an idea about reinforcement (hopefully I’m not repeating anyone), but what about adding some boning (sewer’s boning, like for a corset). I think you could add strips of boning vertically hidden on the inside and that might keep the structure from being smooshed. Great job!
February 10th, 2010 at 7:26 pm
Wow! It looks great. I love the use of color beyond the natural wood in the original design.
February 10th, 2010 at 8:42 pm
My cats fight over a similar style basket that I bought from Plantation Creations in S.C.–it’s a rug company that also makes woven baskets from the scraps. Unfortunately their Web site seems to have lapsed, but as I recall I had to order by phone anyway, as it’s a *very* small business. Nonetheless, the basket is great, as are the ones I bought as casserole holders. Here’s Fred in possession of the basket:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/76353144@N00/4347130201/
It’s 12″ in diameter, 4″ deep.
February 11th, 2010 at 8:02 am
Her kitties look pleased with both sets of results. She is very talented, I hope we get to see pics if she figures out how to strengthen the sides. I’d be very interested in learning how to do this myself.
Kim -mom of 18.
February 11th, 2010 at 6:41 pm
I would totally buy one.
February 12th, 2010 at 11:55 am
That’s amazing !
I wish I could figure out how to do it …..I would try.
Maybe she should make another, and leave the hole in the top .Then they couldn’t sit on it,and its cute how they poke both their heads out both holes.
Xxoo
Missy
February 27th, 2010 at 9:40 pm
I would also be in line to purchase; I think a mess of foldies would love these!! You go girl!
July 12th, 2010 at 9:45 am
Super idea. Great sculptural idea.