Requesting ideas for how to add structure to crochet

[Rainy Days]

Greetings all! I'm here with a question: I'm making a cat bed (actually, it's already made) by holding four strands of worsted weight yarn together and crocheting with a Q hook. It all went according to plan--EXCEPT the sides are not stout enough and it flops in on itself (so rather than a nice bowl for kitty to lay in, he'd be laying ON TOP of a blob of yarn).

 

Does anyone have any ideas on how to add structure to such a project? I tried front posts, but that didn't do a whole lot for me--although it did give me a good place to "tack" down the curled over edge.

 

Other options I've considered: Using bamboo skewers (AFTER I cut the sharp ends off, of course), but this bed will predominantly be used in a cat house in which I inspect only every so often, so I don't need something that could potentially injure the cat.

 

Another option I thought to use is pipe cleaners, but those are too soft and eventually will be crushed out of shape (we're back to blob-of-yarn kitty bed again).

 

My third option is to weave stiff fabric in and out of the crocheted sides--an option that in addition to possibly providing more structure, would also serve to provide more insulation (yeah, the cat house is outside--don't worry, the cat is still plenty spoiled!!!).

 

Before I try option 3, though, I thought I'd ask to see if anyone has any good ideas.

 

Many thanks!

[Granny Square]

I have more ideas about making something that might work from scratch, versus after the fact.  A common way to make a stiff basket is to work 1 strand of yarn across a 'clothesline' (thin rope or thick cord).

 

I wouldn't add pipe cleaners, I can see the cat working them loose and causing harm to herself.

 

What you might try, since you mentioned fabric, is using some really stiff interfacing fabric; my mother would have called this 'buckram'.  Think of a fabric that you could have used to make the Tin Man's body (from the Wizard of Oz) out of; I think it may have been used to stiffen the frames of hoop skirts back in the day.  You might need a couple of layers to get the stiffness you want.  It's sort of ugly, I'd cover it with a fabric that coordinated with the yarn.  You'd have to sew it on by hand.

[redrosesdz]

Welcome to Crochetville!

 

I had this issue with a basket.  I tried multiple store bought and home made yarn stiffeners.  They all failed, because the basket was too big and the yarn too heavy.  I don't know if what I did would work for you or not, but it worked for the basket that I made.  I went to the dollar store and bought some of those stiff, plastic place mats for sides and plastic plates (clear cut in the party section) for the bottom.  I cut them to size.  Then I crocheted a liner and before attaching it, I put the plastic inside.  It was stiff and durable, yet still crocheted yarn and soft on the inside.  (By the way, my mom's cat took it over as a place to sleep.)

 

http://www.crochetville.com/community/topic/154405-moms-basket/

 

ETA: the link to mom's basket.  I see that I didn't put the plastic plate under the yarn liner.  Hmmmm ... memory is a funny thing.  I thought I had!  LOL

[ratdog]

What about lining the sides with plastic canvas and covering that with felt?