How to Make a Grab-and-Go Dog Bowl

Using a dinner plate or round platter as a template, trace and cut two 12- to 16-inch circles from your fabric. To create a sturdy base for the bowl, use a piece of recycled material like a pie tin, or piece of plastic from a gallon of milk, or the lid of a plastic tub from the market. The base should be about 3 to 4 inches in diameter, and can be traced out using a large coffee mug or small bowl as a template. Lay one fabric circle face down on the table and mark the center with a pencil. Cover the back of your small tin (or other) circle with tacky glue and place it over the center mark on the fabric circle. Cover the remaining side of the tin with the glue, and place the second fabric circle on top, lining up the edges of the two fabric circles.

Once the glue has dried, run a stitch around the outer edge of the circle about 3/4 inch from the outer edge. Using a screw punch, poke holes through the fabric halfway between the stitch and edge. Punch a hole every 2 inches and be sure to punch an even number of holes, so when you stitch your hemp cord through it comes back out on the same side where you started.

Weave cording through the holes while the circle is still flat. Leave a 4- to 6-inch tail when trimming the cord. Run the cord through from back side of a button and knot the ends.

To form the bowl, yank the drawstring cord. The fabric probably won't naturally form pleats as you draw the string, so you'll need to find the base, place one hand inside and one out (just like when crimping pie dough) and begin to manipulate the oilcloth into shape. As you do this, continue to draw the string in closer and closer, tying with a loose knot to hold its place. Once you've achieved the shape you like, draw the string until the dish closes and let it sit for a few hours to take the shape.