Show your pets you love them with homemade comforts

A heated basket is the perfect bed for a sun-loving cat, and is easy to make yourself. (Laura Moss)

If you are a pet lover, as I am, you will certainly understand my desire to make my pets' lives as comfortable as possible. Because they are important members of my family, I celebrate their birthdays, include them in parties and shower them with presents, especially at Christmas. This year, all of them will be receiving some gifts that are homemade and practical, and others that are fun and stimulating.

The three dogs crave presents and attention. The French bulldogs, Francesca and Sharkey, frequently wear coats and can often be seen bejeweled and bedecked. The only gifts my 12-year-old chow, Paw Paw, wants are tasty food and a comfy bed.

Smart doggy coats are difficult to find and even harder to fit. The well-tailored versions we designed are comfortable for dogs with smooth, short hair. The bulldogs wear T-shirts, sweaters, and coats all year long, and I think the glazed, water-resistant slickers will soon be among their favorites.

I also have five Himalayan cats - four males and one female (twins Vivaldi and Verdi, Bartok, Mozart, and Elektra). They love toys, snacks, catnip objects, interesting perches, and warm beds - preferably ones located in pools of warm sunlight or very near sources of heat. For the bases of the cat beds, I use lovely baskets in the Nantucket lightship style - they look nice in almost any interior.

Of course, all my horses, donkeys, and poultry will receive holiday treats and presents as well. But because more of us have cats and dogs, I wanted to share my ideas for their gifts in this column so your pets can enjoy the holidays, too.

For the doggy coat how-tos and more holiday gift ideas, tips, and templates, visit marthastewart .com/petcrafts.

Cat bed
Cats love the softness and warmth of the two cushions nestled inside this basket, one on top of the other; an electric pet-bed warmer sits between them.

Any shallow basket can be used for the base. You can make the quilted fabric - see martha stewart.com/petcrafts for the how-to - or buy it.

1. Place basket base on kraft paper, and trace around it. Cut out, then trim the pattern as needed to fit inside basket (a seam allowance isn't necessary).

2. Use the pattern to cut out two pieces of 2-inch-thick wool batting and two pieces of cotton fabric. For quilted pieces, follow online instructions or cut out two pieces of store-bought quilting.

3. Sandwich a piece of wool batting between a piece of quilted fabric and a piece of cotton fabric. The top and bottom layers should face right side out. Pin through all the layers. Stitch along the circumference, 1/4 inch from edge.

4. Cut a piece of 1/2-inch-wide bias tape to go around the edge of the cushion, plus 1 inch. Pin to edge. Fold under last 1/2 inch, leaving 1/2 inch overlapping. Stitch.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 to make second cushion. Sandwich bed warmer between cushions, and place in basket.

Dog necklace
All you need to make a glittering snap-on necklace is grosgrain ribbon and the kind of dangling rhinestone edging that's sold by the yard at fabric stores.

1. Cut a 3/4-inch length of grosgrain ribbon to your dog's collar length, plus 4 inches. Trim the ribbon ends with pinking shears.

2. Fold under 1/4 inch of the ribbon at one end, and then fold under 1 inch more; stitch in place. Turn the ribbon over, and repeat at other end.

3. Unsnap two 3/8-inch snaps. Hand-stitch the snap sockets (the indented sides of snaps), one beside the other, to 1-inch hem. Stitch the snap balls (the protruding sides of snaps) on reverse side of other end, so snaps will meet when hems are brought together.

4. Cut rhinestone trim (dangles or droplets) to fit hemmed collar, minus 1 inch. With a doubled length of thread, stitch the trim to the front of the ribbon.

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Questions should be addressed to Ask Martha, care of Letters Department, Martha Stewart Living, 11 W. 42nd Street, New York, N.Y., 10036. Questions may also be sent by electronic mail to: mslletters@marthastewart.com. Please include your name, address, and daytime telephone number. Questions of general interest will be answered in this column; Martha Stewart regrets that unpublished letters cannot be answered individually. For more information on the topics covered in the Ask Martha column, visit marthastewart.com.