Often when I am sewing my 6 year old granddaughter, Zare, wants to help. Last week while I was sewing the Microwave Potato Bags she wanted to sew something with me. I told her we would make something with the scraps. Usually she wants to make clothes for her American Girl Doll but I didn’t have enough fabric left to make even a top for her 18 inch doll. Zare’s idea was to make a cat toy from the scraps but even a cat toy would be a challenge. I just love a challenge!
My cats had recently lost all their catnip-filled, store-bought mice. The fabric scraps were brown (but I don’t think either the cats or Zare would care if I used different scraps.) I started with a simple pattern in the shape of an egg and a strip of fabric for the tail. It was a very simple thing with the added touch of a little catnip.
My two indoor cats love attacking toy mice from the pet store but these would be cheap and easy as well as safe for my cats to bite and chew.
Materials
- Catnip spray or a teaspoon of catnip per toy
- Scraps of fabric
- Thread, sewing machine, scissors
Instructions
Step One
Freehand a simple pattern. Pin it to the scraps you have on hand. Cut 2 for each toy. You do not need to be mindful of the grain so pin the pattern down to fit the available size of the scraps. Cut a strip of fabric about ¾ inches wide and 6 inches long for the tail.
Step Two
With the right sides together sew around the toy leaving an opening in the wide bottom of the egg for turning. Turn the toy right side out and use a chopstick or other blunt instrument to poke out the seams.
Step Three
Clip to reduce bulk in curves and reduce the bulk at the top point by shaving off the seam allowance as shown. . Use some of your smallest scraps to make confetti-sized pieces to loosely stuff in the mouse toy. No use using good fiberfill when you can use what might otherwise become waste in the local landfill.
Step Four
When you have finished stuffing the toy, turn in the ¼ seam opening and finger press it. If you are adding catnip, now is the time. Insert the tail and stitch the opening closed. Tie a little knot in the tip of the tail.
Easy peasy! In just a short time I’d used up all my scraps from my Microwave Potato Bags project (plus a few more.)
I always seem to have scrap left-overs when I finish a project. I cannot stand to through them away so I save them even pieces that can only be called crumbs. I’ve found over time that I need to get creative with how I use them or I’ll be overrun. Some I use in projects like this one created on a whimsy. Others I donate to my local quilt shop. They shred the scraps and the local animal shelter volunteers use it to stuff beds for the shelter animals.
I try to include my scrap-buster projects in blog posts to encourage fellow sewists to use their scraps and reduce our carbon footprints. Here are a few of my past posts on scrap busters.
How to Make a Rosie the Riveter Retro Headband
[optin-cat id=”4559″]
The Lazy Gastronome says
This looks easy enough!! My cats will love it! Visiting from the Blogger’s Pit stop! From Helen Fern Original Photography!
Angela Campos says
Pretty Kitty! Love this, my cat will too 🙂 Thanks for sharing at Sunday Fitness & Food.
Jessica Pelasky says
SO cute!
I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Kathleen says
What an awesome mouse idea. Lucky pussy.
Kathleen
Bloggers Pit Stop
The Lazy Gastronome says
Happy cat!! I think my cats would like that! Thanks for sharing on the Pleasures of the NW DIY party!
samiswan says
The holidays make everyone crazy with stress! I’m going to try to make a few of these “mousies” for my cats. I NEVER buy cat toys at the store, because virtually all of the cat toys available for sale at grocery stores, chain stores, etc., are made in China and imported here. That means going through Customs and being fumigated with chemicals [BLECH!] & I don’t want my kitties chewing on that.
To my knowledge, the only place selling cat toys that are made in America is Catfaeries. Their toys are handmade by individuals and have catnip inside, which is also grown right here, never imported, so they can make sure it’s organic. You can’t buy their catnip, but they do sell a catnip mist {a liquid form that you can just spritz a bit on a scratching post or a toy} and my cats go bananas for it. If you’d like to check out their goodies, you can visit: http://www.catfaeries.com. They have a newsletter, too.
I buy Catfaeries toys and cleaning products from the website. The toys are not cheap, nor would I expect them to be, but they’re safe and they last for years! I couldn’t live without their AIP.
And no, I don’t work for Catfaeries in any way. But I do LOVE their products, and I try to tell all cat lovers about them. People who love cats are always doing stuff like that, eh?
Oh, great. Two of the kittens have gotten into my thread drawer. Not putting drawer pulls on there didn’t stop them at all!
Cheers!