DIY: Cat Toys To Sew, Knit, Or Crochet

Fun toys for the kitties you know.  Mice, olives, & owls—Oh my!  Just add some catnip to their stuffing and you’ve got some sweet gifts!

Very dapper mice to sew for the discerning feline.  And a great way to upcycle out-of-date menswear hanging in the back of a closet or at your favorite thrift store.   You can hand stitch these or use a machine.  I wouldn’t use beads for eyes—just embroidery floss.  You’ll need:

  • Assorted menswear fabrics (such as wool suiting, cotton shirting, corduroy, and cotton velvet)
  • Iron
  • Fusible webbing
  • Sewing machine and sewing supplies
  • Loop turner
  • Fill
  • Catnip
  • Embroidery floss
  • Embroidery needle

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Festive stuffed green olive to knit for the martini loving cat. (via i-like-lemons)  These are super cute.  These can be left as-is or you can lightly felt them.  You will need:

  • 2yds (1.8m) sport weight or baby weight wool. Mary Jane used Jamieson and Smith 2ply jumper weight #83 dk olive, FC11 bright olive, and #9436 Dale of Norway Baby Ull pale olive (Baby Ull, a superwash yarn, won’t felt much, but it will get fluffier)
  • 1.5 yds (1.4m) Jamieson and Smith 2 ply jumper weight #125 pimento
  • 1 set dp needles size 2 (3.0mm)
  • catnip
  • 1 crewel embroidery needle

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Soulful owls to crochet for the serious cat.  You can make him just the size you want.  If your cat might eat off the eyes, use yarn instead of safety eyes.  You’ll need:

  • < 25g of scraps of wool, in at least two colors
  • 17mm color safety eyes (x 2)
  • catnip
  • A 3.5mm crochet hook, a little stuffing and a needle and thread

DIY: Crochet Frisbee

Crochetfrisbee
You can find the pattern for this one here on Zelna Olivier’s blog. 


I freakin’ love these crocheted frisbees!  A while back at the dog park, I saw a guy throwing one of these for his dog.  I couldn’t tell how it was made, but I could tell it was soft, so it couldn’t hurt the dog when she caught it, and is was floppy, because after she caught it, she had a blast shaking it as she brought it back to her person—very fierce!  A crocheted frisbee is also great for the less athletically inclined—if your throw goes wild, it won’t hurt any dogs or people who get in the way. Now, people from the Pacific NW tend to be pretty reserved and I never know how someone will react when I speak to them.  I grew up in Texas where it’s rude not to acknowledge people in public and even after 25 yrs. this reticence of PNW native can be startling. This guy, however, was happy to let me check out the frisbee and to tell me about it.  He got his at a toy store because he immediately knew it’d be great for his dog and that he could always take it with him since he could fold it up.  I also like that you can throw it in the wash. You can have a lot of fun with the colors you use, so be creative! Crochet Frisbee I (this pattern was developed for Handmade Especially for You a charity that organizes knitters & crocheters to make handmade scarves for abused women.  One of their members realized a soft frisbee would be great for kids also affected by abuse since it could be used indoors, for instance in a shelter.) Crochet Frisbee II Scalloped Frisbee (this is really a potholder pattern, but I thought it’d make a neat frisbee too!  photo is via Oiyi’s Crafts)

DIY Cat & Dog Toy Round-Up

Yikes, it’s December! I have to get crackin’ on making some presents.  To get you started on gifts for people with pets, here’s a round-up of previous posts on DIY toys for cats & dogs.  They range from crazy-easy to not-too-taxing on the difficulty meter.  Try them out!  You’ll have thoughtful, unique gifts for all the furred ones you know.

 

Crazy-Easy:

3 No-Sew Dog Toys

2 No-Sew Cat Toys

2 Braided Dog Toys


Slingshot Ball for Dogs

 

Some Sewing (some can be done with just needle & thread):

Felt Sushi Cat Toys

3 Easy to Sew Cat Toys

2 Squeaky Dog Toys

Felt Mouse, Bird, Fish Toys for Cats 

Foxtail Dog Toy

Fortune Cookie Cat Toy

Pretty Birdie Cat Toy

 

Knitted:

3 Knitted & Felted Dog Toys

Knitted & Felted Mouse Cat Toy 

DIY: 3 Knit & Felted Dogs Toys

I love these cunning dog toys.  All three tutorials are for knitted & felted toys.   Don’t forget to use wool yarn so it will felt.  Felted knits handle more like fabric and are more durable.  (Here are a few tutorials on felting, in case you need them: this one covers both hand & machine felting,here is a printable one on machine felting, and another on hand felting.)

First, is a great tutorial for this cute dog dumbell. It’s aesthetically pleasing and a neat toy!  I especially like dog toys that are fun for the dog, but also also look nice on the livingroom floor. This dumbell kind of looks like it could be modern art.  The pattern comes from Tara over at Tara’s Knits.



Second, is a nice tutorial for these wonderful ducky dog toys. You can use the pattern to make a mallard & a duckling, as shown, or any bird you can dream up. This pattern comes from Ever Green Knits. She has other free patterns and makes some lovely things.



Third, is a tutorial for a tug toy. It has details for a short & a long version.  You could make a nifty one using variegated yarn.



Pup Hats On Etsy

Lord love a duck—these hats just about did me in!  I’m not  a huge proponent of dressing up animals, but I understand the appeal.  Don’t tell anyone, but Saffron does have several hats & festive headbands that we’ve put on her long enough to get a photo.  However, the extreme cuteness of these hats made by “talk2thetrees” on Etsy could make me a dog hat devotee. (thanks, Holly!)

I love the description too:

Do your dog’s ears get a little cold? Is your pup ashamed of his ears? Does your dog need something to boost his confidence and make him feel like a sly fox?