Tuesday 15 April 2014

FREE PATTERN Cat Toy




You know those little plastic center things with toys inside you get in Chocolate eggs (the ones that used to be fun to pop and launch but now have a hinge so you cant do that) ... well they also make great cat toys

I have some tiny pasta bits left over from weaning the kids (yes it was 6 years ago, i'm a hoarder but also thought great for gluing onto paper for craft things for them). ANYWAY,popped about a level teaspoon inside the yellow plastic and it made a decent rattle ... rice, barley,bell,buttons or anything else small and solid is worth a try tho.

This made it great for being a noisy toy to pat around ... but cats also like to paw-lift and mouth carry things and the smooth plastic sides don't allow that ... SO I thought, let's knit a cover that claws and teeth can get stuck into. This only uses a TINY amount of yarn. I havn't weighed it but i have 4 toys from a 20 gram ball and maybe just under half of it left so a great use of oddments.

Going to get some of these made up for the local Cats Protection and other rehoming places as I go to try and keep the guys and girls looking for forever homes a bit of entertainment

SO pattern time

pop some rice/pasta/split peas/barley into plastic toy holder to make a rattle noise (less is better than more)

using 3mm straight needles and DK yarn

1. Cast on 8sts
2. inc in each stitch - 16sts
3. p1row
4. (k1,inc) to end - 24sts
5. work 13 rows stocking stitch (1 row k, 1 row p)
6. (k1,k2tog) to end - 16sts
7. p1 row
8. (k2tog) to end - 8sts
9. break yarn, thread thru remaining 8 sts and pull tight to gather.
Sew row ends about half way up, pop plastic toy center in and continue sewing row ends closed. finally gather the cast on edge to close other end, fasten off tightly and sew in ends.

TIP ... don't sew row ends completely cos you'll never squeeze the plastic in ... altho loose mattress stitch could be done then pulled tight once the middle is in place. Halfway is enough to hold it all in place while you finish the seam.

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