Include your pets in the holidays and make these adorable felt cat toys for National Sewing Month. This is a great project for beginner sewers, cat owners and Halloween enthusiasts! Fill them with catnip, to make your cats go crazy! This felt toy is a special way to spoil your fur babies and would even make a perfect handmade gift. If you don’t have a cat, don’t worry, add a string or ribbon and turn it into an ornament! In this post you will also learn a quick and easy technique for a “no-sew” toy!

Materials

• Fiskars Scissors
• Fiskars Hand-Held Circle Punch
• Black, Gold, Purple Felt 
• Needle & Pins
• Purple Embroidery Floss
• Purple Yarn 
• Felt Glue
• Pillow Stuffing 
• Catnip (Optional)

Blanket Stitch Cat Toy:

Cut out template:

Draw the outline of a simple cat face. Start with a circle or a wide diamond shape and add two triangles to the top. If you’re having trouble with that, find clipart online and print it out for your template.

Cut out felt pieces:

Trace the template twice onto the felt using a piece of chalk or a marker. Carefully cut out the two images. Tip: When cutting- hold the scissors in place and turn the felt as you cut, this will help get the cleanest cut with the smoothest edges.

Start stitching together:

Pin the two pieces of felt together (if you used marker to trace your image, keep the traced sides in together so they are not seen. Start a blanket stitch using a double threaded knotted long piece of embroidery thread. Start inside the two pieces of felt to hide the knot. Continue around the pieces of felt, making sure to keep the felt lined up with one another. 

Add batting and sew it shut:

Before the two pieces of felt are completely sewn together, start stuffing the batting. We found it best to pull apart the batting into small pieces, this will ensure that each area gets filled equally. Use an end of a pen or a skewer to help push the batting into hard to reach areas like the ears. Optional: While adding the batting add in some cat nip as well! Continue sewing until you’ve reached your starting point, double knot the end and cut off the embroidery thread tail.

Cut and glue embellishments:

Cut out two almond shapes for the eyes, and then cut out a small half circle on the top to resemble a pupil. If you have trouble with this, make a template and trace like before or keep it simple and cut out two circles for the eyes. Cut out a small triangle for the nose and then use craft glue to glue on the embellishments.

No Sew Cat Toy:

Cut out felt and hole punch edges:

Cut out a template and your felt just like before, pin your two pieces of felt together. Use the Hand-Held Circle punch and punch holes about 1/4 an inch from the edge about every 1/4 inch.

Thread yarn through holes:

Use a think needle and a long piece of yarn. Tie a knot at the end of the yarn and and begin threading your needle through the holes. Stuff your toy with batting and cat nip and then finish it off with a double knot. Cut and glue embelishments and your done! This is a great alternative for non-sewers or for kids!

However you make a cat toy for your fur baby make it with a little love! Happy crafting!!