Time to start the holiday gift crafting! Here is the perfect gift to make for your cat loving friends. You can make two or three in an evening in front of the TV.
Crochet Hairball Cat Toy
Materials:
Size E or larger crochet hook
Left over fuzzy yarn
Bit of fiberfill
Catnip
Instructions:
Chain 5.
Join in the round.
Single crochet 4.
On next round increase to 8 single crochet by crocheting 2 in each stitch.
Single crochet 2 more rounds.
Decrease to 4 single crochet by skipping every other one on the next round.
Leave the ball open and tie off and leave 8 or so inches of yarn.
Gather a bit of fiberfill and put about half a teaspoon of catnip in the middle. Roll it into a ball with the catnip as filling. Cram the fiberfill into the middle of the crochet ball. Use the yarn tail to gather together and close off the ball. Tie off and tuck the yarn tail into the ball.
Hope these pattern directions aren’t clear as mud! Feel free to email me if you have trouble. These hairballs are cat tested and approved. Slashables loved them! They may look ginormous but they're actually only about and inch and a half in diameter. I used Lion Brand Fancy Fur yarn which I found on sale at Michael’s. I found organic dried catnip in a bag at PetsSmart. You can make a lot of hairballs with just one skein of yarn and a bag of catnip!
Those are so clever, I might need to play with one myself! I love the vibrant colors (and that Fancy Fur yarn I won in your contest). Too bad I've got only sweater kitties in my life--they're so content with their glove mice. ;-)
Posted by: Brandy | November 08, 2007 at 05:44 AM
Hahaha...Those are terrific! I wonder if our Charlie and other feline friends would like those for Christmas...Thanks for the great idea! ((hugs))
Posted by: Tracy | November 08, 2007 at 06:27 AM
Awesome idea Felicia! I bet my kitties would love those!
Posted by: Karyn | November 08, 2007 at 07:10 AM
I wondered what I was going to find when I saw the heading! A lovely surprise to make. Yipee! Instead of a horrible present to step in!! Yuk!!!
Posted by: Libby | November 08, 2007 at 08:08 AM
I don't crochet. Are you going to sell those in your shop? I hope so.
Michelle
Posted by: Michelle Anderson | November 08, 2007 at 08:16 AM
Ha, I love that you call these hairballs.
Posted by: Sarah | November 08, 2007 at 09:15 AM
I love your tutorial title! ;)
My mom would love some of these for all of her kitties!
Posted by: randi | November 08, 2007 at 09:36 AM
Awesome cat toy, and love the name! Thanks for sharing the pattern.
Posted by: Brenda | November 08, 2007 at 09:48 AM
Thanks for the pattern! Scruff will love this!
Posted by: Thimbleanna | November 08, 2007 at 10:04 AM
Love this idea, Felicia and I don't even have a cat! LOL
I was thinking they look cool on the drawstings of a hoodie (minus the catnip of course ;o)
Posted by: Katherine | November 08, 2007 at 11:22 AM
Those are great!
Posted by: Jenn | November 08, 2007 at 11:29 AM
Very cute. Thanks for sharing! And catproof and tested! YAY! I know a bunch of cats.
Posted by: Barb | November 08, 2007 at 11:36 AM
Oh, Felicia. If only my cat's hairballs looked so cute and colorful...
Posted by: Michelle | November 08, 2007 at 12:13 PM
Fun and colourful!!
Posted by: Heather T. | November 08, 2007 at 12:25 PM
This is so cute,I think my kitty will Love it!
Sandra Evertson
Posted by: Sandra Evertson | November 08, 2007 at 12:51 PM
I wish I still had a cat!!! These are great!
Posted by: Bethany | November 08, 2007 at 01:34 PM
Wonderful! I think my cat would have a totally different tutorial for that title...a little more, um...organic of a project?
Posted by: sadira | November 08, 2007 at 03:15 PM
I can't stop laughing over the name! You crocheted fluffy hairballs!! ha ha ha. Too cute!
Posted by: mariss | November 08, 2007 at 04:45 PM
WOW.... I love your new look!!!
What a cute little tutorial, you're so clever!
Jodie
Posted by: Jodie | November 08, 2007 at 09:33 PM
My cats will love these!
Posted by: Jennifer | November 08, 2007 at 10:21 PM
I got a real chuckle over hairball cat toys; original and so appropriate. When the picture finally appeared (I'm on dial-up) I laughed again. They are very appealing. Thanks.
Posted by: dana | November 09, 2007 at 02:42 AM
wow, wow, wow!!!! Girl you've been busy!!! Had quite a bit of reading up to do. Totally fell in love with thtat black Victorian dress!!! Also love your new look, it's fresh and friendly. I'm afraid that my catlady is a bit too old to play with fluffy hairballs (she'll be 17 in april) maybe something for a future kitty. Have a nice weekend (can't get used to the idea how easy it is to get a gun in the States, scares me to bits)
Posted by: Brigitta | November 09, 2007 at 03:49 AM
Those are wayyyyyy too cute!
Posted by: beachy | November 09, 2007 at 03:16 PM
Oh my Felicia...those are amazing.
Karen
Bluemuf
Posted by: Karen Young | November 09, 2007 at 11:35 PM
What a fantastic idea Felicia!!! I just made one for my kitties and they love it :)
Also got this yarn at the dollar store the other day for 1$!!!! What a deal :D
Posted by: Danielle Nilsson | November 12, 2007 at 04:27 PM