Free diy cat toys – mice and fish sewing patterns

Free diy cat toys – mice and fish sewing patterns! I’m always looking for fun ways to upcycle old jeans and with two new adopted kittens, it seemed like the perfect time to chop them up for some colorful kitty toys! These are super quick to sew and dirt cheap, which is good because I have a feeling that they’re going to all end up hiding under our bed. I’m thinking about sewing a cat bed next; let me know if you have sewn your kitties anything else fun!

Here they are! Adopted from our local rescue of course, from a friend who was fostering them. Named Artemis Meowmeow and Apollo Bowser; greek mythology mixed with little kid silliness. They’re joining the “pandemic puppy” we adopted a few months ago, the longer we stay home the more critters we seem to be acquiring.

Check out these other posts while you’re here!

• How to make a cat bed – a sewing tutorial
• 12+ cutest sewing ideas for dogs
• What to do with old jeans – 45+ upcycle sewing tutorials
• 30+ of the best fabric scrap projects

They’re super simple, easy to make. I used a mix of machine and hand sewing but it would be easy to do one or the other, too. I’m sure the body edges will fray a bit as time goes on but as long as the dogs leave them alone I’m not too worried about longevity.

Kitten approved! Aren’t they cute!

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Free diy cat toys – mice and fish sewing patterns

Ready to make your own?

Supplies

• Fabric scraps! I used old jeans + wool felt (this is my favorite felt shop)
• Embroidery floss + needle
• Mini rotary cutter or small scissors
• Thin ribbon + fray check or a lighter
• Freezer paper (optional)
• Stuffing/shredded fabric scraps to stuff – also consider including catnip (Amazon or Etsy) for the scent, a piece of cereal bag for a crinkle, a marble so it rolls, or a jingle bell for interest!
• Download the free pdf pattern! –sign up for my newsletter and get the free download once you confirm your subscription! If you’re already a subscriber, you can access the pattern with the password in each newsletter, in the resource library.

Steps

The steps are pretty much the same for each toy shape so I mixed and substituted as needed!

Step 1- Cut your patterns out! The fish is symmetrical so cut two of it; the mouse you’ll need to “mirror” the pattern or flip it over and cut so it matches up.

Step 2- Time to cut fins and ears; I like tracing the pattern to freezer paper, ironing it on, and cutting precisely around it before peeling off the freezer paper. I used wool felt for color and texture, my kitties love wool, and a bonus is that the edges won’t fray.

Sew the accents on and throw in an eyeball!

Step 3- If you’re doing the mouse, now is the time to stick in the tail. Use fray check or a lighter to seal the ribbon end otherwise it might unravel. You can use a regular school glue stick to hold it in place if you’re worried.

Step 4- Layer the body pieces wrong sides together and sew around the edges, leaving a 2-3″ gap. Stop to insert stuffing and noise makers as desired, then sew the gap shut and get ready to play! You’re done!