How to Make Animal Toys From Sweaters

Bone for Dog

• 1

  Use scissors to cut the sleeves off a sweater at the shoulder. Cut each sleeve down the center seam to make two flat pieces of material. Cut the body of the sweater in half along the side seams to make two more pieces of material. A large sweater provides enough material for four bones: one from the front, one from the back and one from each sleeve. Two equal-sized bone shapes cut from the material create one bone.

• 2

  Draw a bone-shaped pattern on a large sheet of paper or a paper bag using a marker or dark pencil. Measure the bone about 12 inches long, 9 inches at the widest part and 5 inches at the middle. Make the bone larger or smaller to suit the size of your dog.

• 3

  Cut out the bone pattern from the paper, and trace it on another piece of paper, creating two identical shapes. Cut out the second bone shape. Pin the two paper bones on a rectangular area of the sleeve or body of the sweater. Use about eight straight pins around the edges of the paper bone pattern, placing the pins firmly through the paper and the material.

• 4

  Cut out the two bone-shaped pieces of fabric, and then remove the pins and paper. Pin the two pieces of fabric together allowing for a 3/8-inch seam allowance. Pin the fabric with right sides facing each other for sewing. The seam allowance is the amount of extra fabric around the edges needed for sewing the two fabric bone shapes together.

• 5

  Sew the two pieces of fabric together using the 3/8-inch seam allowance. Use a needle and thread to make small stitches to create a tightly closed toy. Leave a 2-inch hole along the side of the bone so you have enough room to turn it right-side out.

• 6

  Turn the bone right-side out, and insert stuffing material into the open hole. Place a squeaker at each end with stuffing around it. More stuffing will make a firmer bone. Sew up the 2-inch hole. Sewing tightly is important to prevent the dog from easily ripping it open.

Mouse for Cat

• 7

  Use scissors to cut each sleeve off the sweater at the shoulder. Cut the sleeves down the center seam to create two flat pieces of material. Cut the body of the sweater in half along the side seams to create two more pieces of material. This will provide you with plenty of material to make multiple toy mice. Create one mouse by sewing together two equal-sized oval shapes of material.

• 8

  Draw an oval shape on a sheet of paper or paper bag using a dark pencil or marker. This will be the mouse shape. It should measure about 4 inches long and 2 ½ inches at the widest point. Cut out the oval shape, and trace it on another sheet of paper, creating two identical shapes. Cut out the second oval shape.

• 9

  Pin the two oval shapes onto a piece of sweater material. Use about eight straight pins around the edges of the pattern, placing the pins firmly through the paper and the material.

• 10

  Cut out the oval-shaped pieces of sweater material, and then remove the pins and the paper. Pin the two oval shapes together with the right sides facing each other.

• 11

  Sew the two oval pieces together using a 3/8-inch seam allowance between the stitches and the edge of the material. The seam allowance is the amount of extra fabric around the edges needed for sewing the two mouse shapes together. Use a needle and thread to make small, tight stitches as you sew. Leave about a 1-inch opening at the end of the mouse. This is where you will fill the toy with catnip.

• 12

  Turn the toy right-side out at the 1-inch opening, and fill it with dried catnip and scraps of the sweater material or another type of filling material. Spray with catnip-scented spray for added scent.

• 13

  Sew the remaining 1-inch opening tightly closed. If you want to add a tail to this small opening, place a piece of twine or yarn inside as you sew it. A long end inside the toy prevents your cat from easily pulling it out.