I haven’t had much time to craft or post recently because of school work and my new workout schedule (P90X…bring it!), but I came up with this super easy cat toy! Its about time I give the kitties some attention! The ball looks like the basic pom pom, but the center is a tight ball of yarn. This makes it more durable and gives it some extra weight for better games of fetch (for lack of a better term). This project uses up extra yarn scraps, which I always seem to have left over at the end of any knitting project. If you don’t have enough of one yarn to complete the project, mix ’em up! Color is always a good thing! I added catnip to this toy as well because Mango (the cat) up there is OBSESSED!
Materials needed:
- Scrap yarn (enough to make a small ball and have some left over)
- Knitting needle
- Catnip (optional)
Instructions
- Start with a small ball of yarn about 1″ to 1-1/2″ in diameter (the small ball on the left side in the above picture). Make sure the ball is tight to prevent it from falling apart. Any time I finish with a knitting project, I have a habit of balling up the extra yarn, so my yarn happens to be ready!
- Thread the loose tail through the knitting needle and pull the needle through the center of the ball.
- Leave the end loose. The ball will keep the end in place.
- With the leftover yarn on the needle, thread the needle through a few strands of yarn on the ball. Pull the yarn on the needle about 2″ out of the ball. Cut the other end of the yarn to the same length. Tie these two tails in a knot to secure this piece of yarn to the ball.
- Repeat all over the ball until the desired coverage is achieved.
- Dip the ball in catnip to make it extra appealing! You can also add a catnip pouch to the center of the ball if you want. I didn’t think about this option until I was already finished!
Like I said, super easy and what cat doesn’t love a yarn ball?
Linking up here:
Craving Color 