Halloween Cat toy

Halloween Cat Toy

By Berta Gilholm

Materials:

For Pumpkin: Orange worsted weight yarn

For Cat & Bat: Black worsted weight yarn

For Ghost: White worsted weight yarn

For Monster: Lime Green worsted weight yarn
For Trim Extra’s: Small amount of green boucle & red yarn
US G6/4mm  hook
cotton balls for stuffing

Yarn needle

Cat Nip

Nylon or microfiber material (I use cleaned worn out underwear, perfect for catnip enclosure)
Abbreviations: Ch = chain, Dec = decrease, Rnd = round, Sc = single crochet, Slst = slip stitch.
Note: Sc Dec - pull up a loop in next 2 sc (3 loops on hook), pull yarn through all 3 loops on hook.

Pattern:

Catnip Pouch: Cut the Nylon/Microfiber into 4 inch squares, using yarn – sew a whip stitch row ½ inch in, all the way around the square leaving a tail on each end for pulling pouch together to enclose stuffing. Pull yarn ends slightly and fill indentation with 1 tablespoon of catnip and 2 spread out cotton balls, tie yarn ends together and don’t cut ends. (the pouch should be solid but not make the ball hard, so the cat can pick it up easily). Set aside.

Ball Pattern: (For all toys – see color description above)
Loop yarn over to form a ring, slst around loop to secure, ch 1,
Rnd 1: Sc 6 times in ring, join with a slst to first sc (pull tail of ring tight and leave hanging)

Rnd 2: Ch 1, Sc in same place, 2 sc in each sc around, join with a slst to first sc  (12sc)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, *1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat from *around, join with a slst to first sc (18sc)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, *1 sc in each of next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat from 3 times more, sc in last 2 sc,  join with a slst to first sc (22sc)
Rnd 5 -10: Ch 1,  sc in each sc around, join with a slst to first sc (22sc) Do not fasten off, “See Picture”

After row 10; with yarn needle pull pouch ties through beginning ring (top of ball) and stuff the catnip pouch completely inside work, and then continue with next round,  
Rnd 11: Ch 1, *sc dec in next 2 sc, 1 sc in next sc, repeat from * around, join with a slst to first sc (15 sc)
Rnd 12: Ch 1, sc dec in every 2 sc around, join with a slst to first sc, Fasten off and leave a 6 inch tail (8 sc) Sew the tail in and out of 8sc, pull tight and knot, weave through ball and pull out top with other ends.
Finish:

For both Pumpkin & Monsters: Use black yarn to sew a jaggy mouth.

For pumpkin – sew triangle eyes and nose on side of the ball for face and for the monster - squinty eyes and nose on side of the ball for face.

With doubled up green yarn and orange tie 3 to 4 inch pieces in 7 different stitches at top of ball and knot for a leaf or hairy effect, trim yarn ends on top of ball to about 1 inch. To make frizzy, unravel each yarn piece on top.

For both Cat & Bat: Use red yarn to stitch a curvy mouth for cat and a straight line for bat, put on a small red dot nose for both and red dot eyes at upper sides of nose for the bat. For cat eyes, use lime green yarn to stitch slanted eyes above each side of nose. For Bat us white yarn to stitch on fang teeth under each side of red-line mouth.

For little black ears on cat & bat:

Join black yarn in 4^th st from center top stitch on top right side of ball above face. Sc in same st, sc in 3^rd row towards center top, ch 1, turn, sc in each sc (2 sc), ch 1, sc in first sc, slst in second sc, end off and waeve in ends pulling tails into ball. Repeat this pattern for second ear on left side above face.

For Ghost: Use black yarn to stitch a large oblong mouth and smaller oblong eyes. With doubled up white yarn tie 3 to 4 inch pieces in 7 different stitches and knot at top of ball for a hairy effect, trim yarn ends on top of ball to about 1 inch. To make frizzy, unravel each yarn piece on top.