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Tassel Cat Toy

This cat toy is made with a dowel and worsted weight acrylic yarn and is fast and easy to make. It makes a wonderful craft fair item. You have permission to use this pattern in a craft fair or bazaar if you like. This is also a great pattern for any scraps you may have. Plus this makes a great gift for anyone who has kitties.

Materials Needed
Small amount worsted weight acrylic yarn, any color.
1 wood dowel, 5/16" x 8"
White Glue
Spray Paint of Choice*
Clear Coat Spray**

Tools Needed
Size H/8 or 5mm aluminum crochet hook
Yarn needle for weaving in ends and finishing.

Pencil Sharpener
Drill Bit 1/8" or size needed for the yarn needle to fit through
Power Drill
Small Piece of 100 grit sandpaper

Yarn Thickness: 4mm
Gauge: 4dc=1"
Finished Size: 36" x 3"
Skill Level: Beginner

Instructions Prepare Gold Stick
Step 1: Use pencil sharpener to sharpen both ends of the dowel. On one end, leave a point about 1/8" in diameter. This took me about 7 revolutions with my wall pencil sharpener. The other end just do one or 2 revolutions on the pencil sharpener, enough just to knock the edges off the end and to bevel the end a bit. The point should be about 3/8" in diameter.

Step 2: Drill a hole, all the way through, about 1" from the narrow end of the stick.

Step 3: With your sand paper, sand the hole areas so they are smooth, and to remove any splinters.

Step 4: With a small scrap of yarn, hang your stick in a well ventilated area and spray the dowel with your gold or colored spray paint until you are happy with it. Allow to dry completely until proceeding with the next step.

Step 5: Spray the painted dowel with clear cote and allow to dry completely before you do final assembly. While you are waiting for the dowel to dry, you can crochet the Tassel part of it.

RND 1: 6dc in the back loop of the 3rd ch from hook. 6 more dc in the front lp of the same chain, making sure the back hump is not worked into the stitches. The back hump needs to be showing in the center hole. Join w/slst to first dc.

RND 2: *Ch12. Slst in 2nd ch from hook and in each of the next 10 chs. Slst in the next dc. Rep from * around Fasten off, leaving a 14" end for finishing. No need to join since you are basically doing all slip stitches in this round.

Finishing Tassel
In order to make it look like a tassel, weave your 14" end through the base of the 2nd round working a running stitch through each stitch around. Gather up tight and work a couple of stitches in the work to secure the gathered part. Continue to weave the starting stitches of the first round around the center of the ring around where the chain comes out to gather that ring up to close it. Reinforce the first stitch of the long chain to the center of the top of the tassel to make it stronger. Then finally, weave the end back down into the inside bottom of your work to secure the long chain in place.

Step 1: Spread Glue on the end of the dowel with hole in it, leaving the sharp end area dry. Smear the glue so that you have glue on about .25"e; of area on either side of the hole.

Step 2:With needle, thread your starting end of the chain through the hole on your dowel. Draw it up all the way to the knot. Wind yarn around dowel on either side of the hole, completely covering the glue covered area. You will not use all of the yarn. Use wood clothes pin as a clamp to hold the end in place. When dry, trim the end close to the stick.

Step 3: Hold the end of the stick, the opposite end of the wrapped area with one hand and wiggle the tassel in front of your cat! Watch him or her go nuts! Have fun!

* I used Krylon Short Cuts Hobby/Craft Paint in color#SCS-029 Gold Leaf Found at Wal-Mart
** Folk Art Clearcote Hi-Shine Glaze by Plaid. 784 For Art, Craft & Floral Projects Found at Wal-Mart

Design written on Wednesday, November 14, 2012. Copyright ©2012 By Julie A. Bolduc p114034