Cheeky Mice: free crochet cat toy pattern
26.Mar.26 / Kirsten BalleringThe little Cheeky Mice are a free crochet cat toy pattern that works up in about 30 minutes: perfect for using up yarn scraps and spoiling your cat at the same time! Each mouse measures around 5cm (2 inches) and is beginner-friendly, so it's a great, quick make whether you're new to crochet or just looking for a fun, fast project.
I made my first batch on World Animal Day. and within minutes of presenting them, one had already been stolen by the cat. I'd say that's a solid review!
Bonus: You can stuff them with regular toy stuffing or add a pinch of catnip for extra excitement.
Materials and preparation
Yarn
- Colour A: 001 Rock pool x 1 ball
- Colour B: 018 Beach Hut Blue x 1 ball
- Stuffing
Shop the yarn
Shop Sunkissed through Scheepjes retailers, or webshops such as:
Crochet hook
3.5mm (US size E/4).
Measurements
5cm (2in).
Gauge/tension
Not critical for this project.
Notes
Optionally you can put some catnip in the toy.
Abbreviations (US terms)
- ch: chain
- RS: right side
- sc: single crochet
- sc2tog: single crochet 2 stitches together
- ss: slip stitch
- WS: wrong side
Crochet pattern
Body
Start with a magic loop.
Round 1 (RS) 6sc in magic loop. [6 sc]
You'll be working continuously in rounds. To keep track of the separate rounds, I recommend placing a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round and moving it up as you progress.
Round 2 2sc in each sc. [12 sc]
Round 3 (2sc in same sc, 1sc) 6 times. [18 sc]
Round 4 (2sc in same sc, 2sc) 6 times. [24 sc]
Rounds 5-9 24sc. [24 sc]
Round 10 (sc2tog, 2sc) 6 times. [18 sc]
Rounds 11-13 18sc. [18 sc]
Round 14 (sc2tog, 1sc) 6 times. [12 sc]
Rounds 15-16 12sc. [12 sc]
Insert the filling into the mice. Stuff it until you think it won’t fit anymore, and then stuff some more. It needs to be quite sturdy.
Round 17 6sc2tog. [6 sc]
Fasten off. Weave the end through the last round a couple of times. It will make it a little bit pointy, giving the mice a real ‘nose’.
Ear (make 2)
Start with a magic loop.
Row 1 (RS) 4sc in magic loop, ch1, turn. [4 sc]
Row 2 (WS) 2sc in each sc, ch1, turn. [8 sc]
Row 3 1ss in each sc. [8 sc]
Sew the ears to the body, approx. where Round 15 is. If you sew the ends of the ears closer together, the ear will take on a concave shape, like in the picture.
Tail
Cut a piece of yarn of approximately 40 cm (10 in). Thread a needle and sew it through the magic loop with which you started the body. Then start knotting the yarn over and over again. Snip off the ends. If you feel fancy, make a couple of tails in rainbow colours!
And to prove that cats really love our handywork, this happened about three seconds after one of our cats spotted the mouse. It was never seen again.
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