Scrapbuster Crochet Cat Toys -- 20 Minutes & Some Leftover Yarn

Yesterday I blogged about the scrapbuster crochet afghan I'm making for Baby S, who's now a little more than a week old! When I finally had time to crochet last night, I really wasn't in the mood to work on a long-term project. It was rainy, windy, a low dense fog had settled in, and I was on Day 4 of a horrible head cold. What I needed was a project that would give me instant gratification and help me use up some more of my yarn scraps. (Free pattern below.)

My cats were kind of lazing around, too...all of us ready for some warm spring weather with windows wide open. We all needed a little entertainment, so I spent 20 minutes (on each) and some of my yarn scraps to make these:

Scrapbuster Crochet Mice

If you're a cat lover like I am, than you know they can be a finicky bunch. But I'm not one to be easily outdone. The secret, final ingredient would make them love their new crochet mice!

These were so easy and fun to make; I finished all three in less than an hour, with interruptions. The pattern is simple. I'll follow with photos of how well the toys were received. **Feel free to use the following pattern for your own personal use or for profit, but please link back to this blog post and give credit to me.**

Scrapbuster Crochet Cat Toys

K Hook (6.50 mm)
Yarn scraps
Stitch marker

Ch 3, slipstitch together to form a small loop.
Round 1: Ch 2, HDC six times into the loop.
Round 2: Lay your stitch marker (a different color piece of yarn) over the space following your last stitch to mark the beginning of a new round. HDC 2 times into each stitch. Total 12 stitches.
Rounds 3 - 7: HDC once into each stitch.
Round 8: *HDC one time into each of the next two stitches. HDC2TOG (half-double crochet two stitches together for a decrease)*. Repeat from * to * to the end of the round.
Round 9: Alternately HDC into one stitch and then decrease all the way around.
Finish: Cinch the yarn tight to make a pointy, nose-like end. Knot and cut off the excess yarn. For the Whiskers: Cut two pieces of yarn about 3 inches (7.5 cm) each, and thread them through the nose area. Tie in a knot and trim the mouse whiskers to the desired length. For the Tail: Ch 7, SC into the second chain and in each chain to the end. Fasten off. Use the excess yarn to tie the tail to the bottom end of the mouse.

After crocheting the three mice and adding my secret ingredient, I was excited to give them to the cats. And, of course, I knew they'd all be as excited to receive the new toys as I had been to make them.

Patches was too busy napping on a soft crochet afghan to play.

Ernie was very enthusiastic about his new mice!

So was Sophie!

Alice was too busy thinking about important things, such as world peace or her next meal.

As you can see, the crochet mice were received with mixed reviews. But I won't let my enthusiasm be dampered. My cats are amongst the ficklest of fickle, and I know they'll enjoy batting and bunny-kicking their toys around during those few moments that fall between nap time and mealtime.