Cryptid Kitty Toys
Hey ghouls and creeps! Who else has a favorite cryptid or a couple favorite cryptids like yours truly? Personally, I’ve always been a fan of the Mothman and Nessie, so it was a no-brainer to use their legacies as inspiration for this project. This adoration, paired with my inability to not spoil my kitties, lead to cryptid themed kitty toys. When finished Mothman is 4” tall, with a wingspan of 4”. Nessie is 3” tall, 5” long, with a flipper length of 1”. Both are the perfect size for your little friends to pick up and carry around with ease.
This project is overall pretty easy, and one of those that you should be able to do in a couple hours, whether you’re making both or just one. The part that may be slightly challenging is turning your cryptids right side out. Because of the small scale, and little features (small legs, heads, necks and tails) it takes a little more persistent but gentle negotiating to get these areas turned. Don’t give up, it is possible and your fury pals will be so happy you persevered!
Step 1: Cutting Fabric: Begin by using the patterns in the PDF files below to cut out cryptids. Patterns are separated by cryptid on to two different pages. Make sure to note the color reference on each pattern piece to know which pattern to cut from which felt color. Make sure to fuse Heat n’ Bond to the backside to applique felt prior to cutting out pieces. This way you’ll only cut the the Heat n’ Bond and felt once, and you won’t have to place and fuse the interfacing on the backside of these tiny felt pieces.
Step 2: Applying and Sewing Appliques: Peel Heat n’ Bond off the backside of your appliques, and use patterns as reference for applique placement. Before you start to iron your pieces, make sure your iron setting is not too high where it will melt the felt. Start low and increase temperature until you reach desired bond of your appliques.
For Mothman’s wings I placed and fused each wing embellishment individually. Make sure to mirror appliques on front and back wing sets. For the Mothman’s eyes and Nessie’s back spots I fused all simultaneously.
Once appliques have been fused in place, I machine sewed near the edge of each applique to reinforce and keep in place.
Step 3: Assembly:
Mothman: Take one front wing and one back wing and edge stitch around pieces with wrong sides together. Repeat this step for the other half of the wings. Sew wing halves together with a 1/4” seam allowance.
Create sandwich with back halves right sides together, with the wings in the middle, use notches from pattern for wing placement. Sew center back seam with a 1/4” seam allowance.
Before sewing around the perimeter of the body, mark seam allowance on both back and front body pieces where an opening will be left for filling and turning the body right side out. This will make it easier to turn seam allowance evenly to the inside before closing opening.
Put back and front of Mothman right sides together, and stitch 1/4” all the way around leaving an opening that’s approximately 1 1/4”. I also reinforced the stitching by sewing twice around Mothman’s legs so the seam didn’t come apart when turning. Also, snip little notches along curves and between the legs.
Turn Mothman right side out using a blunt poking tool like a bodkin. Make sure to poke legs out completely, because of the scale they can be a little tricky to turn all the way. If you’re not making Nessie, skip ahead to step four!
Nessie: Take fins and sandwich together in pairs, sew around outside edge to keep layers together.
Place fins in between marks on Nessie’s belly and sew them 1/8” from edge so that these stitches fall within the seam allowance.
Take belly panel and sew long sides in between notches on body pieces.
Complete the outside seam by sewing around the head/neck and tail twice to reinforce these areas when turning right side out. Leave a 1 1/4” opening on the back for turning and filling. Snip around the head, neck, and tail before flipping.
Turn Nessie right side out, being gentle but firm when turning the head and tail. Apply a small dot of fabric paint on each side of the head for eyes.
Step 4: Filling Cryptids: Take approximately one tablespoon worth of catnip and place in each cryptid. After placing the desired amount of catnip in each, fill the remaining space with poly-fil.
Step 5: Finish: Use seam allowance marks around openings as a guide when slip stitching openings closed. Slip stitch with tiny stitches so that little teeth and claws are less prone to removing stitches.
Apply a small dot of fabric paint on each side of Nessie’s head for eyes.
Make these cryptids as kitty toys or as puppy toys by enlarging the pattern to your desired size. Even try to make these as small or large plushies for you or a friend.
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Ready for your next project? Here are some tutorials on the blog I think you’ll like! Frame Flip tutorial: https://britnijade.com/frame-flip/, Macrame Wall Hanging: https://britnijade.com/macrame-wall-hanging-w-bones/, or the Spider Web Macrame: https://britnijade.com/spider-web-macrame/. Enjoy!
