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I mentioned that I would be willing to share how to make fleeve pompom type balls. I tried to keep it simple, explain things as best as possible, and provide many pictures since most people are visual or mix-visual learners.
Thumbnails and medium quality pictures used in consideration for the few people that do not have a broadband connection.
Materials needed:
Sharp scissors
Cotton or hemp string (natural string opposed to nylon)
Ruler or measuring tape
Light weight fleece (minimum of 12"x6" - 23x16cm)
Optional:
Needle and thread
If you have some leftover fleece laying around the house, that's perfect. Otherwise look in the remnant bins at Wal-mart or fabric stores. You won't need a lot of fleece. What is important, though, is that the piece of fleece is widest on the cross grain. If getting a remnant or a piece cut for you remember that the selvages (selvedges for those using the British spelling) on fleece are on the straight (lengthwise) grain.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/grain2.jpg Shows the cross grain in the first picture, it has more give or stretch to it. The second picture shows the straight grain which is less stretchy. This is important because it can mean the difference between your cat being able to pull the ball apart and possibly eat pieces of it.
Our goal is to make a ball similar to this;
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/storeboughtball.jpg
Sure you can buy them for just a dollar or two, but you can make them in a few minutes and probably for just a few cents.
Once you've figured out which way is the cross grain you need to cut along it. The intent is to make a strip that stretches along it's length, and not it's width.
Lay out your fabric and place your ruler or measuring tape on top.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/measure.jpg
3 inches (8cm) works nicely. You'll eventually trim some excess off, but you need the extra material now to make it easier to handle.
As you cut, move the ruler back. You don't have to get it perfect, hence no markings, but at least roughly even looks nice.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/cutting.jpg
Cut your strips. They need to be around 9 inches long (23cms), you need two of them.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/strips.jpg
If you wish you can use two different colors or patterns of fleece.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/staggercut.jpg
The next step is to make a staggered fringe along both sides leaving a section down the middle uncut. 1/4th inch to 3/8ths inch width works well for fringe width (just under a centimeter).
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/width.jpg
An easy way to keep the width of that section even and uncut is to place your thumb on the center of the fabric as you cut. You should get about a 1/2 inch or so uncut space.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/aligned.jpg
After both strips are cut line them up on, one atop the other, as evenly as possible.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/roll.jpg
Pick up the strips and start rolling them up as tightly as possible. The fleece should stretch.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/roll2.jpg
*Optional Step
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/stitch.jpg You can stitch the rolled fleece together to help keep it tightly rolled. I think it adds some strength. Don't try to force the needle all the way through the center, you'll either end up needing a pair of pliers or getting it stuck. Just stitching through the outer two layers is enough.
Get your string now, you'll need about a foot of it so that you can get enough force to tie it tightly enough.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/tie1.jpg
Loop the string around the center.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/tie2.jpg Tie it as tightly as possible, then put another knot in it. Trim off your excess string.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/fluff.jpg
Fluff up your ball! You can leave it at this stage, your cat can paw it around, kick, carry, and fling it fine... But it won't roll like a ball.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/trim.jpg
To make it a nice tight ball you need to start trimming that excess off.
Trim around it shaping it into a ball. It doesn't need to be perfect, but fairly even will help it roll further.
Fluff again and you should have something that looks like this.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/finished.jpg
Very similar to the store bought one.
Other ways to make the balls are to use three strips instead of two. The steps are the same but you don't need to make the strips quite as long. Once trimmed down it makes a denser ball.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/denserball.jpg
There's also some little toys that can be made from too-small of pieces of fleece, if anyone wants pictures and instructions for those.
All toys, if made correctly, should be machine washable and safe. One idea is since they're cheap and easy to make they'd be great for shelters or rescues that have open cat rooms.
Thumbnails and medium quality pictures used in consideration for the few people that do not have a broadband connection.
Materials needed:
Sharp scissors
Cotton or hemp string (natural string opposed to nylon)
Ruler or measuring tape
Light weight fleece (minimum of 12"x6" - 23x16cm)
Optional:
Needle and thread
If you have some leftover fleece laying around the house, that's perfect. Otherwise look in the remnant bins at Wal-mart or fabric stores. You won't need a lot of fleece. What is important, though, is that the piece of fleece is widest on the cross grain. If getting a remnant or a piece cut for you remember that the selvages (selvedges for those using the British spelling) on fleece are on the straight (lengthwise) grain.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/grain2.jpg Shows the cross grain in the first picture, it has more give or stretch to it. The second picture shows the straight grain which is less stretchy. This is important because it can mean the difference between your cat being able to pull the ball apart and possibly eat pieces of it.
Our goal is to make a ball similar to this;
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/storeboughtball.jpg
Sure you can buy them for just a dollar or two, but you can make them in a few minutes and probably for just a few cents.
Once you've figured out which way is the cross grain you need to cut along it. The intent is to make a strip that stretches along it's length, and not it's width.
Lay out your fabric and place your ruler or measuring tape on top.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/measure.jpg
3 inches (8cm) works nicely. You'll eventually trim some excess off, but you need the extra material now to make it easier to handle.
As you cut, move the ruler back. You don't have to get it perfect, hence no markings, but at least roughly even looks nice.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/cutting.jpg
Cut your strips. They need to be around 9 inches long (23cms), you need two of them.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/strips.jpg
If you wish you can use two different colors or patterns of fleece.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/staggercut.jpg
The next step is to make a staggered fringe along both sides leaving a section down the middle uncut. 1/4th inch to 3/8ths inch width works well for fringe width (just under a centimeter).
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/width.jpg
An easy way to keep the width of that section even and uncut is to place your thumb on the center of the fabric as you cut. You should get about a 1/2 inch or so uncut space.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/aligned.jpg
After both strips are cut line them up on, one atop the other, as evenly as possible.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/roll.jpg
Pick up the strips and start rolling them up as tightly as possible. The fleece should stretch.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/roll2.jpg
*Optional Step
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/stitch.jpg You can stitch the rolled fleece together to help keep it tightly rolled. I think it adds some strength. Don't try to force the needle all the way through the center, you'll either end up needing a pair of pliers or getting it stuck. Just stitching through the outer two layers is enough.
Get your string now, you'll need about a foot of it so that you can get enough force to tie it tightly enough.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/tie1.jpg
Loop the string around the center.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/tie2.jpg Tie it as tightly as possible, then put another knot in it. Trim off your excess string.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/fluff.jpg
Fluff up your ball! You can leave it at this stage, your cat can paw it around, kick, carry, and fling it fine... But it won't roll like a ball.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/trim.jpg
To make it a nice tight ball you need to start trimming that excess off.
Trim around it shaping it into a ball. It doesn't need to be perfect, but fairly even will help it roll further.
Fluff again and you should have something that looks like this.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/finished.jpg
Very similar to the store bought one.
Other ways to make the balls are to use three strips instead of two. The steps are the same but you don't need to make the strips quite as long. Once trimmed down it makes a denser ball.
http://s136.photobucket.com/albums/q179/strange_wings/fleece ball/denserball.jpg
There's also some little toys that can be made from too-small of pieces of fleece, if anyone wants pictures and instructions for those.
All toys, if made correctly, should be machine washable and safe. One idea is since they're cheap and easy to make they'd be great for shelters or rescues that have open cat rooms.