Books For Cats - Simple Catnip Toy

One thing I made that I've never seen anyone else do yet is a line of "Books For Cats".  I took a piece of printed fabric about 8 x 4" in size for the outside, and a solid color fabric for the inside, with the same dimensions.  On printer paper I did up a title, and 4 lines of 'text' for the inside.  Clear contact paper goes over that to keep the ink from running.  Cut the strips with the words out and lay the title on the front, with a section of organza ribbon 1" wide that's sheer enough to see through over the top of it, and sew that down on all 4 sides (tuck the cut ends under).

 

On the inside piece you'll lay out the text strips, putting ribbon over those too (I do it on the diagonal for visual interest) and sew them down.  Sew the front to the inside piece, turn, push in some catnip, then close the end.  Fold in half and sew a 'book binding' down the back spine.  Open it up and it's a 'book'. 

 

You can do anything as a story that's really short.  I did one series of books with that orange Halloween fabric with the jumping black cat and called it Fleas. In side it said "I do NOT have fleas. I gave them all to the dog".  You can be as creative as you want with them.  The cats love the catnip and will open it and look like they're reading, as they slobber over the whole thing.

 

I've done little books about milk, hamsters, bunnies in the back yard, chickadees on the bird feeder, yowling at the moon and a whole slew of other subjects.  Try to match the cover fabric to the theme of the book, too.