Felt Cigars

Someone pointed out some felt cigars over on Etsy, done up as cat toys ($10!!!) that looked to be fairly decently designed the other day.  A basic search for more turned up two others which were far inferior in appearance but they gave me an idea for overall size and shape if I wanted to try my hand at something similar.

 

While 'doobies' have been out there as cat toys like---forever, cigars not so much.  The cat toy did have a lot to recommend it, however tweaking it a little bit more would have given them a nicer overall product. 

 

Like don't have the 'nipple' at the mouth end be sticking out. Dude, tuck it IN so the back end is smooth. 

 

And the cigar had no 'band' on it.  Missed opportunity!  Just looking around Michaels Craft Store I ran across black and white print ribbon that's 1/2" wide, in 5 yard sections in the 99 cent display. I'm talking about the ribbons that are on those little ribbon rolls.  Five yards make for a lot of cigar bands. 

 

And the 'ash' at the lit end was just gray felt rolled up and tucked inside.  Nope!  It's a CIGAR, make it look like it's lit up on the end. It's not a big deal to put a bit of red and orange felt in the center of that rolled gray ash to liven things up!!!  Come on!

 

They looked simple enough to do.  Its basically a 6" long rectangle with the cigar band sewn down on it the short way, then folded in half and sewn down two ends, turn it right side out, stuff it, tuck in the ash part on the end and hand stitch it closed.   Or sew it starting from the 'lit' end and leave the mouth end open for turning and stuffing, do a gather stitch and tuck in the butt end.  Easy peasy. 

 

I might even try making a few.