Soft toy for a playful pet

This soft yet sturdy bone-shaped toy is simply made from an old pair of jeans and is guaranteed to keep a much-loved pet amused

AN UNWANTED PAIR of jeans can be put to good use in a quick and easy sewing project to make a toy for man’s best friend. Ideal for puppies, this washable, hard-wearing denim bone is soft to chew, so will not damage young teeth.

A template for the basic shape can be drawn freehand, and just two pieces of denim are needed to make the bone. It does not matter if the pieces include a section of a pocket or seams, as this will add interest and texture. The toy can be stitched together in minutes, but will provide hours of pleasure for a faithful companion.

HOW TO MAKE THE TOY BONE

Step 1: Using a felt-tip pen, a bone shape is drawn on an A4 piece of paper and cut out to make a template. The bone should be chunky so there is enough allowance for seams once the material is cut around the template.

Step 2: The template is pinned to a pair of old jeans and cut around with scissors. This is then repeated. When the two pieces are placed together, the edges need to match. This is particularly important if the bone shape is not symmetrical.

Step 3: The two pieces are placed right sides together and pinned. A seam is sewn around the bone ¼in (6mm) in from the edge. A 2in (5cm) gap is left to allow the stuffing to be inserted.

Step 4: Care is taken to ensure all pins are removed. The bone is turned right sides out and stuffed with scraps of old fabric. A pencil or similar object can be used to push the fabric into the toy.

Step 5: Once firmly padded, the gap is sewn up using a sewing machine or by hand, using small stitches to ensure the stuffing is kept securely inside.

MATERIALS

• A4 sheet of plain paper

• Felt-tip pen

• Scissors

• Old pair of jeans

• Pins

• Sewing machine or needle and thread • Scraps of fabric for stuffing

“Buy a pup and your money will buy Love unflinching that cannot lie”

Rudyard Kipling, ‘The Power of the Dog’