Sew Help Me!

If you have sewing or knitting skills, we have some projects that we need some help with. Thrift stores and yard sales are great places to pick up fabric and yarn, but if you’d like us to provide them for you, please email or call us and we’ll be glad to provide you with supplies. Let us know if you have any questions! To become a regular crafting volunteer please email VolunteersHCH@gmail.com.

Crochet projects

We seem to never have enough handmade items at our events to keep people happy. So if you are crafty, and would like to donate some of your skills, feel free to make any of the below for us. Items can be delivered to the shelter or mailed in. Below we have compiled a list of ideas (with links to free patterns) but you can definitely find all sorts of crafts of your own on the web and we’ll graciously accept anything that you may be interested in crafting for us.

  • These simple Cat Koozies are some of our “Best Sellers” at any events we take them. People seem to really love them. We get some donated every now and then, but due to their popularity we are always looking for more. Here is a video tutorial showing how the basic shape can be obtained. Decoration can be as simple as you see in our photo (buttons and some embroidery thread) or as fancy as your heart desires.
  • Here’s a link to crocheted cute drinks coasters that is both quick and super adorable.
  • And how about these hilarious cat butts drink coasters? We think they area a total hoot. Here is a great tutorial on how to create them. Some make the tail curly to be more reminiscent of a cat swishy tail (available in this second set of instructions), but we love the straight Happy Tail too!
  • Or how about creating a wonderful beanie hat that can be both utilitarian and fashionable? This is certainly a conversation starter and we can surely see many of our peeps wearing this with pride.
  • Or how about a combo hood, scarf and mittens for our cold Colorado winters? This is the cat’s meow and we know many who would be proud to wear this.
  • Cat ears are always a huge hit with Happy Cats Haven followers. We wear them proudly at our events – as a celebration to our mission. We usually have volunteers who make them in felt, but we think crocheted versions are just as adorable and unique.
  • Or how about crocheting an afghan for one of our silent auctions? Supporters LOVE to bid on silent auction items and also participate and purchase handcrafted items at our pop-up bazaars. If you feel ambitious we think this pattern is adorable! Who would not love be buried under a meow-tain of kitties? 
  • Or how about this beauty? This is a simpler and larger size pattern sure to make anyone smile.

Condo Hammocks

These are hammocks we hook inside our condos and decompressing crates/pods to provide the kitties with lounging and comfortable napping surfaces.

  • They are 35 x 14 inches rectangles and are made of two layers (a fleece one for comfort and warmth and a canvas one that does not stretch and holds shape (see reverse below).
  • The canvas side houses straps at each corner which are used to hook the hammock to the pods. These straps are stitched every one inch and a loop extends for one inch outside the perimeter of the hammock.

Buddy Blankets

These are blankets that gather each cat’s unique scent, while at the shelter, that we send home with them once they get adopted. Having their own little safety blanket helps reduce new environment stress and anxiety. Blankets are roughly 18″ x 24″ and can be made using any recycled yarn you have laying around the house. Low on supplies? Consider Who Gives a SCRAP-Colorado Springs, a thrifty local non-profit whose mission is keeping unused crafting supplies out of the landfills. These blankets can be made in ANY CRAFTING STYLE. You can crochet them or knit them, they can be stitched cotton patchwork quilts or fleece, anything goes. As long as they are about the size specified above and washing machine friendly (in case of accidents as well as for longevity) they will serve their purpose. We use one for each cat and, because it leaves with the cat, we can always use extras. These can be a great item for a novel knitter or crocheter to hone their skills on. Perfection not required. Thank you for providing our cats with a comfort safety blanket.

Cat Toys

Our felines love kick toys! If you are interested you could help us by sewing some for them. These toys are made out of recycled fleece and this easy pattern can guide you thru the process. We have organic locally grown catnip that we sell in our retail area. If you are interested in making these toys please let us know so that we can provide some for you to stuff the toys with. Extra bonus for our kitties!

Super easy beginner project for kids and adults alike are these cat toy rings. These guys are a cool up-cycle project to keep plastic out of the landfill and create a perfect little batting toy that can be steeped in catnip for extra fun. As a bonus point if the cats fall in love with these rings, they can be sent home with them once adopted as an extra comfort item. Here are the directions on how to create these cute rings.

Other Cat Toys

Mending

We always have a bag of beds and such that haven’t survived either our washing machine or the mauling of little teeth and claws. If you enjoy sewing and mending, please reach out to us and we can set you up with some extracurricular cactivities.

TNR Trap Covers

We are very involved in Trap Neuter Return in our community. We support and help colony managers feed an estimated 800+ fixed and stabilized community cats a day in the Pikes Peak Region. Stabilizing colonies and fixing feral cats is the only way to reduce suffering and hardships for cats born outside. This is achieved thru the TNR program. If you have basic sewing skills we’d love some new trap covers, a cover reduces stress during this scary procedure for feral cats. Above you can see basic shape as well as dimensions. If you are interested in finding out more about TNR or becoming a TNR volunteer, check out this Kitten Lady video.

Huggy Beds & Felted Cat Beds

These are beds made from upcycled sweaters, very easy to make with no crafting experience needed. PLEASE NOTE: children’s or small women’s sweaters fit better in the colonies than larger sweaters do. Wool blends are great as they hold up better than synthetics do, as long as they’re felted (pre-shrunk). Tap here for our Huggy Bed instruction page.

Our beds have to withstand washing in hot water and drying (though we try to hang them dry, it doesn’t always happen), so these pre-shrunk beds should be perfect. 

Knitting projects

These are just a few ideas to get you started. We are truly blessed with all the support and love you provide for our cats and community.

When completed, items can be dropped off during regular business hours or mailed to the shelterPlease include a little note with your name and your email with the items so we can properly thank you for your wonderful gift! 

We thank you in advance for any donations of time, supplies and skills!