Rainbow Ball Fun for Your Feline Friend

On Apr 25, 2025 8 0

Isn’t there something special about watching your cat pounce on a toy you’ve fashioned with your own hands? That burst of playful energy is even more rewarding when you know you put together their new favorite thing! Look at that happy paw in the picture – that could be your kitty enjoying a vibrant, bouncy ball just like this one. This colorful crochet ball is a fantastic project for beginners. Even if you’ve never picked up a hook before, we’ll guide you through making this exact toy, step by simple step. Let’s get started!

What You’ll Need to Gather

Before we dive in, let’s assemble our supplies. Having everything ready makes the process smoother.

🧶 Worsted weight yarn in multiple bright colors (The ball in the image has stripes of Orange, Pink, Lime Green, Blue, Red, Yellow, and Dark Green)
🧶 A small amount of contrasting yarn (optional, for starting the Magic Ring if easier)
🎣 Crochet Hook (Size G/4.0mm or H/5.0mm usually works well with worsted yarn, check your yarn label)
☁️ Polyester Fiberfill stuffing
✨ Catnip (Optional, but highly recommended by cats!)
🧵 Yarn Needle (also called a tapestry needle)
✂️ Scissors

Getting Started: Essential Techniques Explained

Don’t worry if these terms sound new! We’ll break them down simply. This ball is worked in a continuous spiral, meaning you don’t join the end of each round to the beginning – you just keep going around!

Magic Ring (MR): This is a way to start crocheting in the round without leaving a hole in the middle. Think of it like making an adjustable loop with your yarn, working your first stitches into that loop, and then pulling the yarn tail tight to close the center. Many video tutorials online show this clearly if you need a visual!
Single Crochet (sc): This is the main stitch used for this ball, giving it that lovely, dense texture you see in the photo. Here’s how to form one: Insert your hook into the specified stitch, yarn over (wrap the yarn over your hook from back to front), pull up a loop (you’ll have two loops on your hook), yarn over again, and pull through both loops on your hook. That’s one single crochet!
Increase (inc): This makes your circle grow larger. An increase simply means you work two single crochet stitches into the very same stitch from the round below.
Decrease (dec): This makes your circle smaller, helping to close the ball shape later. We’ll use the invisible decrease method for a neater finish: Insert your hook into the front loop only of the next stitch, then insert your hook into the front loop only of the stitch after that. Yarn over and pull a loop through those first two front loops (you’ll have two loops left on your hook). Yarn over again and pull through the remaining two loops. One decrease completed!
Changing Colors: To get those distinct rainbow stripes, you’ll switch colors. Work the last stitch of the current color until the final “yarn over, pull through two loops” step. Stop there. Drop the current color, pick up your new color, yarn over with the new color, and pull it through the two loops on your hook to finish the stitch. You can then continue crocheting with the new color. Snip the old color, leaving a tail to weave in later.

Let’s Make the Rainbow Ball!

We’ll build this ball round by round. Use a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round and move it up as you go – this helps you keep track! The stripes in the photo are distinct bands of color. We’ll achieve this by working two rounds for each color stripe.

Important Note: Keep your stitches relatively tight. This prevents stuffing from peeking through later.

(Starting with Orange Yarn)

Round 1: Make a Magic Ring and work 6 sc into the ring. Pull the tail tight to close the ring. (6 stitches)
Round 2: Work 1 inc in each stitch around. (12 stitches)

(Change to Pink Yarn)

Round 3: [1 sc in the next stitch, 1 inc in the stitch after that]. Repeat this sequence […] 6 times around. (18 stitches)
Round 4: [2 sc (one in each of the next two stitches), 1 inc in the next stitch]. Repeat […] 6 times around. (24 stitches)

(Change to Lime Green Yarn)

Round 5: [3 sc, 1 inc]. Repeat […] 6 times around. (30 stitches)
Round 6: [4 sc, 1 inc]. Repeat […] 6 times around. (36 stitches)

(Change to Blue Yarn)

Round 7: [5 sc, 1 inc]. Repeat […] 6 times around. (42 stitches)
Round 8: Work 1 sc in each stitch around. (42 stitches) <- This starts forming the sides of the ball.

(Change to Red Yarn)

Round 9 – 10: Work 1 sc in each stitch around. (42 stitches for both rounds)

(Change to Yellow Yarn)

Round 11 – 12: Work 1 sc in each stitch around. (42 stitches for both rounds)

(Change to Dark Green Yarn)

Round 13 – 14: Work 1 sc in each stitch around. (42 stitches for both rounds) <- Now we start decreasing to close the ball.

(Change back to Orange Yarn – or continue the pattern if you like!)

Round 15: [5 sc, 1 dec]. Repeat […] 6 times around. (36 stitches)
Round 16: [4 sc, 1 dec]. Repeat […] 6 times around. (30 stitches)

(Change to Pink Yarn)

Round 17: [3 sc, 1 dec]. Repeat […] 6 times around. (24 stitches)
Round 18: [2 sc, 1 dec]. Repeat […] 6 times around. (18 stitches)

Pause here! Now’s the time to stuff your ball. Add the fiberfill, pushing it gently into shape. If you’re using catnip, mix some in with the stuffing. Stuff it firmly so it holds its spherical shape, but not so tightly that the stitches stretch excessively.

(Continue with Pink or Change to Lime Green)

Round 19: [1 sc, 1 dec]. Repeat […] 6 times around. (12 stitches)
Round 20: Work 1 dec in each stitch around (making 6 decreases total). (6 stitches)

Finishing Up:

Cut your yarn, leaving a reasonably long tail (about 6-8 inches). Thread this tail onto your yarn needle. Now, weave the needle through the front loop only of each of the final 6 stitches, going around the opening. Once you’ve gone through all 6 front loops, pull the yarn tail firmly – like a drawstring! The hole will cinch tightly closed. Secure the yarn with a knot close to the opening, then weave the remaining tail end back and forth through the inside of the ball a few times before snipping off any excess.

Use your yarn needle to weave in all other loose ends from your color changes inside the ball.

Playtime Ready!

There you have it – a bright, bouncy, handmade toy ready for action! This rainbow ball is durable and provides fantastic texture for tiny claws. Placing this finished piece in your cat’s path and watching their curiosity take over is a truly delightful moment.

We hope you enjoyed putting together this colorful toy. Feel proud of the lovely ball you’ve just fashioned! We’d love to see your finished pieces – perhaps share a photo of your cat enjoying their new favorite toy! Happy hooking!