• Catnip
• Muslin or light cotton fabric
• Baker’s twine or cotton string
• Crinkly plastic (a clean empty chip bag or other plastic that makes noise when crumpled)

Step 1: Prep the pattern

• For a sardine measuring about 10” when complete, print pattern at 100% scale. Cut out head and tail. Note: The pattern is designed for A4 size paper. If printing on letter-size paper at 100%, the tail might not print completely. If so, simply cut out the whole fish pattern and the head pattern. Use the head pattern to mark and cut the head off the whole fish to yield a head and tail.

Step 2: Cut out the heads

• Pin two layers of fabric right sides together. Use a pencil to trace the fish head onto the reverse side of the fabric. This traced line will be the location of the seam. Follow the pattern instructions to cut the fish head from the fabric, being sure to cut about 3/8” away from the pencil line for the seam allowance. Trace the fish head onto the reverse side of the second head piece. This will help when attaching the head to the tail.

Step 3: Cut out the tails

• Pin two different fabrics right sides together. As in the previous step, trace onto the fabric, and then cut out, allowing for seam allowance. It’s not necessary to trace the fish tail onto the second tail fabric.

Step 4: Attach each head to a tail

• Following the pattern instructions, place one head on one tail, right sides together, and sew together along the pencil line. Repeat for the other head and tail. Press seams open.

Step 5: Cut out the eyes

• From the felt, cut two larger circles (about 1” diameter) and from a contrasting color of felt, cut two smaller circles (about 1/2” diameter). 

Step 6: Sew on the eyes

• Sew one large circle to one side of the head using a running stitch or stitch of choice. Sew the smaller circle on top using an “x” pattern, bringing each stitch down through the same hole in the center of the “x.” (Tip: Use a heat erase pen to mark the points of the “x.” After sewing, use an iron to erase the marks.) Use two or three stitches for each arm of the “x” to hold securely. Repeat to create the eye on the other side of the head. 

Step 7: Sew together the two sides of the fish

• Following the pattern instructions, insert hanging string (if using). Place the two layers right sides together, and keep the tail with the pencil outline facing upward. Match up the seams, pin in place, and sew along the pencil outline. Be sure to leave a small gap to turn the fish right side out. Follow the pattern instructions to secure the string and use scissors to clip near curved seams. Turn right side out and use the wide end of a chopstick to turn out corners of tail.

Step 8: Fill the fish

• Stuff with fiberfill. If using catnip or plastic, add only some of the fiberfill. To add catnip, sew a small pouch from muslin and fill it with about 2 teaspoons of catnip. Sew the pouch closed. Insert the pouch into the fish. To add plastic, cut it into pieces, ensuring it makes a crunchy sound when compressed, and insert into the fish. Then insert additional fiberfill.

Step 9: Finish the project

• Close the opening using a blind stitch, and knot at the end. Hide knot under seam by poking needle between the two layers at the seam, and then up through the side of the project. Cut the loose end of the thread and pull it into the interior of the project.