Wooden Ring Crinkle Teether DIY

Even though I’ve only been a parent for seven months, I feel like I’ve already learned some good advice things that I can pass on to other newer parents. One of them—in the toy category—would be to find items that you know Baby likes and then have a few of them stashed in different spots (nursery, diaper bag, living room, etc.), so you always have one nearby when you need one. Lola loves those wooden rings with crinkle fabric wrapped around them because they are easy to grasp, make a sound, and are great for teething on the wooden ring section. She has one right now, so I thought it would be a good idea to make a few more to keep stashed around in different places. And since these style of teethers are sometimes called “bunny ear” teethers because of the shape, I thought I would make a few different animal ears for her!

Supplies:
-organic fabric for ears in different colors and patterns (I would get organic fabric since it will be in Baby’s mouth)
-wooden rings (I bought these organic coated rings)
-organic wool felt (these sheets use natural plant dye)
–crinkle fabric 
–animal ear teether template

*For the bunny ears, I used this white fabric and some pink felt. For the cat ears, I used this grey fabric and some pink felt, and for the puppy ears, I used this printed fabric and this white fabric. First you’ll print and cut out your animal ear templates. Since the templates are half size, you can either print two and tape them together, or just trace one side and then flip it to to other side. Place your two fabric choices right side together and trace your template on top. Pin your fabric together and cut out your pattern with fabric scissors.

Sew around the edge of the ear fabric with a 1/2″ seam allowance, leaving a 2-3″ opening to turn your fabric right side out again. Once you have sewn your pieces together, cut a rectangle of crinkle fabric that is about 1″ bigger than your fabric on all sides. Place your crinkle fabric on top of your ear shape and sew around the same path as before on a longer stitch setting (you want to make less holes to help the fabric not tear so easily).

Trim your crinkle fabric to the ear shape and turn your ear right side out through the opening. Just be extra careful when turning them right side out not to rip the crinkle fabric away from the stitching, so just be more gentle with this process than usual. Sew the opening closed by hand.

To attach your ear to your wooden ring, fold your ear in half and slide halfway though the ring. Fold your ends down over the bottom of the ring and though the loop created by the fold in the middle of the ear. Pull though to tighten and secure the ear.  Fold ears down for puppy style or leave up for bunny or kitty ears.

The only thing you will do different for the kitty and bunny ears is once you cut your ear patterns, top stitch your two pink felt sections onto both ends of one of your ear pieces and then place the pieces back together to sew around them and continue with the steps.

These teethers are pretty simple, but they are so cute and I’m all about giving her wooden and fabric toys over plastic whenever possible (like that wooden rattle, pizza shape, and sphere above), so I love that aspect too. Lola is definitely fine with unwinding the long ear part and playing with the pieces separately, so sometimes this toy can be 2-in-1 fun! If you have a little one in your life or if you have some baby showers coming up (these would make great gifts), then I hope making a batch of these is just what you need too! xo. Laura

Credits // Author and Photography: Laura Gummerman. Photos edited with A Color Story Desktop.