Make a Homemade Magnetic Fishing Game

You’ve seen those electronic fishing games right? Not suitable for young children and annoyingly loud. Well, this fishing set is sure to be a Summer Boredom Buster!

DIY Magnetic Fishing Game Supplies

You’ll Need:

1 sheet of paper for the pattern
pen to mark out a pattern
fabric (I used 4 coordinating fat quarters and had loads left over)
pins
sewing machine
leather cord (can substitute with yarn or twine)
1″ circular magnets
hot glue gun
scissors
fray check
stuffing (instead of buying stuffing you can use an old pillow)
1″ dowel

How to Put the Cloth Fish Together

1. Trace a fish pattern onto paper. The simpler the better! Make it a little wider than you think it needs to be for seam allowance.

2. Cut pattern out of paper then use it to cut out the fish. You’ll need two fabric fish cut outs to make one fish. Cut both sides at the same time by putting the WRONG sides together then pinning the pattern to the top.

3. Lay fabric fish pieces WRONG sides together and pin all the way around.

4. Sew around the fish with a 1/4″ seam. Leave a 2″ open space around the “head” of the fish.

5. Stuff the fish with batting. Keep it light so the magnets are sure to hold while fishing.

6. Put a small bead of hot glue on one magnet and slide it into the fish gluing it on the batting. Repeat on the other side.(I put mine where the fish eyes would be.)

7. Sew the 2″ opening closed.

8. Use the fray check to secure all the sewing around the fish. Because the fish are sewn with raw edges out the may fray or rip easily if you don’t use the fray check.

Creating the Fishing Rod for the Game

9. Cut the leather cord about 2 feet long and hot glue it to one end of the wooden dowel.

10. Rip (or cut) 1-2″ strips of fabric and wrap it around the glued piece of leather cord at the end of the pole. The more glue the better!

11. Grab 2 magnets. Place one on either side of the fishing end of the leather cord. Cover with glue and smush together. The magnets will push away from each other or attract each other depending on the way they are facing. Be sure to make sure they will attract each other before gluing them together.