Easter Bunny

Easter is on its way, so why not have a go at making this cute little Easter bunny rabbit? It is easy to make and is a lovely personalised gift that you can give to friends and family*. Once you get the hang of constructing the body, head and arms you can alter the ears to make it into a teddy bear.

Here's how to make the Easter rabbit:


You will need:

• Yarn (any colour and thickness)
• 1 pair of knitting needles which are a suitable size for the yarn you have chosen
• Length of satin ribbon (approx. 30cm)
• Black embroidery thread
• Pink embroidery thread
• 1 embroidery needle
• 1 sewing-up needle for your yarn
• Polyester stuffing
• Small piece of felt fabric

Abbreviations:

• K = knit
• K2tog = knit 2 stitches together
• St/sts = stitch/stitches
• Psso = pass slipped stitch over the stitch just knitted
  

Step 1:

Start by making the legs, body and head. Cast on 10 stitches and work in stocking stitch for 10 rows. Break the yarn and leave your work on the needle (i.e., don't cast-off). Repeat this process once more but do not break the yarn this time.






Now, knit across the 20 stitches you have on your needle so that the two pieces are joined together at the top.






Continue in stocking stitch for a further 17 rows finishing on a purl row.





Break the yarn approximately 20cm away from your work so that you have a nice long piece of yarn to sew up with. With your sewing-up needle, thread the yarn through the 20 stitches (slipping them off your knitting needle as you go) and draw them together (like a drawstring bag). Secure it by sewing a few stitches.

Step 2:

You now have the legs, body and head. The next step is to give your bunny a face. Cut a small circle out of your felt fabric and place it behind where the bunny's face is going to go. Use your black embroidery thread to make two eyes and the pink thread to make a nose.





Step 3:

Sew up the legs and then sew the two sides together making sure that you leave an opening of approximately 3cm so that you can stuff the bunny rabbit with the polyester stuffing. I usually use the end of a knitting needle to push the stuffing down the legs. When you have done this, sew the hole up.

(N.B. I usually sew things up so that they are inside-out to begin with. This means that the stitches look neater when the work is turned to right-way-out again.)





Now take a length of yarn and wrap it tightly around where the neck needs to go. This completes the head.


Step 4:

The next step is to make the arms. Cast on 8 stitches and work in stocking stitch for 9 rows ending with a purl row. Break your yarn and thread through the stitches as you did with the head and secure it with a few stitches. Repeat this process once more and then sew up the seams.





Stuff the arms with the polyester stuffing (using the end of a knitting needle to poke the stuffing into the arms) and sew them onto the body.


Step 5:

It is now time to make those all important bunny ears!

Cast on 7 sts.
1st row: Knit.
2nd row: Slip 1 st knit-wise, purl to last stitch, K1.
Repeat these two rows twice more.
7th row: Slip 1 st, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k1 (you should now have 5 sts).
8th row: As 2nd row.
9th row: Slip 1 st knit-wise, k2tog, psso, k1.
10th row: slip 1 st knit-wise, k2tog, psso.
Cast off.

Repeat this process once more. You should have two triangular-shaped pieces. At the bottom edge of the ears, fold in half and sew together. This should create an ear-shape.





Sew these ears to your bunny and finish by making a bow around the neck with the satin ribbon.

I hope you enjoy making this Easter bunny rabbit. Once you getthe hang of making the basic body shape you can alter the ears to make a teddy bear, and you can give it accessories. The possibilities are endless! The only restriction is your imagination.

Happy knitting!