Sharing my Easter bunny knitting pattern with you .

I spend so much of my time creating things, designing and coming up with things i sometimes forget to share some little tit bits with all of you. So i figured what better way than to give you all a treat with one of my knitting pattern designs... the variations of this sweet little toy are endless and all you need is some scraps felt, a couple seed beads and your chosen wool . This is a small toy perfect for baby hands or just as a cute shelf ornament.
I'm sharing my Easter bunny version seeing as Easter is just a short leap away, add it to baskets filled with chocolate eggs or as little gifts to keep the children company as they hunt.

This pattern is knitted using oddments of DK wool in your chosen colour, size 12 needles work but i prefer the thinnest toy needles 2 1/4 mm for a tighter finish.
small amount of stuffing
oddments of felt for tummy and nose in your chosen colour, seed beads for eyes are optional in black and
some black sewing thread for eyes and nose detail, finally coloured thread to match your felt.

abbreviations :Abbreviations -P - Purl, P1 - Purl one, K - Knit, K1 - Knit one, Sts - stitches,
KW - knit wise, PW – Purl wise, Inc 1 - Increase 1 stitch, Y.Fwd - Yarn forward round needle
St-st - Stocking Stitch, G-st - Garter stitch, K2 tog - Knit 2 Together,
P2 tog - Purl 2 Together. SL1 – slip one stitch.
B+T tightly - Break off yarn leaving a long end and thread it through stitches left on knitting
needle, pull together tightly then fasten off.

Additional instructions - for some of the detailing you will need to be able to make a chain stitch as
pictured

-----------------------------------------------------

Starting with base of body
Cast on 20 sts
St st 10 rows
K2tog to end (10 sts)
P1 row
KW into each stitch giving you 20 sts again
St st 10 rows
K2 tog to end (10 sts)
P2 tog to end (5 sts)
break wool , thread through remaining stitches and pull tight, this is the top of the head.

Sew down back seem, stuff the toy then leave bottom seam open to insert legs later.
Take a piece of wool and sew in and out round the neck area, pull up slightly to tighten the neck, tie and sew in wool.

Legs , make 2 of these

Cast on 15 sts and st st 14 rows
Cast off

Arms , make 2 of these

Cast on 10 sts
St st 10 rows
Cast off

The arms and legs are made up the same way, starting with the cast on edge and right side facing down roll the knitted piece towards the cast off end quite tightly creating a thin tube like piece, sew cast off edge to close the piece and then stitch the base of the leg closes as this will be the foot or hand, the piece should look like a stuffed tube.
To attach legs push them into open bottom of body side by side so they are the same length and stitch in place, also closing body.
Sew arms open ends to each side of body.

Ears , make 2

Cast on 8 sts
St st 8 rows
K2 tog to end (4 stst)
break wool and thread through remaining stitches and pull tight, this will be the top of the ears, sew down seam and flatten seam to centre back of ear before sewing to head.

finally cut a small heart from felt and stitch on with matching colour to chest and a small circle to the face, use black thread to stitch details or use black seed beads for the eyes.

a ribbon bow looks especially cute around this bunnies neck.



if you have any problems making up this bunny feel free to contact me , either leave a comment below or find me via the links on the top right of my blog.


happy crafting knitters xxxxxx