“The White Rabbit put on his spectacles. ‘Where shall I begin, please your Majesty?’ he asked. ‘Begin at the beginning,’ the King said gravely, ‘and single crochet till you come to the end: then fasten off.’ ”

WHITE RABBIT

LEWIS CARROLL’S ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND, 1865

Punctuality may not be the White Rabbit’s strong suit, but he certainly is dedicated to his appointments and is a loyal servant to the Queen of Hearts. (Though who wouldn’t give 110 percent for a boss who constantly threatens decapitation?)

MATERIALS

• Size E crochet hook

• Worsted-weight yarn in white, taupe, and red

• 9-mm black plastic safety eyes

• Tapestry needle

• Pink embroidery floss and embroidery needle, or pink worsted-weight yarn

• Fiberfill

• Polypellets, optional

• 1" square of white felt

• White thread and sewing needle

• Bead or button of your choice, for brooch

• Clock/watch charm (found in the jewelry-making section of craft stores)

• Straight pins with yellow ball pinheads

• Hot-glue gun

• Small white pom-pom

NOTES

Work in continuous rounds unless otherwise specified.

Use yellow embroidery floss and an embroidery needle to sew two French knots onto the jacket if you don’t want to use straight pins.

HEAD

Round 1: With white yarn, sc 6 in magic ring. {6}

Round 2: [Sc 2 in one stitch] 6 times. {12}

Round 3: [Sc 1, sc 2 in next stitch] 6 times. {18}

Round 4: [Sc 2, sc 2 in next stitch] 6 times. {24}

Round 5: [Sc 3, sc 2 in next stitch] 6 times. {30}

Round 6: [Sc 4, sc 2 in next stitch] 6 times. {36}

Rounds 7–11: Sc 36. {36}

Round 12: [Sc 4, dec 1] 6 times. {30}

Round 13: [Sc 3, dec 1] 6 times. {24}

Round 14: [Sc 2, dec 1] 6 times. {18}

Fasten off and tuck in the end. Attach eyes between rounds 8 and 9, approximately 6 stitches apart. With pink yarn or embroidery floss and a tapestry needle, sew a series of overlapping straight stitches to create a nose. Stuff head firmly with fiberfill.

EARS (MAKE 2)

Round 1: With white yarn, sc 6 in magic ring. {6}

Round 2: [Sc 2 in one stitch] 6 times. {12}

Rounds 3–8: Sc 12. {12}

Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Flatten ear, sew shut using a whipstitch, and sew to head.

BODY

Round 1: Starting with white yarn, sc 6 in magic ring. {6}

Round 2: [Sc 2 in one stitch] 6 times. {12}

Round 3: [Sc 1, sc 2 in next stitch] 6 times. {18}

Round 4: [Sc 2, sc 2 in next stitch] 6 times. {24}

Round 5: [Sc 3, sc 2 in next stitch] 6 times. {30}

Rounds 6–8: Sc 30, changing to taupe yarn in the last stitch of round 8. {30}

Rounds 9–12: Sc 30. {30}

Round 13: [Sc 3, dec 1] 6 times. {24}

Round 14: [Sc 2, dec 1] 6 times. {18}

Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Stuff the body with fiberfill or with polypellets topped with fiberfill. With a tapestry needle whipstitch to the head.

JACKET

Do not count slip stitches in stitch count. Use stitch markers to mark first and last sc of each row. (See here.) Using red yarn, ch 37, then crochet:

Row 1: Starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, sc 36 across. Ch 1 and turn. {36}

Row 2: Sc 36, ch 1, and turn. {36}

Row 3: Skip the first sc, then sc 34, sl st in last stitch, ch 1, and turn. {34}

Row 4: Skip the first sc, then sc 32, sl st in last stitch, ch 1, and turn. {32}

Row 5: Skip the first sc, then sc 30, sl st in last stitch, ch 1, and turn. {30}

Row 6: Skip the first sc, then sc 28, sl st in last stitch, ch 1, and turn. {28}

Row 7: Skip the first sc, then sc 26, sl st in last stitch, ch 1, and turn. {26}

Row 8: Skip the first sc, then sc 24, sl st in last stitch. {24}

Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.

HIND LEGS (MAKE 2)

Round 1: With white yarn, sc 6 in magic ring. {6}

Round 2: [Sc 2 in one stitch] 6 times. {12}

Round 3: Sc 12. {12}

Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.

FRONT PAWS (MAKE 2)

Round 1: With white yarn, sc 6 in magic ring. {6}

Round 2: [Sc 1, sc 2 in next stitch] 3 times, changing to red yarn in the last stitch. {9}

Rounds 3–4: Sc 9. {9}

Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.

FINISHING TOUCHES

Bunch up felt on one side to create ruffles for a cravat and sew it together with white thread and a sewing needle. Then sew the bunched end to the body directly under his chin. Sew a button or bead onto the cravat as a brooch.

Fold the top row of the jacket to create a collar/lapel and position the jacket over the body. Pin the jacket in place and sew it to the body with red yarn and a tapestry needle, overlapping the cravat. Sew the jacket closed.

Sew on the paws. Stuff the legs with fiberfill and sew them on, slightly offset so he sits. Sew the clock charm onto a paw. Stick two straight pins into the jacket as buttons. Finally, hot-glue on his small pom-pom tail.