One of the most recognisable and loved of all pets, rabbits are cute, soft, friendly and cuddly. In the wild they live in a warren of burrows; as pets they are kept in hutches, but are equally happy indoors. Rabbits are popular characters in literature and cartoons: Peter Rabbit, Bugs Bunny, The White Rabbit from Alice In Wonderland, Watership Down, Bunnykins. The Easter Bunny, rather like Father Christmas, brings chocolate eggs to children at Easter. Bunny Girls serve drinks at the Playboy Club, dressed in a leotard, with bow tie and ears, and even a cottontail.
Fairly simple to make and knitted in lovely soft alpaca yarn.
Length: 26cm (10¼in)
Height to top of ears: 21cm (8¼in)
Pair of 4mm (US 6) knitting needles
Pair of 3¼mm (US 3) knitting needles (for ears)
Double-pointed 4mm (US 6) knitting needles (for holding stitches)
40g (1½oz) of Rowan Baby Alpaca DK in Lincoln 209 (li) used DOUBLE throughout 10g (¼oz) of Rowan Baby Alpaca DK in Jacob 205 (ja) for pompom tail
Tiny amount of Rowan Pure Wool 4ply in Black 404 (bl) for nose
2 black wooden beads for eyes and sewing needle and black thread for sewing on Fishing line for whiskers
1 pipecleaner for front legs
See here.
With 4mm (US 6) needles and li, cast on 6 sts.
Work 2 rows st st.
Row 3: Inc, [k2tog] twice, inc. (6 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Row 9: Inc, k4, inc. (8 sts)
Work 3 rows st st.*
Row 13: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, k to end (hold 4 sts on spare needle for Right Side of Body).
Work as for Right Front Leg to *.
Row 13: K4, cast (bind) off 4 sts (hold 4 sts on spare needle for Left Side of Body).
With 4mm (US 6) needles and li, cast on 22 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 4 rows st st.
Shape back leg
Row 5: K5, turn.
Work on these 5 sts only for Right Back Leg.
Beg with a p row, work 2 rows st st.
Cast (bind) off.
Row 5: Rejoin yarn to rem 17 sts, k to end.
Row 6: P3, k1, p13.
Row 7: Inc, p1, k11, p1, k3. (18 sts)
Row 8: P2tog, p2, k1, p10, k1, p1, inc. (18 sts)
Row 9: Inc, k2, p1, k10, p1, k3. (19 sts)
Row 10: P4, k1, p8, k1, p4, inc. (20 sts)
Row 11: Inc, k5, p1, k6, p2, k5. (21 sts)
Row 12: P2tog, p6, k1, p3, k1, p7, inc. (21 sts)
Row 13: Inc, k9, p3, k8. (22 sts)
Row 14: P2tog, p19, inc, p4 from spare needle of Right Front Leg, cast on 1 st. (27 sts)
Row 15: Inc, k26. (28 sts)
Row 16: P2tog, p26. (27 sts)
Row 17: Inc, k26. (28 sts)
Row 18: P2tog, p26. (27 sts)
Row 19: Inc, k26. (28 sts)
Row 20: P2tog, p26. (27 sts)
Row 21: Knit.
Row 22: P2tog, p25. (26 sts)
Row 23: K24, k2tog. (25 sts)
Row 24: P2tog, p23. (24 sts)
Row 25: K22, k2tog. (23 sts)
Shape head
Row 26: Cast (bind) off 15 sts, p to end, cast on 5 sts. (13 sts)
Work 3 rows st st.
Row 30: P11, p2tog. (12 sts)
Work 2 rows st st.
Row 33: K2tog, k8, k2tog. (10 sts)
Row 34: Purl.
Row 35: K2tog, k8. (9 sts)
Row 36: P7, p2tog. (8 sts)
Cast (bind) off.
With 4mm (US 6) needles and li, cast on 22 sts.
Beg with a p row, work 4 rows st st.
Shape back leg
Row 5: P5, turn.
Work on these 5 sts only for Left Back Leg.
Beg with a k row, work 2 rows st st.
Cast (bind) off.
Row 5: Working on rem 17 sts, rejoin yarn, purl to end.
Row 6: K3, p1, k13.
Row 7: Inc, k1, p11, k1, p3. (18 sts)
Row 8: K2tog, k2, p1, k10, p1, k1, inc. (18 sts)
Row 9: Inc, p2, k1, p10, k1, p3. (19 sts)
Row 10: K4, p1, k8, p1, k4, inc. (20 sts)
Row 11: Inc, p5, k1, p6, k2, p5. (21 sts)
Row 12: K2tog, k6, p1, k3, p1, k7, inc. (21 sts)
Row 13: Inc, p9, k3, p8. (22 sts)
Row 14: K2tog, k19, inc, pick up and k4 from spare needle of Left Front Leg, cast on 1 st. (27 sts)
Row 15: Inc, p26. (28 sts)
Row 16: K2tog, k26. (27 sts)
Row 17: Inc, p26. (28 sts)
Row 18: K2tog, k26. (27 sts)
Row 19: Inc, p26. (28 sts)
Row 20: K2tog, k26. (27 sts)
Row 21: Purl.
Row 22: K2tog, k25. (26 sts)
Row 23: P24, p2tog. (25 sts)
Row 24: K2tog, k23. (24 sts)
Row 25: P22, p2tog. (23 sts)
Shape head
Row 26: Cast (bind) off 15 sts, k to end, cast on 5 sts. (13 sts)
Work 3 rows st st.
Row 30: K11, k2tog. (12 sts)
Work 2 rows st st.
Row 33: P2tog, p8, p2tog. (10 sts)
Row 34: Knit.
Row 35: P2tog, p8. (9 sts)
Row 36: K7, k2tog. (8 sts)
Cast (bind) off.
With 4mm (US 6) needles and li, cast on 4 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 56 rows st st.
Cast (bind) off.
(make 2 the same)
With 3¼mm (US 3) needles and li, cast on 6 sts.
Knit 4 rows.
Row 5: K1, inc, k2, inc, k1. (8 sts)
Knit 18 rows.
Row 24: K2tog, k4, k2tog. (6 sts)
Knit 2 rows.
Row 27: K2tog, k2, k2tog. (4 sts)
Row 28: Knit.
Cast (bind) off.
EARS
You can arrange the rabbit’s ears to be floppy if you prefer.
With ja, make a pom-pom.
Cut two 4cm (1¼in) cardboard discs and cut a 2cm (¾in) hole in the centre of each. Hold the discs together and wind the yarn around the ring as evenly as possible until the hole is almost filled with yarn (it is quicker to wind several strands at once).
Then thread yarn onto a needle and continue to wind until the hole is closed up. Cut the yarn around the edge of the circles. Ease the cardboard discs slightly apart and wrap a long length of doubled yarn between them and around the centre of the pompom. Tie the pom-pom together tightly at the centre, leaving a long tail of yarn to use for attaching pom-pom to rabbit. Then cut the cardboard away from the pom-pom. Fluff up the pom-pom and, if necessary, trim.
TAIL
When knotting the centre of the pom-pom, keep the yarn ends long and use them to attach the pom-pom to the rabbit’s bottom.
SEWING IN ENDS Sew in ends, leaving ends from cast on and cast (bound) off rows for sewing up.
LEGS With WS together, fold leg in half and sew up leg on RS.
BODY Sew around bottom, along body, around head to halfway down front chest of rabbit.
TUMMY Sew cast on row of tummy to bottom of rabbit’s bottom, and sew cast (bound) off row to halfway up front chest. Ease and sew tummy to fit body. Leave a 2.5cm (1in) gap between front and back legs on one side.
STUFFING Pipecleaners are used to stiffen the front legs. Fold a pipecleaner into a U-shape and measure against two front legs. Cut to fit approximately, leaving an extra 2.5cm (1in) at both ends. Fold these ends over to stop pipecleaner poking out of paws. Roll a little stuffing around pipecleaner and slip into body and down front legs. Starting at the head, stuff the rabbit, then sew up the gap. Mould body into shape.
EARS Slightly pinch the bottom of the ear and sew cast on row to rabbit’s head, leaving 1cm (½in) between each ear. For standing up ears, sew together at the tip: alternatively, let the ears flop for a flop-eared rabbit.
TAIL Attach pom-pom to base of bottom.
EYES With black thread, sew two black beads onto head as shown in photograph, or use black yarn.
NOSE With bl, embroider two vertical stitches, followed by two horizontal stitches on one side and two stitches on the other side.
WHISKERS Cut 3 x 8cm (3in) lengths of fishing line and thread through cheeks. Trim.
