Knitted Easter Bunny
BY CLAIRE GARLAND
This cute knitted bunny toy is the perfect Easter accessory and will be sure to melt the hearts of anyone who sees him.
Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: Fancy a challenge
You Will Need
Set 3.5mm (US size 4) double-pointed needles
1 × 50g ball Patons Wool Blend DK dark grey plus small amount of cream
Toy filling
Gold felt
Pink and black sewing thread
Pompom making set
Ribbon
1. Knit the bunny following the pattern below:
Ears
For the first ear:
*Cast on 6sts onto one needle then complete the cast on as follows:
Step 1: Hold needle with sts in LH.
Step 2: Hold 2 empty dpns parallel in RH.
Step 3: Slip 1st cast on st purlwise onto the dpn closest to you and off the needle in the LH, then slip the next cast on st onto the dpn furthest away and off the RH needle.
Repeat step 3 until all 6sts are divided onto the 2 parallel dpns, 3sts on front dpn and 3sts on back.
Slide sts to the other ends of the dpns, working yarn at back.
RS facing, cont working in the rnd, beginning by knitting the sts on the back dpn – work sts over 2 dpns, using a 3rd dpn to knit with:
Rnd 1: K6.
Rep last rnd 14 times.**
Break yarn and leave sts on needles.
For the second ear:
Work as first ear from * to **.
To join both ears:
Rnd 16: K3 across front of second ear, k3 across front of first ear – all onto one dpn, k3 across back of first ear, k3 across back of second ear – all onto a second dpn. 12sts
Begin head
Rnd 17: (inc) Kf&b, k4, kf&b, kf&b, k4, kf&b. 16sts (8sts each needle)
Place marker.
Rnd 18: K16.
Rnd 19: (inc) Kf&b, k3, m1, k3, kf&b (across the front of the head), kf&b, k6, kf&b (across the back of the head). 21sts
Rnds 21, 23, 25: K.
Rnd 22: (inc) K5, kf&b, k5, k10. 22sts
Rnd 24: (inc) K6, m1, k6, k10. 23sts
Rnd 26: (inc) K6, kf&b, k6, k10. 24sts
Rnd 27: K24.
Rep last rnd three times more.
Shape chin/neck
Rnd 31: (dec) [Sl1, kl, psso, k2twice, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k10. 20sts
Rnd 32: K20.
Rnd 33: (dec) Sl1, kl, psso, k6, k2tog, sl1, kl, psso, k6, k2tog. 16sts
Rnd 34: K16.
Rep last rnd twice more.
Shape front
Rnd 37: (inc) K4, m1, k4, k8. 17sts
Rnds 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50: K.
Rnd 39: (inc) K4, kf&b, k4, k8. 18sts
Rnd 41: (inc) K5, m1, k5, k4, m1, k4. 20sts
Rnd 43: (inc) K5, kf&b, k5, k4, kf&b, k4. 22sts
Rnd 45: (inc) K6, m1, k6, k5, m1, k5. 24sts
Rnd 47: (inc) K6, kf&b, k6, k5, kf&b, k5. 26sts
Rnd 49: (inc) K7, m1, k7, k6, m1, k6. 28sts
Rnd 51: (inc) K7, kf&b, k7, k6, kf&b, k6. 30sts
Rnd 52: K30.
Rep last rnd 10 times.
Rnd 63: (dec) Sl1, kl, psso, 12, k2tog, k14. 28sts
Legs
First leg:
Rnd 64: K7, slip the next 7sts off the needle and onto a safety pin, slip next 7 sts (from back needle) off the needle and onto another safety pin, knit next 7 sts onto a second dpn – 7sts on one needle, 7sts on the other.
Place marker.
*Rnd 65: K14.
Rep last rnd 9 times.
Foot:
Rnd 75: (inc) K3, kf&b, k3, k7. 15sts
Rnds 76, 78, 80: K.
Rnd 77: (inc) K4, m1, k4, k7. 16sts
Rnd 79: (inc) K4, kf&b, k4, k7. 17sts
Rnd 81: (inc) K5, m1, k5, k7. 18sts
Rnd 82: K18.
Rep last rnd 10 times.
Rnd 93: (dec) Sl1, kl, psso, k7, k2tog, k7. 16sts
Rnd 94: K16.
Rnd 95: (dec) Sl1, kl, psso, k5, k2tog, k7. 14sts**
Cut yarn leaving 10cm (4in) tail. Finish seam using grafting technique.
Stuff the body, leg and foot.
Second leg:
Slip 2 sets of 7sts that are held on the safety pins onto 2 dpns. With front of the bunny facing you rejoin yarn to first set of 7sts and work the second leg as the first from * to **. Stuff the leg and foot. Cut yarn leaving 10cm (4in) tail. Finish seam using grafting technique. If there is a gap between the legs, work a couple of sts to close it.
Arms (make 2)
Leaving a long tail end (to sew the arm to the body later), cast on 8sts onto one needle then complete the cast on using the same method used for the ears.
Rnd 1: K8. Place marker.
Rep last rnd 10 times.
Rnd 12: (inc) K2, m1, k2, k4. 9sts
Rnds 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27: K.
Rnd 14: (inc) K2, kf&b, k2, k4. 10sts
Rnd 16: (inc) K3, m1, k3, k4. 11sts
Rnd 18: (inc) K3, kf&b, k3, k4. 12sts
Rnd 20: (inc) K4, m1, k4, k4. 13sts
Rnd 22: (inc) K4, kf&b, k4, k4. 14sts
Rnd 24: (dec) Sl1, kl, psso, k6, k2tog, k4. 12sts
Rnd 26: (dec) Sl1, kl, psso, k4, k2tog, k4. 10sts
Rnd 28: (dec) Sl1, kl, psso, k2, k2tog, k4. 8sts
Stuff the arm.
Cut yarn, thread end through rem 8sts, pull up tight and secure.
Join the arms to the sides of the body using the tail ends.
2. Work the facial details. For the nose, sew a few straight lines in pink. For the mouth, sew two single straight lines in an upside down T-shape in black. To form the eyes, work a few small stitches in black, over and over, symmetrically on either side of the head.
3. Make a bobtail from cream yarn using the smaller of the pompom templates and sew in place on the back of the toy. Cut out an oval shape from gold felt and sew onto the front, working small horizontal stitches around the edge of the tummy.