MAKING THE BUNNY

Note: Take a 6mm seam allowance. Join pieces with right sides together and edges level.

Stitch the base seam of 1

the body. Turn the body and head right side out.

Fill the body and head

2

firmly and evenly with toy filling. Fold under 6mm on the straight raw edges of the body. Sew a running stitch close to the fold and pull up the stitches to tightly gather the upper edge closed. Oversew the gathering stitches to secure. Repeat on the head to gather the lower edge.

Gently squeeze and

3

stroke the body to make it narrower at the top and push in the base to help the body stand upright. The sock’s ready-made heel seam will be at the back of the head, gently stroke and pull the front of the head to a rounded point.

Mark the centre front and 4

back of the body with a row of pins. To define the arms, refer to the drawing to draw a 4cm long line each side of the centres starting just below the gathering using an air-erasable pen.

Anchor a double length 5

of sewing thread threaded onto a beading needle at the centre of the gathers. Bring the needle and thread to the right side at the top of one drawn line on the back of the body. Make two tiny back stitches to secure. Insert the needle through the body and bring it out at the top of the corresponding front line. Insert the needle on the line 7mm below, bringing it out 7mm below the start on the back line.

Continue stitching back 6

and forth between the lines, gently pulling the thread as you stitch to create the arms. When you reach the end of the line, stitch back and forth between the first stitches until you reach the top of the lines. Make a tiny back stitch and bring the needle out at the centre of the gathers. Fasten securely then repeat to create the other arm.

Refer to the photo to

7

draw the nose on the front of the head with an air-erasable pen. Use six strands of embroidery thread to embroider the nose with a fly stitch, starting and finishing with a double knot at the centre of the gathers.

Mark each eye position 8

with a pin. When you are happy with the positions, anchor a double length of sewing thread threaded onto a beading needle at one position with a double knot and sew a few tiny stitches. Insert the needle and thread through the head and out at the other position. Pull the thread gently to sink the positions slightly into the head. Fasten securely with a few tiny stitches. Pin the eyes to the head and sew neatly in place.

Place the card circle

9

centrally on top of the body and draw around it with an air-erasable pen. Repeat on the underside of the head. Discard the card circle. Pin the head on the body facing forward and matching the drawn circles. Hand-sew the head to the body along the drawn circles. Repeat to secure.

Pin and stitch each 10

sock foot to a fabric foot, leaving a gap between the dots. Snip the curves and turn right side out. Stuff the feet firmly. Slipstitch the gap closed.

Press under 6mm 11

along the ‘leave open’ edge of the bobtails. Pin the bobtails together, stitch the raw edges. Snip the curves.

Turn right side out. Stuff the bobtail. Sew a running stitch along the pressed under edge and pull up the stitches to tightly gather the opening closed. Oversew the gathering stitches to secure.

Pin the feet under the 12

bunny with the wide ends extending out front.

Pin the bobtail to back of the body with the tip pointing upwards and the bottom of the seam resting on the surface to help the bunny stand upright. Hand-sew the feet and bobtail securely to the body.

Pin each patterned 13

ear to a sock ear.

Stitch together, leaving a gap between the dots. Snip the curves, clip the corners and turn right side out. Slipstitch the gaps closed. Press the ears flat. With the patterned fabric inside, fold the lower edges to meet at the centre. Oversew the lower edges together.

Pin the ears upright 14

on the head with the patterned side facing forward. Hand-sew to the head along the lower front edges then along the lower back edges.

Fold the bow

15

lengthwise in half.

Pin and stitch the raw edges leaving a gap at the centre to turn through. Clip the corners. Turn right side out and press flat. Slipstitch the gap closed. Tie in a bow around the bunny’s neck and sew securely to the bunny.