Floppy Eared Heritage Bunny

This bunny can be made with less the half a meter or yard of fabric. The bunny in this Inscructable was made with white chenille fabric and pink fleece, but you can also use printed cottons or an old sweater to create this soft toy.

Additional to the fabric you will need

• a small bag of polyester fill stuffing
• a decorative ribbon of your choice
• 4 white buttons
• 2 black buttons for eyes (safety eyes can be used as well)
• black thread
• white thread
• pink embroidery floss
• a sewing needle and embroidery needle
• sewing pins
• scissors
• a pencil

1.Print out the templates.

2.Cut out the templates.

3.Trace the templates onto the fabric using a chalk pencil, regular pencil or 'disappearing ink fabric marker'. Follow the directions on the templates, being sure to flip the pattern pieces over when it states to reverse.

4. Cut out the pieces.

You will have:

From white fleece or chenille fabric:

• 2 ear pieces
• 4 arm pieces
• 4 leg pieces
• 1 tail piece
• 1 head top piece
• 2 head side pieces
• 4 body pieces

From the pink fleece:

• 2 ear pieces

On the wrong side of the fabric, mark all the pieces with the marks indicated on the template.

You can also find these pattern pieces on my blog if you are having a hard time figuring out how to save and print them from Instructables.

Pin the pink ear pieces to the white ear pieces and sew them together (with about a 3/8 seam allowance).Leave the bottom straight sides unsewn.

Pin the leg pieces together in two pairs and sew them together leaving the short straight sides unsewn.

Pin the arm pieces together in two pairs and sew them together leaving the short straight sides unsewn.

Cut notches in the curves of all of the sewn pieces and turn them right sides out.

To sew the head you will need:

• the 2 sewn ear pieces
• the two head side pieces
• the head top piece

Sew the two head side pieces together along their diagonal straight edge just until the nose mark.

Pin the right-hand curved side side of the head top piece all along the curved side of the right-hand head side pieces, starting at the nose. Leave a portion open for the ears.

Fold the ear pieces in half at their short raw edge, with the pink section on the inside.

With the head still inside out slip the ear inside the head and pin the folded section of the ear into one of the open sections between the ear marks, with the pink side of the ear facing towards the nose section of the head piece.

Pin the other ear into the opposite ear marked section in the same manner.

Using a small back-stitch hand sew both the ears into place.

Turn the head right sides out through the neck.

Pin the body pieces together in two pairs across one side.

Sew the first pair together leaving a gap, as marked. Sew the second pair together across the entire length of one side without leaving a gap.

The pieces with a gap are now the back body. The pieces without the gap are now the front body.

Pin the front body to the back body matching up to their respective sides.

Turn the body inside out again though the back gap, with the arms and legs tucked inside.

With its right side facing out slip the head into the body through the neck opening. Tuck the ears inside the body as well.

Lining up the front seam of the head to the front middle seam of the body pin the bottom of the head’s neck opening to the body’s neck opening right sides together.
Using a small back-stitch hand sew these edges together. Go around the circumference twice to make it extra secure.

Turn the piece right sides out through the back gap.
Make sure the head is sewn on securely and at a straight angle before proceeding.

Stuff the bunny tightly through the back opening. Stuff the head to your liking before you stuff the body.

Hand sew the back gap closed with an invisible stitch.

Loosely stuff the arms and legs.

Using an invisible stitch close the gap in the arms and legs.

You will need 4 matching buttons in white and white embroidery floss, or dental floss.

Tie a knot into on side of a button, loop around and sew one long stitch directly through the arm,torso out the other side, into the arm and out into a second button.

Tighten and tie a secure knot (or 3). This allows the arms to be possible.

Repeat above steps with the legs.

Tail: Sew a running stitch around the circumference of the tail piece. Once you’ve gone all the way around put a pinch of stuffing in the middle and then pull the thread to cinch up the circle. Cinch it tightly and then tie several knots to secure it. Attach to the backside of your bunny.

Eyes: Using black thread and 2 black buttons attach the buttons to the face. You may also wish to use felt circles or embroidery to create eyes instead. This is your choice.

Nose: Using the pink embroidery thread create the nose by taking a series of satin stitches all radiating from the same entry point, 1/4-inch below the tip of the nose at the middle seam. Gradually work from right to left always entering your needle at the same point and exiting just a little to the left of your previous stitch until a small triangle is formed as shown. You can go back and forth a couple of times to make sure no fabric is showing from underneath.
Thread all the loose ends onto your needle one at a time and pull them inside the stuffing thus hiding them.

Tie a lovely ribbon around your bunny's neck. Congratulations you are done!