Craft DIY: Make a funny bunny

Sweet Living editor Jane Wrigglesworth’s felt and wool bunnies take less than two hours to make, which makes them the perfect last-minute gift. Or make several at a time and keep them as standby gifts.

No hemming is necessary for these bunnies, which makes them super quick to make. But choose fabrics that do not fray very much.

Click to enlarge

MATERIALS: 

White felt (for body and ears)
Purple felt (for heart)
Pink felt (for eye patch)
Floral fabric (for ears and heart)
White and black thread
Black embroidery thread
Stuffing
Needle
Sewing machine

Click to enlarge

STEP 1
Draw a simple template for the bunny body, ears and heart on cardboard or paper. From the white felt, cut 2 body shapes and 4 ears.

STEP 2
Take 2 of the ear shapes and sew them together, using white thread. Stitch 2-3mm from the edge, right around the entire ear. Repeat for the 2 remaining ears.

STEP 3
From the floral fabric, cut 2 ear shapes, slightly smaller than the felt ears. Using black thread, stitch the floral ear shapes to the felt ears. I’ve stitched around the ears twice in black thread. You don’t have to be neat – part of the bunny’s charm is its rough stitching.

Click to enlarge

STEP 4
Stitch across the neck of the bunny with black thread.

STEP 5
Cut an oval shape from the pink felt to use as an eye patch. Using black thread, sew the eye patch to one of the body pieces. Hand-sew a nose and eyes with embroidery thread, as shown.

STEP 6
Cut a heart shape from the purple felt and a smaller heart shape from the floral fabric. Stitch the purple felt heart in place, then stitch the floral heart on top of that, sewing down the centre of the heart.

Click to enlarge

STEP 7
Stitch outline of legs in black thread.

STEP 8
Place the front and back felt body shapes together with the ears sandwiched in between and stitch around the entire body, leaving an opening at the bottom of one corner. Fill the bunny with stuffing, then sew the bottom edges together.