I’m taking a trip back in time to one of the first How-To Tuesdays I ever wrote. This bunny project is too freaking cute and beyond simple to create. It’s a great way to practice felting sweaters and sewing wool is super forgiving. The version in this project was created as an instant heirloom for some dear friends, but I’ll have the less nostalgic prototype with me at the Maker Faire this weekend! If you can visit, I’d love to meet you! If you can’t make it to the faire, just stitch up your own!
Materials:
Scented wedding flowers lavender blossoms or rose petals, dried thoroughly
An old sweater
Newspaper
Sharpie
Scissors
Pins
Embroidery needle
Embroidery thread
Barley Rice or beans would also work.
[Not shown:]
Sewing machine You could also hand sew this project.
Funnel
Sewing thread to match the sweater
Step 1: Draw a freehand shape of the critter’s body onto the newspaper. I made a few sketches first, and then slowly drew the most simple shape onto the newspaper. Cut the pattern out.
Step 2: Lay the sweater flat. Pin the pattern to the sweater, and carefully cut out the shape of the body. Cut through both sides of the sweater at the same time. Next, cut out 2 ears. You can make a newspaper pattern for the ears, but I just freehanded mine.
Step 3: Use the needle and embroidery thread to make 2 tiny eyes on the head. My bunny has 2 simple stitches forming each eye. Fold the ears at the bottom, and sew the fold down with the needle and thread.
Step 4: Take the 2 body pieces of sweater and turn them over, so the front sides are facing in. Match up the 2 pattern pieces. Lay the ears in between the layers of the body. Set them so the front of the fabric facing upwards. Make sure the tops of the ears point down. Leave the ends of the ears that you stitched barely sticking out of the top of the 2 layers of the body.
Step 5: Carefully put the entire project on the sewing machine, and using a straight stitch, sew across the head first. You want to sew both layers of body together, and be certain the ears are sewn in too. Because you wont be able to see the ears in between the sweater body pieces, go slow and made sure they don’t get caught in the seam as you sew. Sew the 2 body pieces together, all around the perimeter of the body, but leave about a 1″ gap under one of the arms.
Step 6: Turn the animal right side out, through the hole you left in the armpit.
Step 7: Crumble all of the lavender flowers off their stems, onto a piece of paper. Then add some barley, and use the funnel to fill the body through the open hole. Stuff the toy until you like how it looks. I filled mine about 2/3 full.
Step 8: Using the needle, and some matching sewing thread, stitch the hole closed using the smallest stitches you can make. That will ensure no barley or flowers will leak out.
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