CALICO LINEN BUNNIES

Download templates for the bunnies here:

• Template 1

• Template 2

Instructions

Head

Step 1 - From the templates provided, cut one top head and two side head pieces from calico fabric.

Step 2 - With right sides facing, sew the two side head pieces together at the angle side edge, stopping the seam 1cm from the nose point. Press seam open.

Step 3 - Sew a line of stitch around the curved side edges of the top head piece 1cm in from the edge. Clip edges on the curved edges to stitching.

Step 4 - With right sides facing pin one of these clipped edges to one of the curved sides of the head side pieces leaving a gap where the ears need to be inserted later. Repeat on the other side of the head piece, ensuring the small base edges of head are open.

Step 5 - Trim and clip seams.

Ears & Face

Step 1 - From templates provided, cut two ears from gingham linen and two ears from calico fabric.

Step 2 - With right side facing, pin one gingham earpiece to one calico earpiece and sew together around the two curved edges leaving the base edges open. Trim and clip seams. Turn ears right way out and press flat. Baste across open edges. Repeat to make the other ear.

Step 3 - Insert ears into the bunny head from the base and pin into the gap left open in each side seam. Sew in place. Trim and clip head seams and stuff head firmly with hobby fill.

Step 4 - Using perle thread, sew a French knot for each eye at desired positioning on face. Leave excess ends of thread inside secured inside the bunny's head.

Step 5 - Use a double French knot for the bunny's nose, also leaving excess thread inside bunny's head.

Tip - The bunny's nose could also be sewn in a long satin stitch in the shape of a small triangle if desired.

Body

Step 1 - from templates provided, cut four body pieces from calico fabric.

Step 2 - With right side facing, pin two pieces together along the shorter curved edges to make the back of the body. Sew together, press open seam. Repeat with other two pieces to create the front of the body.

Arms & Legs

Step 1 - From templates provided, cut x 4 legs & x 4 arms from calico fabric.

Step 2 - With right sides facing, pin arm and legs pieces together to make two arms and two legs. Sew edges together leaving the top open. Trim seams and clip curves.

Step 3 - Turn arms and legs the right way out through the opening. Press flat. Fill arms and legs with hobby fill firmly, leaving the top 2cm free of stuffing. Baste across the openings.

Putting it all together

Step 1 - Pin the raw edge of the arms of the front body piece along each of the side edges at the marks indicated on template.

Step 2 - Pin the top of legs to the base raw edge of the front body piece, 1.5cm in from each side each. Baste in place.

Step 3 - With right sides facing, place the back-body piece over the front body piece and pin in place with the arms enclosed within body pieces and the legs hanging out the base. Sew together leaving the base edges open.

Step 4 - Trim and clip seams and turn right way out. Press under seam allowances along the base of body and pin together with the legs hanging out from these pinned edges. Top stitch edges closed with two rows of stitching, one 5mm up from edge and another 1cm up from the edge, securing the legs in the stitches.

Step 5 - Carefully and firmly stuff the body through the opening in top of the body.

Step 6 - Turn under seam allowance on the base of the head. Insert the top of the body into the base of the head. Pin together adding or removing stuffing to get a firm connection between the head and body. Blind hand sew together.

Dress

Step 1 - From templates provided, Cut two dress pieces from linen gingham fabric

Step 2 - Overlock all edges of the two dress pieces of fabric.

Step 3 - Press under a 1cm hem along the angled armhole edges. Top stitch pressed hem in place.

Step 4 - Press under a 2cm hem along the top edges of the dress pieces and stitch in place 15mm in from press edge. Sew again 5mm in from pressed edge to make a casing for the elastic.

Step 5 - With right sides facing place dress pieces together and pin along the side edges. Sew side seams with a 1cm seam allowance. Press open seams.

Step 6 - Press under a 1cm hem along the base of dress. Pin the top of the lace trim to the underside of the base hem with the lace hanging below fabric edge. Overlap lace edges slightly and trim excess away if needed. Top stitch hem and lace in place within one row of stitching.

Step 7 - Place dress onto the bunny with the top of the dress at the base of the bunny's head.

Step 8 - With the help of a safety pin, thread elastic through the front of the casing at the top of the dress and then through the back of dress casing. Pull elastic tightly to gather the dress to desired fullness around the neckline. Tie elastic ends together securely. Trim excess elastic to a length of 1cm. Pull the knot and excess elastic into the back casing of dress to hide. Adjust gathers in dress evenly front and back.