FUR BUNNY

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• 1 x Precut 1/4 Fur Fabric, white
• 1 x Precut 1/4 Fur Fabric, grey or colour of choice
• 20cm x 15cm felt, pale peach or pink, for inner ear
• 2 x 9mm black glass eyes, shank buttons or safety eyes for 20cm bunny
• 2 x 12mm black glass eyes, shank buttons or for 30cm bunny
• Perle cotton for nose & mouth - brown or black
• Hobby fill
• Sewing thread to match fur
• Gutermann linen thread or other extra strong thread
• 1.5m ribbon
• Pair of small sharp scissors
• Paper scissors
• Pins
• Hand sewing needle & longer embroidery needle
• Optional - sewing machine
• 2 x A3 sheets lightweight cardboard
• Glue stick
• Ballpoint pen
• Sharp pencil

Note: Always use safety eyes if making toys for children under 3 years.

INSTRUCTIONS

CUTTING

1. Print out the pattern and use a glue stick to glue it to the cardboard. Using paper scissors cut out all pattern pieces.
2. Push a pin through each of the reference points (REF) on the Side Head and Side Body then mark them accurately on the reverse side of the pattern. Mark the pile direction arrows on the reverse side of these pieces too.
3. Lay out all the pattern pieces except the Chin, Tail and Belly on the reverse side of the grey/coloured fur fabric. Trace around each piece using a ballpoint pen, marking each reference point as you go.
4. Flip the Side Head and Side Body pieces over. Check the pile direction arrows again and trace around each piece, marking the reference points.
5. Lay the Chin, Tail and Belly pieces on the back of the white fur fabric. Check pile direction arrows (Tail fur travels up) and trace using a pencil, marking all the reference points as accurately as possible.
6. Using small sharp scissors slide the bottom blade through the fur so you cut the backing fabric only along the traced lines.
7. Using a pencil trace the inner ear on the felt and cut out.
8. Using a coloured thread put a tacking stitch through the fur to mark the eye (X) and ear positions (big C).

SEWING

Note - There is a 3mm seam allowance on all pieces.

9. Use your needle to stroke the fur into the seam and use a wide overcast stitch to tack each seam. Use reference points to ensure each piece fits and either hand stitch with a firm backstitch or machine with a small straight stitch.
10.Head - Sew the darts in each Side Head. Place the two Side Head pieces together with fur sides facing and sew the short seam N to P. Place the reference point N on the Head Centre to the N end of the seam and with fur sides together sew Side Head for N to S. Reference mark should be at the top of the dart in the Side Head. Start again at N to sew the other side. with fur sides facing, take white Chin piece and put the reference point P to the P end of the short seam and sew from P to R. Sew the other side from P to R.
11. Match each fur ear with a felt ear. With fur to the inside sew around the edge leaving the bottom open. Sew the dart in the felt side and turn ear fur side out. fold the ear lengthwise and catch the fur edges together at the bottom of the side seams.
12. If using safety eyes make a tiny hole at each eye position then attach the eyes. Sew on eyes are attached after the head is stuffed.
13.Body - Run a gathering thread along the front edge of the back leg from A to B. Ease the edge up to fit from A to C. With fur sides together overcast tack then sew this seam
from A to C. Again with sides together match Point E on a Side Body to point E on the Belly piece. Sew from E to F matching reference points as you go. Repeat for the other side. sew both sides together from G to F. for the 30cm bunny stitch up the Belly dart from X to Z.

ASSEMBLY

14.Head - Turn right side out and stuff. Run a gathering thread around the neck and draw up firmly to close. Tie off gathering threads.
15. Sew on eyes - Using a strong thread (leave tail hanging) and a longer needle, take a stitch from behind the gathered centre up to the position of the first eye. Thread on first eye and going back through the same hole take the needle through to the position of the second eye. Thread on the eye
and going back through the second hole bring the needle pout 3-4mm from where you started - beside the hanging tail. This creates a triangle of thread inside the head. Pull both tails until the eyes fit snuggly against the head and triple knot the tails together.
16.Ears - Place 2 pins vertically through the bottom of each ear to position them on top of the head. The felt side should face out. when happy with the position, ladder stitch the bottom of each ear to the head.
17.Nose - Using a double strand of Perle cotton take the needle from the side of the head to the point where the Head Centre and Side Head pieces meet (N). Fotr 20cm bunny take a single stitch 5-6mm (10mm for 30cm bunny) up the seam line on each side. Take one stitch down the centre seam line
to make a Y shape. Turn the head around and stitch the same length along each of the Chin seams to make a mouth. Take the needle out through the side of the head and clip ends off short next to the backing fabric.
18.Body -- Turn body right side out. Using small pieces of stuffing fill the feet first then fill the rest of the body. Run a gathering thread around the opening and draw up firmly to close. Tie off gathering threads. Place the head on the body with the centre of the gathered edges close together. The head can be turned slightly at this stage if desired. Ladder stitch the head to the body in a circle approx 2cm for 20cm bunny (3cm for 30cm bunny) from the gathered centre.
19.Tail - Run a gathering thread around the edge of the tail piece. draw up the thread until there is a 2cm opening. Tie off the thread and turn the tail right side out. Stuff softly. With the pile of the fur travelling towards the top, position the tail with the bottom approx where the three body seams meet. Ladder stitch the tail to the body.
20.Finishing - Carefully trim any fur that is just in front of the eye blocking the bunnys view. Give the bunny a gentle brush and use the ribbon to tie a bow around the neck trimming off any excess.