Whit's Knits: Big Cuddly Bunny
My hometown has an agricultural fair every August that I rarely miss. My brother watches the oxen pulls for hours and my mother lingers over the prize vegetables, but I always head straight for the rabbits! I totally love them: their blinky eyes, their fat bellies and their ridiculous ears. And so when it comes to Easter and its wonderful cast of characters, for me, the bunny wins.
Our Big Cuddly Bunny gets its shape and inspiration from this winter's Big Snowy Owl. With a couple of key modifications a wide-eyed owl turns into a floppy-eared rabbit, full of sweet, earnest personality. Oversized and overstuffed, the Big Cuddly Bunny is just that, as loveable as the real thing!
The Materials
- Main Yarn: 6 skeins of Blue Sky's Bulky, 50% Alpaca and 50% Wool. I used the color Polar Bear. (Another option: 2 skeins of Cascade's Magnum, 100% Wool.)
- Contrast Yarn (for inside the Bunny's ears): 1 skein of Blue Sky's Bulky. This color is Blossom.
- Scrap Yarn (for the face). Nothing in your stash? Use a small skein of Needlepoint Yarn. I used Brown Paper Package's Trio in the color Espresso.
- A 20 or 24 inch, US #15 circular needle.
- A set of US #15 double pointed needles.
- 2 buttons (for the eyes), 3/4 inches in diameter. I used Purl Soho's Large Buttons (size 30), color Gray.
- 2 bags of stuffing.
- Optional: a jumbo stitch marker.
- Optional: a Pom Pom Maker (for the tail).
The Pattern
Gauge
2 1/2 stitches = 1 inch in stockinette
Finished Size
15 inches from ground to top of head
38 inches in circumference
The Bottom
With the Main Yarn and the double pointed needles, cast on 8 stitches.
Place a stitch marker and join for working in the round, being careful to not twist your stitches.
Round 1: Knit into the front and back (kfb) 8 times. (16 stitches)
Round 2: Purl.
Round 3: *P1, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (24 stitches)
Round 4: Purl.
Round 5: *P2, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (32 stitches)
Round 6: Purl.
Round 7: *P3, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (40 stitches)
Round 8: Purl.
Round 9: *P4, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (48 stitches)
Round 10: Purl.
Round 11: *P5, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (56 stitches)
Switching to the circular needle...
Round 12: Purl.
Round 13: *P13, kfb, repeat from * to end of round. (60 stitches)
Purl 6 rounds.
The Body
Knit 37 rounds.
Next Round: *K8, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (54 stitches)
Knit 2 rounds.
Next Round: *K7, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (48 stitches)
Knit 2 rounds.
Next Round: *K6, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (42 stitches)
Knit 2 rounds.
Next Round: *K5, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. (36 stitches)
Knit 2 rounds.
Turn the piece inside out and weave in the ends. Then turn it right side out and fill the bunny with a bag of stuffing.
The Bunny's Left Ear
Remove the stitch marker, and slip the last 5 stitches you knit onto a double pointed needle.
With a second double pointed needle, knit the next 5 stitches.
Rearrange these 10 stitches onto three double pointed needles (3 stitches on two and 4 stitches on the third). Join for working in the round.
Round 1: (K4, kfb) 2 times. (12 stitches)
Round 2: Knit.
Round 3: (K5, kfb) 2 times. (14 stitches)
Round 4: Knit.
Round 5: (K6, kfb) 2 times. (16 stitches)
Rounds 6 and 7: Knit.
Round 8: (K7, kfb) 2 times. (18 stitches)
Rounds 9 and 10: Knit.
Round 11: (K8, kfb) 2 times. (20 stitches)
Rounds 12 and 13: Knit.
Round 14: (K9, kfb) 2 times. (22 stitches)
Rounds 15-20: Knit.
Round 21: (K9, k2tog) 2 times. (20 stitches)
Rounds 22 and 23: Knit.
Round 24: (K8, k2tog) 2 times. (18 stitches)
Rounds 25 and 26: Knit.
Round 27: (K7, k2tog) 2 times. (16 stitches)
Rounds 28 and 29: Knit.
Round 30: (K6, k2tog) 2 times. (14 stitches)
Round 31: Knit.
Round 32: (K5, k2tog) 2 times. (12 stitches)
Round 33: Knit.
Round 34: (K4, k2tog) 2 times. (10 stitches)
Round 35: Knit.
Round 36: (K3, k2tog) 2 times. (8 stitches)
Round 37: Knit.
Round 38: (K2, k2tog) 2 times. (6 stitches)
Round 39: (K1, k2tog) 2 times. (4stitches)
Round 40: (K2tog) 2 times. (2 stitches)
Bind off by passing the first stitch over the second stitch.
Cut the yarn and pull it through the remaining stitch.
The Bunny's Right Ear
Orient your bunny so that the ear you just made is on the right (as in the above picture). Use the back circular needle to slip 8 stitches from the front needle.
Slip the next 10 stitches onto three double pointed needles (3 stitches on two and 4 stitches on the third).
Join new yarn and (kfb, k4) 2 times. (12 stitches)
Now join for working in the round...
Round 1: Knit.
Round 2: (Kfb, k5) 2 times. (14 stitches)
Round 3: Knit.
Round 4: (Kfb, k6) 2 times. (16 stitches)
Rounds 5 and 6: Knit.
Round 7: (Kfb, k7) 2 times. (18 stitches)
Rounds 8 and 9: Knit.
Round 10: (Kfb, k8) 2 times. (20 stitches)
Rounds 11 and 12: Knit.
Round 13: (Kfb, k9) 2 times. (22 stitches)
Rounds 14-19: Knit.
Round 20: (Ssk, k9) 2 times. (20 stitches)
Round 21 and 22: Knit.
Round 23: (Ssk, k8) 2 times. (18 stitches)
Round 24 and 25: Knit.
Round 26: (Ssk, k7) 2 times. (16 stitches)
Round 27 and 28: Knit.
Round 29: (Ssk, k6) 2 times. (14 stitches)
Round 30: Knit.
Round 31: (Ssk, k5) 2 times. (12 stitches)
Round 32: Knit.
Round 33: (Ssk, k4) 2 times. (10 stitches)
Round 34: Knit.
Round 35: (Ssk, k3) 2 times. (8 stitches)
Round 36: Knit.
Round 37: (Ssk, k2) 2 times. (6 stitches)
Round 38: (Ssk, k1) 2 times. (4 stitches)
Round 39: (Ssk) 2 times. (2 stitches)
Bind off by passing the first stitch over the second stitch.
Cut the yarn and pull it through the remaining stitch.
Closing
Finish stuffing your bunny, making it firm and plump.
Slide 8 stitches to one end of the circular needle and the other 8 to the other end.
Cut a piece of the Main Yarn about 24 inches long. Thread it onto a tapestry needle and graft the two sides of the bunny's head together using the Kitchener Stitch.
As you weave in the tails, sew closed the holes.
Inside the Ears
Use the Contrast Yarn and the duplicate stitch to fill in a field of pink on the underside of each ear. Use relatively short pieces of yarn (18 inches or so). Because the yarn is single ply, a longer piece doesn't hold up very well to the rigors of duplicate stitch!
Do the same for the other ear...
Finishing Touches
THE TAIL
Use the Main Color and the largest size of a Pom Pom Maker to make a fluffy tail. (First time using a Pom Pom Maker? Visit our tutorial here!) Use the tails of the yarn that tied off the pom pom to attach the pom pom to the bunny's backside. Weave in the ends.
THE FACE
With a piece of dark scrap yarn, attach two buttons for the bunny's eyes. Then embroider a simple nose and mouth, like we did or however you like!
March 11, 2012
Reader Comments (30)
The finished size is listed under the "PATTERN" section but here it is again:
Finished Size
15 inches from ground to top of head
38 inches in circumference
It's big! Thanks for your question!
Molly
We don't sell any of our finished knitting projects but if you'd like to find someone to custom knit this for you please feel free to call our NYC store. They might be able to put you in touch with someone who does commissions. Their number is 212-420-8796.
Thank you so much for your nice comment!
Molly
I think there is a slight error in the instructions for the right ear; should Round 13 say
(Kfb,knit9) two times?
Yes!!! Thank you! I corrected the error for future bunny knitters!
Whitney
Good question! The pom pom maker I used was about 3 3/4 inches in diameter.
Thanks for asking!
Whitney
i just want translate made for a person in french to do bunny not for sale but for me explains in english so hard for me
thanks for answer
brigitte "matilo"
Unfortunately no one on our staff is a fluent french speaker but we are talking to someone about doing some French translations in the future so please stay tuned.
Thank you!
Molly
Sorry I am a beginner in knitting. I was wondering for the body for the bunny, what does it mean to use double pointed needles with 8 stitches?
So 4 double pointed needles are needed? 3 stitches will be on 2 needles while 4 stitches will be on another needle?
So sorry to bother you!
Yes, you will need a total of four double pointed needles: three for the stitches and the fourth for knitting. And you will cast on just like you said, 3 stitches on two needles and 4 on the third. If you need some more help we have a great Double Pointed Needles Tutorial right here: http://www.purlbee.com/double-pointed-needles-tutoria/2008/7/25/double-pointed-needles.html .
Thank you for your question and good luck!
Whitney
I'm still a bit of a knttingnovice, so I was wodering, Is it possible to make a smaller bunny, just by using different yarn and needlesize? Or will you need to change the pattern to get it right?
Yes! You can make a smaller bunny just by using thinner yarn and smaller needles. You don't need to change the pattern at all!
Thanks for your question!
Whitney
You should be making your duplicate stitches just through one layer of fabric ("the underside of the ear"), never bringing your needle through to the other side of the ear.
I hope answers your question! Please let me know if you have any others and thank you for this one!
Whitney
You should place the bunny so that the first ear is on the right side (like the picture). Then use the back circular needle to slip 8 stitches from the front needle. You'll then need to slide your needles around so that the back needle with the 8 stitches is now in front and the tips of the needles are pointing to the left (like the next picture).
It's kind of a funny move! Let me know if you're still confused and we'll work it out! Thanks for your question!
Whitney
I'm confused about the KFB in the lower body section. Even though I am purling all the other stitches, do I move the yarn and knit into the front and back of the stich to increase? Or do I purl into the front and back?
Thanks, pat
Yes, you do move the yarn back into the knit position to make the kfb. If I remember correctly, I wrote it that way because I liked the way a kfb makes a knit, then a purl stitch. Although, I'm sure it wouldn't be the end of the world to do a purl into the front and back!
Thanks so much for your question and good luck!
Whitney
Thanks for such a cute pattern! I see a pig and an owl in my future.
The reason I didn't use intarsia for the ears is because they're knit in the round. There are some techniques for knitting intarsia in the round, but they're kind of complicated and a little esoteric, so I thought that in the end, duplicate stitch would be the easiest solution.
Let us know how you do with intarsia, if you do decide to give it a try! And thank you so much for your question!
Whitney
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56309825@N07/8697448012/in/photostream/
And here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56309825@N07/8697449738/in/photostream/
I love this pattern !
If I wanted to make a smaller version...say half the size , what sized needles and yarn would I have to use ? I'd like my bunny to be about 20cm.
Thank you so much :)
Knitting at twice the gauge should make a bunny half the size. So, pick a worsted or light worsted yarn and knit it at 5 stitches to the inch (on whatever needles give you that gauge). Make sure to adjust the length of the body for the new proportions of your bunny!
Thanks for asking and good luck!
Whitney