Thursday, August 9, 2012

Ballerina Bunny (free crochet pattern)



My five year old has claimed this bunny for herself.

I made it with her in mind, and I was hoping to make another little something for my seven year old and my almost two year old first, but I made the mistake of showing it to the girls as soon as I had finished it. Oops!

I made sure to let the other girls have a turn looking at the bunny and hugging it, then I gave it back to my five year old. She fell in love with the bunny immediately. She sleeps with "Long Ears" snuggled up next to her and she has introduced her to all of her other stuffed animal friends. Her love for this bunny makes it one of my favorite projects that I've ever made!

It wasn't too difficult to make. It took a little trial and error... especially when it came to embroidering the face! The pieces came along quickly and I got the ears on my first try! (yay!)
If I had to change anything, I would probably make the legs a little longer, and I will note this in the pattern. Luckily my daughter doesn't even notice that they are a tad short.

Ballerina Bunny
(measures approx. 9 inches)

What You Need:
Size H crochet hook
Tapestry Needle
Stitch marker (or contrasting yarn)
fiber filling (I just used 100% cotton balls, and it worked great!)
Yarn of your choice (I used Peaches N' Creme in White- for color A and, I believe, Rose Garden- for color B. I used scraps of Dark Taupe for the eyes and whiskers.)

What You Do:
Note: You will be working in a round, so it will be necessary to mark the first stitch of each round with a stitch marker or a piece of contrasting yarn.
Head and Body:
With color A, Ch 4, join with sl st to first ch to form a ring.
Round 1: Ch 1, sc 8 in ring. (8)
Round 2: sc 2 in each stitch around. (16)
Round 3: [sc, sc 2 in next stitch] around. (24)
Round 4: [2 sc, sc 2 in next stitch] around. (32)
Rounds 5-12: sc in each stitch around. (32)
Round 13: [2 sc, sc2tog] around. (24)
Round 14: [sc, sc2tog] around. (16)
Do not finish off. Embroider face now. (Trust me, it's much easier this way!)
Round 15: [sc2tog] around. (8)
Do not finish off. Stuff the head now. (Again... makes things so much easier!)
Round 16: [2 sc, sc 2 in next stitch] around. (16)
Round 17: [sc, sc 2 in next stitch] around. (24)
Round 18: sc in each stitch around. (24)
Round 19: sc in each stitch around. (24)
Switch to Color B
Rounds 20-26: sc in each stitch around. (24)
Round 27: sc flo (front loop only) in each stitch around. (24) (You'll want to mark both the front loop and the back loop of the first stitch separately on this row. you will go back to the back loop later.)
Round 28: Working through both loops of the previous row, sl st to the next sc, ch 3, 4 dc in the same stitch, ch 1, skip the next stitch, sc in the next stitch, ch 1, skip the next stitch, *work 5 dc in next st, ch 1, skip the next stitch, sc in the next stitch, ch 1, skip the next st* repeat from *to* around. Join with sl st to the top of first ch 3. Finish off.
Switch back to color A. Reattach it to the marked back loop of round 27.
Round 29: sc in the back loop of each st around. (Remember to mark your first stitch). (24)
Round 30: [sc, sc2tog] around. (16)
Do not finish off. Stuff the body, now.
Round 31: [sc2tog] around. (8)
Round 32:  [sc2tog] around. (4)
Finish off leaving a long tail. Weave the tail through and pull tight to close off and knot. Weave in all loose ends.

Arms (make 2)
(Don't forget to mark the first stitch of each round.)
With color A
Round 1: Ch 2, sc 6 in the first ch made. (6)
Round 2: [sc, sc 2 in next stitch] around. (9)
Round 3: sc around. (9)
Round 4: [sc, sc2tog] around. (6)
Do not finish off. Stuff the paw now.
Rounds 5-8: sc around. (6)
Switch to color B.
Round 9: sc around. (6)
Switch back to color A.
Round 10: sc around. (6)
sl st to next sc. Finish off.

Legs (make 2)
(Don't forget to mark the first stitch of each round.)
With color B

Round 1: Ch 2, sc 6 in the first ch made. (6)
Round 2: [sc, sc 2 in next stitch] around. (9)
Rounds 3-4: sc around. (9)
Switch to color A.

Round 5: [sc, sc2tog] around. (6)
Do not finish off. Stuff the foot now.
Rounds 6-11: sc around. (6) (Note: For a longer leg, ass a couple more rows.)
sl st to next sc. Finish off.

Ears (make 2)
With color A
Row 1: Ch 5, sc in second ch from hook and in each across. Turn. (4)
Rows 2-12: Ch 1, sc in each across. Turn. (4)
Row 13: Ch 1, sc 2 tog, sc 2. Turn. (3)
Row 14: Ch 1, sc 2 tog, sc 1. Turn. (2)
Row 15: Ch 1, sc 2. Turn. (2)
Row 16: Ch 1, sc 2 tog. Turn. (1)
Row 17: Ch 1, sc. Finish off and weave in ends.

Flower
With color A.
Ch 2, sc 6 in second ch from hook. Join with sl st.
Switch to color B.
[ch 5, sl st in next sc] around. Finish off.

Assemble.
Sew on the arms, legs, ears and flower. Weave in all ends,




Photobucket

14 comments:

  1. Oh my word! This is so cute! I always have trouble with animals...or anthing you make in pieces and have to attach. I'll have to practice because my daughter loves anything ballet!

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    1. Thanks Lauren! You can totally do this!!! It isn't much more difficult than your little chick eggs. The arms and legs are pretty easy to sew on, and when you finish it off, you can hide the "tail" inside the body... makes it easier. :-)

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    2. Sweet! Oh, and thank you for sharing at our
      Pinteresting Party!

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  2. This is so so cute, Susie! Great job! Thanks for linking up at Hookin On Hump Day!

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  3. OMGoodness!! That is the CUTEST thing!!! I so wish I could crochet!

    I found you through the Two Saster's TGIF Linky Party! :)

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    1. Thanks! I just peeked at your blog... if you can sew as well as you do, you can certainly learn to crochet! ;-)

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  4. Wow! I have wanted to learn to crochet for so long.... Grrr... If only I would stick with it. My little girl would love this, though, and it would be something she could keep for years - I think I just might try to learn. I found you at Two Saster's linky party.... excited to be following you, now. Hope you can visit soon!
    -Heather
    stringtownhome.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. Hi Heather! Thanks for stopping by!
      It isn't to terribly hard to learn to crochet. You should do it! There are a ton of tutorials online. :-)

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  5. So cute Susie! Pinning this :)

    Thanks so much for sharing this at our Weekend Wonders party! We hope to see you back again on Thursday :) Have a great week!

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  6. Oh that is just so cute. I don't crochet but have always wanted to learn. I would love to be able to make things like this. :-)

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    1. Thank you! :-)
      There are a ton of great tutorials on youtube! ;-)

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  7. So cute!! I can see why she fell in love with it right away. Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!!

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