Chubby Bunnies - free patterns

It's a week to go until Easter, and I've been working on some cute Chubby Bunnies and Baby Chubby Bunnies. You can find the free patterns on my Ravelry page and I've made a few different types to show you some options.

You can make them in natural rabbit colours, or use colourful or striped yarn for a fun look. Crochet the tails, or make a great big pom-pom instead. The Baby Chubby Bunnies are so quick and easy to make, you could crochet lots of them and use them in an Easter Egg hunt as an alternative to chocolate.

I hope you have fun with the patterns, let me know if you make any!

Spring and Easter Patterns

We’ve had a lovely week here in the south of England, still quite chill but with lots of blue skies and sunshine, so it’s started to feel like spring – some of the muddy paths on my regular dog walks have even started to dry up! However, I still can’t believe it’s only a week until Easter. I thought I’d put together a list of my patterns that might be good to make for Easter, maybe as a substitute for one more chocolate egg, or as little extras in an Easter basket. I’ve also picked a few that make me think of spring, and getting outside to enjoy nature. Just click on the name to go to the patterns.

Woolly Jumpers

This is a pattern that allows you to make a cute lamb or rabbit, with the choice to have them wearing a dress/skirt or a sweater (jumper in the UK, hence the name). They’re about 6.5” tall (not including the rabbit’s ears) and would make a great Easter gift.

Chubby Gnomes

I originally designed these at Easter, the idea is that they’re egg-shaped, but also that I associate gnomes with gardening, and spring is when all the flowers start to appear. I think they’d be great to make as a gift with some packets of seeds and some plant pots or garden tools.

Mini Pets – Snails, Bugs and Frogs

This pattern to make a set of crocheted mini creatures also reminds of spring, and children getting outside and exploring. Make it so you don’t end up with the real creatures in your house!

Little Eggie

This is a very simple free pattern to make a cute little egg friend for Easter. I made a set of six for each of my boys and put them in old egg boxes, and they went on all sorts of adventures together!

Easter Bunny

Here’s a free pattern to make a little Easter bunny – you can make it in natural colours, or go for spring pastels, or even make it look like a chocolate bunny.

Tiny Chick

Very quick and easy to make, imagine lots of these on the breakfast table on Easter Sunday.

Wee Sheepie

I haven’t seen any lambs in the fields yet, but here’s a free pattern to make a tiny little sheep, perfect for all us yarn lovers.

Tiny Rabbit

If you’d like a more realistic looking rabbit, here’s a tiny one you can make.

The Craft Club Charity Yarnbomb

If you crochet or knit you've probably come across the concept of yarnbombing, where you decorate an outdoor space with a bit of crochet or knitting. I've always thought it was a cool thing to do, but haven't tried it myself yet. However, now I and anyone else who wants to can join in with a charity yarnbomb organised by The Craft Club in Essex. They are asking anyone who can crochet to try to help them break the world record for the largest display of crochet sculptures. They need 4061 items which will be displayed in the Little Havens Hospice Garden on 25 August 2014. Here's the details:

"We want to creater a magical garden scene for the children to discover, and so our theme is Enid Blyton's The Magic Faraway Tree stories. Any crocheted items that fit our theme would be welcome... woodland creatures such as hedgehogs, squirrels, rabbits and owls, fantastical characters such as goblins, fairies and troll, flora such as flowers, cherries, acorns, strawberries and mushrooms."

You can contact them for more information (see the poster above for the email) and you can  find them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecraftclubyarnbomb/timeline

I've got lots of free patterns that should be perfect for this, and most of them are small, so they'd be quick to work up. Here are some ideas, click on the patterns on the list to the right for the details of each pattern.

All the Totoros:

 

Mini Fuzzy-haired Troll:

Fierce Little Dragon:

Pet caterpillar or worm:

Tiny Rabbit:

Easter Bunny:

 Wizard's Owl:

Mini Frog:

I also have several patterns in my shop that would be good. I think I'll make a creature using the Little Folk pattern (https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/85800576/pdf-of-little-folk-amigurumi-pattern-elf?):

There's also Flappy Owl (https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/94316165/pdf-of-flappy-owl-amigurumi-pattern?):

The Wee Mousies (https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/127288010/pdf-of-wee-mousie-amigurumi-pattern?):

Mother and Child Spirits (https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/79959886/pdf-of-mother-and-child-spirit-amigurumi?):

Small Spirits (https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/62106076/pdf-of-small-spirit-amigurumi-pattern?):

Halfling (https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/150079653/pdf-of-halfling-fantasy-amigurumi?):

Or the Chubby Gnomes (https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/71474468/pdf-of-chubby-gnome-amigurumi-pattern?):

I hope that's inspired some of you to make something (or things) to help with this, it'll be fun!

Quick and Easy Easter Bunny - free pattern!

Whilst I was making the Little Teddies from the previous post, I realised it wouldn't take much turn them into little bunnies. They don't take very long to make, and you only need scraps of yarn, so they're perfect little extras to make for an Easter basket. I made a couple using pastel self-striping yarn, which seemed nice and spring-like, then I made one in brown yarn to be a little chocolate bunny.

 

 

 

 

Easter Bunny

 

This little bunny will end up about 4.5 cm/1.75" tall, not including ears, depending on the yarn you use.

 
Abbreviations:
ch = chain
st = stitch or stitches
ss = slip stitch
sc = single crochet (US), double crochet (UK)
dc = double crochet (US), treble crochet (UK)
tog = together
sc2tog = decrease by working two sc together
pop = popcorn (see special stitch instructions)
FO = fasten off

General instructions:
Work in rounds unless otherwise stated and do not join rounds unless told to. Use a stitch marker to mark the start of a round - a small piece of different coloured yarn placed under the stitch at the start of the round will do. To start a round, you can use the magic ring method, but I prefer (ch 2, work 6 sc into 1^st ch). The first ch is a slip knot so it will expand and if you work the 6 sc over the tail of yarn as well you can use that to pull the hole tight.

Work through both loops of stitches unless otherwise indicated.

 
Special stitch instructions:

3 dc pop: popcorn stitch for tail. Work 3 dc into 1 st, take hook out leaving loop, put hook through 1st dc & pull loop through.

(When changing colour for the tail work the sc before the change until there are two loops left on the hook. Then use the new colour for the final yarn over hook and pull through. When changing back to the main colour after doing a 3dc pop work the last dc of the popcorn until there are two loops left on the hook. Then use the main colour for the final yarn over hook and pull through. Finish making the popcorn st and you will have the main colour on your hook for the next stitch.)

4 dc pop: popcorn stitch for arms and legs. Work 4 dc into 1 st, take hook out leaving loop, put hook through 1st dc & pull loop through.

You will need:

Small amount of yarn, any colour you like, in double knitting or worsted weight.
Small amount of white or cream yarn for tail.
Small amount of black yarn (or cream and pink for chocolate bunny) for eyes and mouth.
Small amount of stuffing.
3.5mm (E) hook.
 

Round 1: Ch 2, work 6 sc into 1^st ch - 6 st.

Round 2: [2 sc in next st, (sc and ss into next st, (ear) ch 6, sc into 2nd ch from hook, dc into next 3 ch, sc into next ch, ss back into original st), 2 sc in next st] 2 times - 12 st (the ss used to start the ear counts as a st, and you will work into it on the next round).
Round 3: [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] 6 times – 18 st.
Round 4 - 6: (3 rounds) Sc in each st around - 18 st.
Round 7: [Sc2tog, sc in next st] 6 times – 12 st.
Round 8: [Sc2tog, sc in next 2 st] 3 times – 9 st.
Round 9: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 st] 3 times – 12 st.
Round 10: Sc in next 5 st, 4dc pop, sc in next 4 st, 4dc pop, sc in next st - 12 st.
Round 11 - 12: Sc in each st around - 12 st.
Round 13: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 3 st] 3 times – 15 st.
Round 14: Sc in next 4 st, change to tail colour yarn, 3dc pop, change back to main yarn, sc in next 4 st, 4dc pop, sc in next 3 st, 4dc pop, sc in next st - 15 st.
Round 15: [Sc2tog, sc in next 3 st] 3 times – 12 st.
Round 16: [Sc2tog] 6 times – 6 sc. FO, leaving a length of yarn.
 

Stuff head and body and embroider features. Use length of yarn to sew up hole at bottom, pulling yarn upwards through body to make sure the bottom is flat. You can also use this yarn to sew a stitch or two at the bottom of each ear to make sure they're pointing forwards.

 

Easter Patterns

Just a quick post to highlight some of my patterns that might make good presents for Easter. In my Etsy shop you can find my Woolly Jumpers pattern, which gives you instructions to make a cute little rabbit or lamb, either a boy in a sweater or a girl in a little skirt.

 I also think my Chubby Gnomes pattern is quite fun for Easter - the gnomes are actually egg-shaped, and I associate gnomes with gardens and all the new spring growth.

 

 

 

Here on my blog I have some free patterns that are perfect for small extra Easter gifts (and good if you're worried about too much chocolate!). They're quick and easy to make, and need hardly any sewing to finish them off. Just click on the names below the pictures to see the patterns.

 

 

Tiny Chick

 

 

  

 

Little Eggie

 

 

 

 

Tiny Rabbit

 

 

 

Wee Sheepie

 

I've got a few more free patterns that I'm going to post in the next few days, some of which will also make good little extras for Easter, so keep an eye out for those.