How-Tuesday: Bunny Bowling with thelongthread

Easter may have come and gone, but we’re full of bunny love year round! Download the pattern and complete project instructions here, or follow along below, courtesy of Ellen from thelongthread.com.

Supplies:

• Cotton, twill or canvas, 11″ x 11″ per bunny
• Contrasting fabric for ears
• Fusible interfacing, 1/4 yard
• Fabric Marker
• Matching thread
• Embroidery hoop (5″ or smaller)
• Embroidery thread
• Embroidery needle
• Polyfill or other stuffing material
• Funnel
• Rice, 1/2 cup per bunny
• Wooden ball

Instructions:
Step 1: PREPARE FABRIC. Wash, dry, press all fabric.

Step 2: EMBROIDER FACE. Cut one 5 1/2″ x 11″ piece of fabric for each bunny you are making. Mark 9″ up from the bottom in the center of the fabric and use a fabric marker to draw the face. Place the fabric in a small embroidery hoop and sew the face. Note: You may also choose to sew the face on after the bunny is completed.

Step 3: CUT FABRIC. Cut out paper templates. Fold over fabric front with embroidered face lengthwise, aligning bowling pin template with the bottom edge of the fabric. Be sure to place embroidered face in desired spot and cut shape. Cut backs of bunnies from remaining fabric, cutting along the fold again. Cut ear fronts from contrasting fabric and ear backs from solid fabric.

Step 4: SEW BUNNY EARS. Iron fusible interfacing onto back side of bunny ear. Place ear pieces right sides out using a blunt tool. Fold corners over towards contrasting fabric and sew 1/4″ from bottom to create crease in ears. Press flat.

Step 5: SEW BUNNY. Place ears upside down and right sides facing up on right side of bunny back side. Fold ears and pin them in place, making sure that they are pinned out of the way of the seam allowance. Pin bunny back to front, right sides together. With a 1/4″ seam allowance, sew along outside edges and 1″ into either side along the bottom. Reinforce with an overcasting stitch, making sure all seams are secure.

Step 6: MAKE PLEATS IN BOTTOM. Pull fabric at corners to form a right angle in the opposite direction of the stitching. Press flat. Mark a line 3/4″ from the tip of the seam and sew along this line. Trim excess fabric and reinforce with and overcasting stitch. Turn bunny right sides out.

Step 7: STUFF BUNNY. Using funnel, stuff 3/4 full with polyfill or other stuffing. Pack stuffing in tightly using the closed tip of scissors or other blunt object. Using the funnel, fill the remaining space with approximately 1/2 cup of rice.

Your roll, bunny-lovers! See a compilation of how-tos from thelongthread here.

More crafty project downloads can be found in our How-Tuesday series on the Etsy blog! And did you know that you can buy Supplies on Etsy?