How to Make a Bunny Soft Toy

Any child (or adult) would love to get their mitts on this sweet cuddly toy. Choose a sweet Liberty print or any other fabric that takes your fancy. This is a simple project you can start and finish easily in an afternoon. It's also great for using up leftover scraps of fabric.

Supplies

• Half metre of fabric
• Scrap of fabric for the ears
• Fabric scissors
• Paper scissors
• Toy stuffing 
• Pins
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Hand sewing needle
• Embroidery thread
• Bunny softie template

1. Prepare Your Pieces

Print out the bunny template and cut out template pieces. 

Lay the template pieces down on the wrong side of fabric. Cut out the appropriate number of fabric pieces according to template.

2. Assemble the Limbs

Step 1

Place the arm fabric pieces right sides together. Pin in place. Machine sew around the outside edge with a narrow seam allowance under 1cm. Don't sew the flat ends (you'll need to stuff these later).

Step 2

Machine-sew around the edges in zigzag to stop the fabric from fraying.

Step 3

Cut notches in to the curves. This will help the fabric lie flat when stuffed and stop the fabric from pulling. Be sure not to cut through the seam allowance.

Step 4

Turn the arm inside out.

Step 5

Repeat for the other arm and the two legs.

Stuff the arms and legs using toy stuffing. Use chopsticks or the blunt end of a pencil to push the fabric to the very end of the arms and legs.

3. Assemble the Ears

Step 1

Place the ear pieces right sides together. Pin in place. 

Step 2

Sew around the outside edge with a narrow seam allowance under 1cm. Don't sew the flat ends. Zigzag the edges to stop the fabric from fraying.

Cut notches in the curves. This will help the fabric lie flat when stuffed and stop the fabric from pulling. Be sure not to cut through the seam allowance.

Step 3

Turn the ears inside out. Pinch the ears together and sew across the bottom using a narrow seam allowance under 1cm. 

4. Assemble the Body

Step 1

Place one of the body pieces right side up in front of you.

Place the two ears on either side of the head with the raw edges of the ears matching the raw edges of the body piece.

Ensure the ears are pointing down towards the body. Pin in place. Sew the ears in place using a narrow seam allowance under 1cm.

Step 2

Place the legs at the end of the body with the raw edges of the arm matching the raw edges of the body piece.

Ensure the legs are pointing up towards the head. Pin in place and sew using a narrow seam allowance under 1cm.

Step 3

Place one of the arms on one side of the body with the raw edges of the arm matching the raw edges of the body piece.

Ensure the arm is over the body piece. Pin in place and sew using a narrow seam allowance under 1cm.

Repeat with the other arm.

Step 4

Place one body piece down on top of the other body piece. Sandwich the ears in between the two pieces. Match the raw edges and pin in place. Ensure the ears are out of the way. 

Sew around the head from arm to arm using a 1cm seam allowance. 

Repeat with the arms, sandwiching the arms in between the two body pieces and sewing in place using a 1cm seam allowance.

Leave the bottom section (with the legs) un-sewn.

5. Finish the Bunny

Step 1

Turn the bunny inside out.

Step 2

Stuff the body using toy stuffing. Use chopsticks or the blunt end of a pencil to push the fabric to the very end.

Step 3

At the bottom edge, turn the raw edges of the body piece under and sew in place by hand using a hand sewing needle.

Step 4

Use embroidery thread to embroider a face on to the bunny.

Gift Your Bunny Softie

And that's it! You're all done.

This sweet bunny softie makes a great gift for a little one. Why not make a few in different colours and patterns? It'd look great in dark denim, or even in towelling - perfect for bath time.