Crochet Easter Bunnies

These cute little bunnies stand 10cm (4 inches) tall when made with DK yarn and a 4.0 mm hook.  I'm considering trying one with two strands and a 6.5 mm hook.

I'm using American terminology in this pattern.  Most of the pieces are worked in rounds, spiraled so that there is no joining at the end of each round, you just work on top of the first stitch of the previous round.  For the Body, Basket and Arms, I carry my start tail with the work and weave them in as I work.  For the other parts, the tails are needed for attaching the different parts - well, not so much with the ears, but it's difficult to carry the tail in the work for them.

Body and Head (Make 1)

For some reason loading this pic keeps rotating it.  Sorry it's upside down.

Round 1: Start with a magic ring, sc 6 into the ring. 
Round 2: Sc2 into each st (12 sts).
Round 3: (Sc 1, sc2 into next st).  Repeat for entire round (18 sts).
Round 4: (Sc1 into next 2 sts, sc2 into next st).  Repeat for entire round (24 sts).
Round 5 - 9: Sc in each st.
Round 10: (Sc1 into next 2 sts, sc2 together). Repeat for entire round (18 sts).

At this point, I find it easiest to stuff the body - not too tight.

Round 11: (Sc1, sc2 together). Repeat for entire round (12 sts).
Round 12: Sc2 together for entire round (6 sts).
Round 13: Sc in each st.
Round 14: Sc2 into each st (12 sts).
Round 15: (Sc 1, sc2 into next st).  Repeat for entire round (18 sts).
Round 16 - 18: Sc in each st.

Lightly stuff head.

Round 17:  (Sc1, sc2 together). Repeat for entire round (12 sts).
Round 18:  Sc2 together for entire round (6 sts).

Fasten off leaving long tail.  I like to use my yarn tail to stitch around the hole and pull up a little tighter.


Feet (Make 2)

Chain 6, join into a ring with first sc of next round.
Round 2 - 4: Sc into each st.
Round 5: Sc2 into first 3 sts, sc into next 3 sts (9 sts).
Round 6 - 7: Sc into each st.
Round 8: Sc2 together 3 times, sc into next 3 sts (6 sts).

 Fasten off, leaving long tail and stuff very lightly.  These feet look a little clumsy to begin with, but when sewn up and sewn to body seem to work quite nicely.

Arms (Make 2)

Chain 6, join into a ring with first sc of next round.
Round 2 - 4: Sc into each st.
From here, we change to rows.
Push hook through next st and through last st and sc the two sides together.  Do this twice more to make 3 sts on the row and single thickness.
Work 3 rows in sc.
Next row: Ch 1 (turning chain from previous row), sc 2 together (2 sts).
Work one row.

Fasten off leaving long tail.


Ears (Make 1)

Ch 6, turn and sc into 3rd ch from hook, sc 3.
Ch 1 and turn.  Sc 3, hdc2 and dc3 into next st.  Dc3 and hdc2 into next st. Sc 4.

Ch 8, turn and sc into 3rd ch from hook, sc 3.
Ch 1 and turn.  Sc 3, hdc2 and dc3 into next st.  Dc3 and hdc2 into next st. Sc 4.

Fasten off.



Basket (Make 1)

Round 1: Start with a magic ring, sc 6 into the ring. 
Round 2: Sc2 into each st (12 sts).
Round 3: (Sc 1, sc2 into next st).  Repeat for entire round (18 sts).
Round 4: (Sc1 into next 2 sts, sc2 into next st).  Repeat for entire round (24 sts).
Round 5 - 9: Sc in each st.

Fasten off leaving long tail.

To Make Up:

Stitch toe end of feet.  Run thread through foot and stitch in place to underside of body.

Stitch basket down the belly of the bunny and along both feet (as shown).

Stitch arms to body and to basket.

Stitch ears together - I go up about 2 sts.  Weave a line of stitching through the base of the ears and pull to gather lightly.  If you wish, you can also run a little yarn partway up one ear and pull to give the ear a slightly lopsided look.  Stitch ears to top of head.

Find spot for tail, sc 3 and use tail of yarn to loosely stitch it into shape.

Sew on eyes and nose.  For the nose, I've been doing one full stitch with long tails, then I tie a reef knot and sew the tails through the head.

Add an easter egg :)

If you try this pattern and something doesn't work - please let me know.  I've just been making these purely on improvisation and while I think I've worked the pattern out right, I may have made a mistake or 3.