Kwazy Wabbits!

These lil' rabbits were SO much fun to make!  Just look at those little faces!  Adorable...and I am so proud because I embroidered and appliqued the faces myself to make them completely baby and child safe.  From what I have read, if a toy is intended for a child of 3 or under there must be nothing on it that could possibly be chewed off and become a choking hazard.  This means I could not use any beads or buttons for eyes or anything like that.  The free pattern I used recommended "safety eyes", but I don't have the luxury of running out to buy anything I want and I am too impatient to hold up a project when something else I already have can be pressed into service, so I bought absolutely nothing for this as I had all the materials around the house.  The pattern also called for me to buy pompoms but I got around that too....  So before I say more, I just want to say a big THANK YOU! to the person who posted this wonderful bunny doll pattern for free.


I haven't made a soft toy since I was a kid and my Mum bought me a couple of stuffed animal kits.  They were delightful - a donkey and a tiger.  They were all hand-sewn with Mummy's help and turned out very nicely.  I have to say one thing about this pattern, it took me a whole lot longer than the 2 hour estimated craft time because I decided to protect all the raw edges of the pieces before sewing them together with overlock stitch, for longer lasting rabbit pals...then Mummy suggested clipping the curves on the seams before overlocking so rabbit 2 is just a little better made, but no less cute.  The lighter rabbit was the first made, materials were found and scavenged as follows....

1. Calico fabric given by my dear sister-in-law Lisa when she moved house last year
2. Satin for inner ears and soles of feet from the back of an old waistcoat
3. Velvet heart sewn on left breast from an old pullover top (washable)
4. Fun-fur, white..for bobbing bunny tails.  Cut off the tops of a pair of snugly socks, still wearing socks!
5. Stuffing, some old foam cut up small, and a chopped up mohair-mix sweater for the finer areas, rabbit 2 stuffed with the insides of an old sofa cushion, perfect!
6. Ribbon, my Mum sent me lots of ribbon this Christmas, but I also save every bit I get on gifts and scavenge the closet for those hanging loops sewn into the sides of a lot of clothes...
7. Felt or T-shirt material for applique, eyes and noses..scavenged the closet!
8. Thread - various colored thread from a cheap sewing repair kit bought years ago 
9. Needles for hand sewing & embroidery from same repair kit

The bows were tricky to tie at first as I wanted them nice and neat, but then I googled "how to tie a bow tie"...sorted!  They can't be untied as I stitched them closed but they do revolve around the neck for different looks.  One thing I really wanted for these soft toys was to make them really interesting for the children I made them for (2 little girls of course) both visually and texturally, hence the varying patterns and textures of the calico, satin, ribbon and velvet.  Bunny 1 even has little "hands" - I stitched fingers after stuffing the arms, bunny 2 didn't seem to call for that, or the velvet heart, so I left it at doing a more elaborate face for #2.  My plan is to make clothes for these dolls for the girls birthdays and such to keep their interest alive and make sure my investment in time pays off for a few years!  Well I just hope they love 'em....else I shall want them back!!

Now for some more piccys!  Yay!  Must make one for me too...both these babies are spoken for!