Baba's Little Bunny

BABA’S LITTLE BUNNY

MATERIALS: 

- 30 g knitting worsted, Color A (shown in rust); 

- Small amount of knitting worsted, Color B, for ribbon OR about 6 inches of thin ribbon

- Small amounts of yarn for face

- 3 mm circular needle, 80 cm long, for Magic Loop;

    OR 4 dpn 3mm for knitting in the round,

    OR 2 regular straight 3mm needles for knitting flat (see Adaptations)

- Crochet hook for “neck ribbon”, about 3.25 mm

- Needle for embroidering and weaving in ends

- Polyester filling

- About 2 ml tiny polystyrene beads

- A small sachet bag or other little bag to contain the beads

GAUGE

Gauge is not important as long as it is consistent throughout. Figure will be about 4 inches (10 cm) tall. If you use heavier yarn or larger needles, the figure will be bigger.

ABBREVIATIONS

K = Knit

P = Purl

Kfb = Knit into the front and then into the back of the stitch; increase of one stitch

K2tog = Knit 2 stitches together; decrease of one stitch

P2tog = Purl 2 together

* = repeat the previous sequence to the end of the row

Rem = remaining

Sts = stitches

Dpn = double-pointed needles

NOTES

Baba’s Little Bunny is knitted in Stocking Stitch (aka Stockinette). In Magic Loop or knitting in the round, every round is knitted. (See Adaptations  to work flat.)

BUNNY

Cast on 6 stitches with Color A; join for Magic Loop

Rnd 1: Knit

Rnd 2: (Kfb)* [12]

Rnd 3: Knit

Rnd 4: (Kfb)* [24]

Rnd 5: K

Rnd 6: (K1, Kfb)* [36]

Rnd 7-19: K

Rnd 20: (K2tog)* [18]

Rnd 21: K

Rnd 22: (Kfb, K2)* [24]

Rnd 23-31: K

Rnd 32: (K2tog)* [12]

Rnd 33: K

Rnd 34: (K2tog)* [6].  Stuff, first placing the little bag of polystyrene beads in the bottom. Break yarn, leaving a long tail, which you will thread through the remaining stitches, pulling tight and tying to close.

ARMS (Make 2)

With Color A, cast on 6 sts. Work I-Cord for 10 rows.

NOTE: This will not make a perfectly round cord. That is all right. It makes a cute arm.

Break yarn with a 12” long tail, thread through remaining stitches and tie tightly. Holding one arm on each side of the body at the neck, use the long tail(s) to sew the arms in place.

EARS (Make 2)

With the back of the Bunny facing you, pick up and knit 6 stitches on top of the head and to one side, leaving room for the other ear. For each ear:

Row 1:  K

Row 2:  P

Row 3:  K

Row 4:  P

Row 5:  K

Row 6:  P

Row 7:  K2tog, K4

Row 8:  P2tog, P3

Row 9:  K2tog, K2

Row 10: P2tog, P1

Row 11: K2tog

Break yarn leaving about 3” tail. Thread through rem sts, tie off, and use the tail to shape the ear. Weave in ends.

NECK RIBBON

Crochet a chain about 66 stitches long. Fasten off. Weave in ends. Tie around Bunny’s neck.

FINISHING

Weave in ends. Embroider eyes, nose and mouth.

ADAPTATIONS

If you are not comfortable with the Magic Loop or with knitting on double-pointed needles, or if you only have regular knitting needles, you can knit the Bunny flat and sew up the seam in the back. Working flat, one row is knitted and the next row is purled for Stocking Stitch. Sew a seam down the back of the Bunny, leaving about an inch and a half open at the bottom to stuff, then finish the seam.

If you prefer not to purl, or just to achieve a different look, you can work the Bunny flat in Garter Stitch, that is, knitting every row. Sew a seam down the back and stuff as instructed above. Finish as above.

Baba's Little Scarecrow

 Baba’s Little

Scarecrow

MATERIALS

30 g. knitting worsted, Denim color, or your choice of color; Color A

30 g. knitting worsted, red, or your choice of color; Color B

30 g. knitting worsted, tan; Color C

Small amounts of knitting worsted: yellow, black, blue for “hair” and facial features

Fibrefill stuffing

A small sachet bag and about 30 ml polystyrene beads

Circular needle, 4 mm, 80 cm long, to work in the round using the Magic Loop method; alternatively, use a set of four 4mm DPN’s.

4mm crochet hook

GAUGE is not important, as long as it is consistent throughout the project. The figure will be about 10-12 cm tall (4-5 inches).

*means to repeat the previous directions throughout the round.

BODY AND HEAD

With Color A, Cast On 6 sts and join to work in the round.

Rnd 1:  Knit every stitch

Rnd 2: Knit, increasing 1 stitch in each stitch  [12 sts]

Rnd 3: Knit

Rnd 4: Knit, increasing 1 stitch in each stitch  [24 sts]

Rnd 5: Knit

Rnd 6: (Knit 1, inc 1)* [36 sts]

Rnd 7-19: Knit

Rnd 20: (Knit 2 together)*  [18 sts]

Rnd 21: Knit

Rnd 22: Change to Color C; (inc 1, K2)*  [24 sts]

Rnd 23-31: Knit

Rnd 32: (Knit 2 together)* [12 sts]

Rnd 33:  Knit.  Place the polystyrene beads in the little sachet, tie tightly, and place it firmly in the bottom of the scarecrow. Stuff firmly with fibrefill, but not so tightly that the stuffing shows through the stitching.

Rnd 34: (Knit 2 together)*  [6]  Break thread leaving a long tail; thread the tail through the remaining stitches and pull tight. Tie.

ARMS (make 2)

With Color A, cast on 4. Knit 12 rows of I-Cord. Break thread leaving a long tail; thread the tail through the remaining stitches and pull tight. Tie. Sew to one side of Scarecrow’s Body at the neck. Repeat for other arm.

HAT

With Color B, Cast On 72 sts. Join to work in the round.

Rnd 1: Knit

Rnd 2: (Knit 1, Knit 2 together)* [48 sts]

Rnd 3: Knit

Rnd 4: (Knit 2 together)* [24 sts]

Rnd 5-18: Knit

Rnd 19: (Knit 2 together)*  [12 sts]

Rnd 20:  (Knit 2 together)*  [6sts]. Break thread leaving a long tail; thread the tail through the remaining stitches and pull tight. Tie.

EMBELLISHING

Using small amounts of yarn, embroider eyes, nose and mouth on the face. Embroider a patch on the “pants” using Color B. Cut several lengths of yellow yarn 5-8 cm long; fold each in half. Using the crochet hook, pull the fold through one stitch, then pull the two ends through the fold and tighten, to create “straw” at the end of the arms, on the head at the edge of the hat, and where the feet would be.

FINISHING

Weave in all ends.

ADAPTATIONS

If you are not comfortable with the Magic Loop or with knitting on double-pointed needles, or if you only have regular knitting needles, you can knit the Scarecrow flat and sew up the seam in the back. Working flat, one row is knitted and the next row is purled for Stocking Stitch. Sew a seam down the back of the Bunny, leaving about an inch and a half open at the bottom to stuff, then finish the seam.

If you prefer not to purl, or just to achieve a different look, you can work the Scarecrow flat in Garter Stitch, that is, knitting every row. Sew a seam down the back and stuff as instructed above. Finish as above.