Our free Sweet Bunny pattern is a lovable knit that will also become a treasured family heirloom. Knit a whole fluffle (yes, that‘s the real word for a bunch of baby bunnies!) in the naturally beautiful, undyed shades of our cotton and alpaca yarn, Sweetgrass!

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

The Sweet Bunny is a fun and rewarding knitting challenge… And there’s lots of cuteness and satisfaction along the way, as you work the face flat and shape it with short rows, knit the little arms and legs (and feet!), and make those flopsy-mopsy ears. Our detailed instructions include photos to guide you through every step!

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

Even if you’ve never knitted a stuffed animal before, shaping the bunny’s face will be very familiar if you’ve worked a short-row sock heel, and the shoulders and body are just like a basic raglan sweater. Combining all those skills in new ways will grow your knitting confidence by leaps and bounds!

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

The inspiration for this project came from a nest of bunnies in one of our designer’s backyards, a fluffy pile of creamy whites, soft tans, and bark browns just like the undyed neutrals of beautiful Sweetgrass. We just had to make a bunny in every color!

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

One skein of fingering-weight Sweetgrass makes two bunnies, so give two lucky kiddos a pair of best-friend bunnies… Or pick up a few colors and knit a whole fluffle (had to use that word again)!

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

All the finishing bits that give your bunny personality – yarn for embroidering the eyes, nose, and smile, plus the stuffing – come together in our Sweet Bunny Finishing Bundle, with enough materials to finish two bunnies.

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

From the tips of its ears to its fluffy pom pom tail, the Sweet Bunny is just as sweet as can be, so hop to it!

Yarn lovers, if you adore the yarn used in this project, you’ll love exploring all of our other yarn collections! Discover over 45 thoughtfully designed yarns in nearly every natural fiber and in every spectacular color you can imagine. Only available here at Purl Soho’s online yarn store, where every skein is created with care and your creativity in mind!

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Hiromi Glover. See even more of Hiromi’s work on her Instagram!

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoSweetBunny, and #PurlSohoSweetgrass. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

To make 2 bunnies, you will need…

  • 1 skein of Purl Soho’s Sweetgrass, 65% organic cotton and 35% superfine alpaca, undyed. Each skein of fingering-weight yarn is 437 yards/ 100 grams; approximately 195 yards required per bunny.
  • A set of five US 1½ (2.75 mm) double pointed needles
  • Removable stitch markers, including one unique
  • Scrap yarn
  • Purl Soho’s Pom Pom Maker Set, Small + Large. We used the Small size with the 1-inch Trim Guide.
  • A Sweet Bunny Finishing Bundle, which includes what you need to stuff and finish 2 bunnies (but not the yarn!)…
    • A Linen Quill Color Card in Kettle Black for the eyes
    • A Linen Quill Color Card in Lychee Pink for the nose and mouth
    • DMC embroidery floss in Ecru, for tying and attaching pom pom tail
    • Poly stuffing

GAUGE

32 stitches and 44 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

SIZE

  • Finished Circumference Around Widest Part of Body: Approximately 6 inches, stretching up to 8 inches, stuffed
  • Finished Height: Approximately 11 inches

NOTES

CONSTRUCTION

You will knit this bunny from top down, starting with the Face, then the Head, shaping both with short rows. Next, you will pick up around the cast-on edge and work the Neck in the round before working raglan increases to shape the Shoulders. You will divide the Arms and continue to knit the Body in the round, then divide the Legs and return to complete the Arms. You will then pick up and knit the Ears and stuff your bunny so far, before returning to knit the LegsFinally you’ll make and attach a pom pom tail, finish stuffing the bunny, and embroider the face.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

SLIP STITCHES

Slip all stitches purlwise with yarn in back on right sides and with yarn in front on wrong sides.

PICKING UP STITCHES PURLWISE ALONG A VERTICAL EDGE

Insert your needle, from back to front, between the last and second-to-last columns of stitches; wrap the working yarn around the needle counter-clockwise as if to purl; use the tip of the needle to push that yarn through to the back of the fabric.

For more information about this technique, please visit our Picking Up Stitches Tutorial  and scroll down to PURLWISE. Please note that this video shows picking up purlwise along the cast-on edge horizontally, so it’s slightly different than what you’ll do here.

SHORT-ROW SHAPING: WRP-T (WRAP AND TURN)

On the right side: Keeping yarn in back, slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to right needle. Bring yarn to front. Return slipped stitch to left needle. Bring yarn to back. Turn work so wrong side is facing you.

On the wrong side: Keeping yarn in front, slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to right needle. Bring yarn to back. Return slipped stitch to left needle. Bring yarn to front. Turn work so right side is facing you.

For more information about this technique, please visit our Short Rows Tutorial.

S2KP (SLIP 2, KNIT 1, PSSO)

Slip 2 stitches together knitwise with yarn in back, knit 1, pass slipped stitches over knit stitch and off right needle. [2 stitches decreased]

To see this decrease in action, visit our S2KP Tutorial.

S2PP (SLIP, SLIP, PURL PASS)

Slip 1 stitch purlwise, slip 1 stitch knitwise, pass slipped stitches back to left needle with this orientation, then slip these two stitches together purlwise through the back loop, purl 1, then pass the slipped stitches over purl stitch and off right needle. [2 stitches decreased]

For more help, please visit our S2PP Tutorial.

MAKE 1 BACKWARDS LOOP

Create a loop with the working yarn so that the tail end lies over the working end. Insert the right needle into the loop from front to back. Pull the yarn to tighten the loop on the right needle.

For more help, visit our Make 1 Backwards Loop Tutorial.

PATTERN

HEAD

CAST ON FOR CHIN

Cast 29 stitches onto one double pointed needle. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Set-Up Row (wrong side): Purl to end of row.  

Row 1 (right side): Knit to end of row.

Row 2: Purl to end of row.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 five more times.   

SHAPE FACE

NOTE: You will work the Face back and forth in simple short rows. You will just be turning the work for them and will not need to wrap.  

Short Row 1 (right side): K14, make 1 right (m1R), place marker (pm), k1, make 1 left (m1L), k1, slip slip knit (ssk), turn work. [30 stitches]

Short Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1 (see Special Instructions), purl to marker, slip marker (sm), p2, purl two together (p2tog), turn work. [29 stitches remain]

Short Row 3: Slip 1 (see Special Instructions), knit to marker, m1R, sm, k1, m1L, knit to 1 stitch before gap, ssk (with the stitch before and after the gap), turn work. [1 stitch increased]

Short Row 4: Slip 1, purl to 1 stitch before gap (slipping marker as you come to it), p2tog, turn work. [1 stitch decreased]

Repeat Short Rows 3 and 4 three more times, removing marker on final row. [7 stitches on one needle and 22 stitches on the other]

Short Row 5: Slip 1, knit to 1 stitch before gap, ssk, turn work. [1 stitch decreased]

Short Row 6: Slip 1, purl to 1 stitch before gap, p2tog, turn work. [1 stitch decreased]

Repeat Short Rows 5 and 6 five more times. [17 stitches remain]

Here’s how your piece should look at this point…

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

Next Row (right side): Slip 1, knit to 1 stitch before gap, ssk and place removable marker on resulting stitch (you will return to this later for Left Ear), then with right side still facing you, pick up and knit 13 stitches along the selvage. [29 total stitches]

NOTE: For help with picking up stitches, please visit our Picking Up Stitches Tutorial and scroll down the page to the Along A Vertical Edge: Stockinette Stitch.

Next Row (wrong side): Purl to 1 stitch before gap, p2tog and place removable marker on resulting stitch (you will return to this later for Right Ear), then with wrong side still facing you, pick up and knit 13 stitches purlwise (see Special Instructions). [41 total stitches]

Your piece should now look like this with the right side facing you…

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

SHAPE CROWN

NOTE: In this section you will work wrap + turn short rows. See Special Instructions and the link to our tutorial for help with this technique.

Short Row 1 (right side): Knit to last 2 stitches, wrp-t (see Special Instructions).

Short Row 2 (wrong side): Purl to last 2 stitches, wrp-t.

Short Row 3: Knit to 4 stitches before previous wrap, wrp-t.

Short Row 4: Purl to 4 stitches before previous wrap, wrp-t.

Short Row 5: Knit to 6 stitches before previous wrap, wrp-t.

Short Row 6: Purl to 6 stitches before previous wrap, wrp-t.

Next Row: Knit to end of row, knitting wrapped stitches with their wraps.

Next Row: Purl to end of row, purling wrapped stitches with their wraps.

SHAPE BACK OF HEAD

NOTE: You will work down the Back of Head to the Neck, back and forth in simple short rows (no wrapping for these!).

Short Row 1 (right side): K26, ssk, turn work. [40 stitches]

Short Row 2 (wrong side): Slip 1, p11, p2tog, turn work. [39 stitches]

Short Row 3: Slip 1, knit to 1 stitch before gap, ssk, turn work. [1 stitch decreased]

Short Row 4: Slip 1, purl to 1 stitch before gap, p2tog, turn work. [1 stitch decreased]

Repeat Short Rows 3 and 4 eight more times. [21 stitches remain]

Short Row 5: Slip 1, knit to 2 stitches before gap, s2kp (see Special Instructions), turn work. [2 stitches decreased]

Short Row 6: Slip 1, purl to 2 stitches before gap, s2pp (see Special Instructions), turn work. [2 stitches decreased]

Repeat Short Rows 5 and 6 three more times. [5 stitches remain]

And here’s where you’re at now…

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

NECK

NOTE: In the following section, you will pick up stitches from the Back of Head and cast-on edge to work the Neck.

Pick-Up Round (right side): With current needle as Needle 1, slip 1, k4; with a new needle for Needle 2, pick up and knit 3 stitches from Back of Head…

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

…then pick up and knit 11 stitches from cast-on edge; with another needle for Needle 3, pick up and knit 6 stitches from cast-on edge; with another needle for Needle 4, pick up and knit 11 stitches from cast-on edge, then 3 stitches from other side of Back of Head. [39 total stitches]

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

Place unique marker and join for working in the round.

Round 1: For Needle 1, k5; for Needle 2, [ssk, k1] 4 times, ssk; for Needle 3, k6; for Needle 4, [k2tog, k1] 4 times, k2tog. [29 stitches remain: 5 stitches on Needle 1; 9 stitches on Needle 2; 6 stitches on Needle 3; 9 stitches on Needle 4]

Round 2: Knit to end of round.

Round 3: For Needle 1, k5; for Needle 2, [ssk, k1] 3 times; for Needle 3, k6; for Needle 4, [k1, k2tog] 3 times. [23 stitches remain: 5 stitches on Needle 1; 6 stitches on each Needle 2, 3, and 4]

Round 4: Repeat Round 2.

BODY

SHAPE SHOULDERS

NOTE: In the following round, you will move the end-of-round marker to the center back Neck and redistribute the stitches on your needles before creating the Shoulders using raglan shaping.

Set-Up Round: For Needle 1, remove unique marker, k2, place unique marker for new end of round, k3, pm, k2 from Needle 2; for Needle 2, k3, pm, k1, then k3 from Needle 3; for Needle 3, k3, pm, then k3 from Needle 4; for Needle 4, k2, pm, k1, then k2 from Needle 1. [23 total stitches: 5 stitches on each Needle 1 and 4; 7 stitches on Needle 2; 6 stitches on Needle 3]

Increase Round 1: K1, [knit to next marker, m1R, sm, k1, m1L] 4 times, knit to end of round. [8 stitches increased]

Round 2: Knit to end of round.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 seven more times. [87 total stitches: 21 stitches on each Needle 1 and 4; 23 stitches on Needle 2; 22 stitches on Needle 3]

DIVIDE ARMS + BODY

NOTE: In the following round, remove markers as you come to them, except unique end-of-round marker.

Division Round: K32, slip previous 20 stitches onto scrap yarn for Left Arm, k44, slip previous 20 stitches onto another piece of scrap yarn for Right Arm, k11. [47 total stitches remain: 23 stitches for Back; 24 stitches for Front]

Here’s how your work should look now…

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

NOTE: We put our end-of-round marker on the first stitch of the round just for this photo, so it wouldn’t slip off our needles! The end of round is still between Needles 1 and 4.

CAST ON FOR UNDERARMS

Cast-On Round: Knit to on-hold Left Arm stitches, cast on 1 stitch for Left Underarm using Make 1 Backwards Loop (see Special Instructions), knit to on-hold Right Arm stitches, cast on 1 stitch for Right Underarm using Make 1 Backwards Loop, knit to end of round. [49 total stitches]

CONTINUE BODY

Distribute stitches as evenly as possible on 3 double pointed needles.

Knit every round until piece measures 2 inches from Underarms.

DIVIDE LEGS FROM BODY

Division Round: Ssk, k21, place previous 20 stitches onto scrap yarn for Left Leg, bind off 4 stitches, knit to last 2 stitches, place previous 20 stitches onto another piece of scrap yarn for Right Leg, bind off remaining 4 stitches, removing end-of-round marker as you come to it. [40 total stitches remain: 20 stitches each for Left and Right Leg]

Cut yarn, leaving a long tail for seaming.

ARMS

Return a set of on-hold Arm stitches to 3 double pointed needles, distributing them as evenly as possible.

Pick-Up Round: With another needle and beginning at center of Underarm with right side facing you, pick up and knit 2 stitches, then continue knitting to end of Needle 1; for Needle 2, knit to end of needle; for Needle 3, knit to end of needle, then pick up and knit 1 stitch from right side of Underarm. [23 total stitches]

Place unique marker and join for working in the round.

Next Round: Ssk, k19, k2tog, remove unique marker, slip last stitch worked to left needle and pass next stitch over last stitch, slip remaining stitch back to right needle, replace marker for new end of round. [20 stitches remain]

Knit every round until Arm measures 2½ inches from Pick-Up Round.

SHAPE ARMS

Decrease Round 1: Ssk, knit to last 2 stitches, k2tog. [2 stitches decreased]

Knit 3 rounds even.

Repeat last 4 rounds 2 more times, then repeat Decrease Round one more time. [12 stitches remain]

Cut yarn, leaving a 12-inch tail.

Slip first 6 stitches to one needle and last 6 stitches to another needle, and holding needles parallel, use Kitchener Stitch to graft Arm closed.

Repeat for other Arm.

EARS

PICK UP STITCHES

NOTE: When you pick up stitches in this section, pick up the horizontal bar between the columns of stitches, as you would for Mattress Stitch.

Pick up and knit 18 stitches for Ear, as follows (images below show picking up for the Left Ear, which is the ear on the left if looking at the bunny))…

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

Locate the Ear marker that you placed in the Shape Face section. Beginning at the Ear marker and working towards the Back of Head, pick up and knit 1 stitch from the row next to the marker…

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

… then pick up and knit 1 stitch in each of the next 8 rows. [9 stitches]

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

Rotate the bunny 180 degrees, and with a second double pointed needle working back towards the Ear marker, pick up and knit 9 stitches in the column next to the stitches you already picked up.

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

Remove Ear marker. [18 total stitches]

Thread tail onto tapestry needle and draw through center of ear to wrong side for weaving in later.

REDISTRIBUTE STITCHES

Place unique marker and join for working in the round.

LEFT EAR

NOTE: Again, Left Ear is left if looking at bunny.

Set-Up Round: For Needle 1, k4, pm, k2; for Needle 2, k6; for Needle 3, k6 to end of round.

Continue to Shape Ear section, below.

RIGHT EAR 

NOTE: Right Ear is right if looking at bunny.

Set-Up Round: For Needle 1, k6; for Needle 2, k6; for Needle 3, k1, pm, k5 to end of round.

Continue to Shape Ear section.

SHAPE EAR

BOTH EARS

Increase Round: Knit to next marker, m1R, sm, k1, m1L, knit to end of round. [2 stitches increased]

Knit 1 round even.

Repeat last 2 rounds 10 more times. [40 total stitches]

NOTE: Add an additional needle if Needle 1/ Needle 3 stitches become too difficult to manage on one needle. Additional needle will still count as Needle 1/ Needle 3, until you no longer need it after decreasing.

Knit 6 rounds even.

Next Round: Knit to next marker, remove marker, k1, place removable marker on the stitch you just knit, knit to end of round.

Decrease Round 1: Knit to 1 stitch before marked stitch, s2kp, replace marker on s2kp stitch, knit to end of round. [2 stitches decreased]

Knit 1 round even.

Repeat last 2 rounds 13 more times, redistributing stitches on needles as needed without moving location of end-of-round marker (between Needles 1 and 3). [12 stitches remain]

Repeat Decrease Round one more time (your marked stitch should be right next to the endofround marker). [10 stitches remain]

LEFT EAR

Next Partial Round: Remove end of round marker, k7, place marker for new end of round.

Decrease Round 2: Knit to 1 stitch before marked stitch, s2kp, replace marker on s2kp stitch, knit to end of round. [2 stitches decreased]

Knit 1 round even.

Repeat Decrease Round 2 one more time. [6 stitches remain]

Go on to Both Ears section, below.

RIGHT EAR

Next Partial Round: Remove end-of-round marker, k3, place marker for new end of round.

Knit 1 round even.

Decrease Round 2: Knit to 1 stitch before marked stitch, s2kp, replace marker on s2kp stitch, knit to end of round. [2 stitches decreased]

Repeat last 2 rows one more time. [6 stitches remain]

Go on to Both Ears section.

BOTH EARS

Redistribute stitches onto two double pointed needles, slipping first 3 stitches onto one needle, removing markers, and slipping remaining 3 stitches onto another needle.

Holding needles parallel, use Kitchener Stitch to graft Ear closed.

Repeat for other Ear.

FIRST ROUND OF STUFFING

Weave in all ends, except the long tail between the legs (we’ll use this later to seam the bunny closed).  Close any holes at Underarms, as necessary.

Give your bunny a light steam if needed.

Stuff the bunny with filling so it is nice and plump, beginning with the Head, then the Arms, and finally the Body. (Hint: The ball-end of a straight knitting needle makes a great tool for pushing stuffing into hard to reach spots!)

LEGS

BEGIN

Return a set of on-hold Leg stitches to 3 double pointed needles, as evenly as possible.

With right side facing you, rejoin yarn at stitch next to bind-off edge and…

Set-Up Round: K10, pm, knit to end of round.

Place unique marker and join for working in the round.

Knit every round until Leg measures 2¾ inches.

SHAPE FOOT

Increase Round: [Knit front and back (kfb), knit to 2 stitches before next marker, kfb, k1, sm] 2 times. [4 stitches increased]

Knit 1 round even.

Repeat last two rounds 2 more times. [32 stitches]

Knit 2 rounds even.

Decrease Round 1: [Ssk, knit to 2 stitches before next marker, k2tog, sm] 2 times. [4 stitches decreased]

Knit 1 round even.

Repeat last two rounds 3 more times. [16 stitches remain]

Slip first 8 stitches onto one needle and last 8 stitches onto another needle, and holding needles parallel, use Kitchener Stitch to graft the Foot closed.

Repeat for other Leg.

FINISHING

MAKE + ATTACH TAIL

Make a 1-inch pom pom with your leftover yarn and using a length of embroidery floss to tie the pom pom before trimming. If you’re using Purl Soho’s Pom Pom Maker Set, use the Small Pom Pom Maker and the 1-inch Trim Guide, and follow the basic instructions for a Solid Pom Pom found in our Pom Pom Tutorial.

Attach the pom pom by threading each embroidery floss tail separately through the Back of the bunny, right where a fluffy tail would go. Tie the tails into a knot, then thread the tails back through the fabric and up through the pom pom itself, trimming them just below the surface of the pom pom.

STUFF THE LEGS

Weave in all remaining ends, except the long tail between the Legs.

Steam the Legs if necessary, then stuff them with the remaining filling.

NOTE: Visit our Seaming Stockinette Stitch Horizontally Tutorial for help with the next step.

Turn the bunny upside down so the bound-off stitches between the Legs are facing you. Thread the long tail onto a tapestry needle and seam the hole closed, closing any gaps at the sides as needed.

EMBROIDER THE FACE

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

Thread the yarn needle with a length of Linen Quill in Kettle Black (or whichever yarn you choose) and embroider the eyes. Then, switch to Linen Quill in Lychee Pink for the bunny’s nose and sweet smile!

Sweet Bunny | Purl Soho

Learn About Sweetgrass + All Our Beautiful Yarns

Sweetgrass brings true natural beauty to this project! A mix of 65% organic cotton and 35% superfine alpaca, Sweetgrass comes in 6 undyed colors, each one reflecting the color of the alpacas who grew the fiber… Amazing! And when that alpaca fiber is mixed with creamy white cotton, you get a soft and lovely heathered quality that adds depth and fascination to the yarn. A fingering-weight yarn, Sweetgrass is absolutely beautiful for three-season scarves, sweaters, and sweet hats, or double it for super cabin-y blankets. At 437 yards per skein, you’ll go far with just a few skeins!

More Free Knitting Patterns

More Fingering-Weight Yarns

More Yarns With Similar Fiber

Looking for more inspiration? Explore all of our free knitting patterns and knitting tutorials, buy one of our many knitting kits and yarn bundles, and shop for beautiful yarn. We have over 35 gorgeous natural fiber yarns in 100’s of magnificent colors, designed to bring integrity, beauty, and joy to your next knitting project and only available at Purl Soho!