Hey everyone. Today we're making a soft stuffed bunny that is just right for holding, hugging, and gifting.
Let's start with the fabric, y'all. This is the 2 yd Luxe Cuddle Cut Sorbet Pastel, from Shannon Fabrics. It comes to you as a 2-yard Luxe Cuddle cut.
Luxe Cuddle is the plush side of the family. Folks also call this kind of fabric minky. Run your hand across it once. You will feel why we picked it for a bunny meant to be squeezed.
This fabric is 100% polyester. Care is simple. Machine wash cold. Tumble dry low. No fabric softener. Softener can coat plush fibers over time. Skip it, and your bunny stays soft longer.
A 2-yard cut is generous for one bunny. Use what is left for a second bunny or another small make. Just like that.
The Project: A Stuffed Bunny
A stuffed bunny is a simple soft toy with a rounded body, long ears, and a stitched face. It is a sweet gift for a baby shower or a little one who needs a new friend.
We are aiming for a bunny about 12 inches tall, not counting the ears. The ears add about 5 more inches. That size is easy for small hands to grab, and big enough to hug.
Why does this fabric suit it so well? A stuffed toy lives on touch. Plush Luxe Cuddle feels soft against little cheeks and fingers. It also hides your stitches nicely — the pile covers small wobbles.
Materials
- Your 2 yd Luxe Cuddle Cut Sorbet Pastel — part of the cut makes one bunny, with fabric left over
- Polyester fiberfill stuffing, about 4 to 6 ounces
- 50-weight polyester thread to match
- A 90/14 ballpoint or stretch needle
- Dark embroidery floss for the eyes and nose
- Wonder clips or long pins — plush likes to shift
- A walking foot, if you have one
- Sharp scissors or a rotary cutter and mat
- Paper, a tape measure, and a marking tool
- A chopstick or turning tool for the ears
Brief Steps
First, draw your pattern on paper. Draw a bunny body about 11 inches tall and 6 inches wide, with a round head. Draw two ear shapes, each about 5 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Add a 1/4-inch seam allowance around each piece.
Cut two body pieces and four ear pieces. Lay the fabric flat, and cut one layer at a time. Keep the pile running the same direction on every piece.
Make the ears first. Place two ear pieces right sides together. Sew around the sides and top with a 1/4-inch seam, leaving the bottom open. Turn each ear right side out, and push the tip out gently with your chopstick.
Stitch the face before you close the bunny up. Sew two small eyes and a little triangle nose on one body piece with embroidery floss. For a baby, stitched eyes are the safer choice.
Now pin the ears to the top of the face piece, right sides together. The ear tips should point down across the face. Baste them in place with a 1/4-inch seam, so they stand up once the bunny is turned.
Lay the second body piece on top, right sides together. Clip all the way around. Sew around the body with a 1/4-inch seam allowance, and leave a 3-inch opening along one side for turning. Lengthen your stitch a touch — about 3.0 to 3.5 millimeters works well on plush.
Turn the bunny right side out. Stuff it a little at a time, pushing fiberfill into the head and corners first. Keep it soft and squishy, not packed hard. Close the opening with a ladder stitch by hand.
Practical Tips
Cut with the pile in mind. Shake each cut piece outside, or over a trash can. Fresh-cut Cuddle makes little fluffy bits. That is normal, folks.
Use a walking foot if you have one. It feeds the layers evenly. If not, use lots of clips and sew slower. Slow down around curves, or your seam can wander.
Here is your permission beat. It does not have to be perfect. One ear a tiny bit longer than the other just gives your bunny character. You are your own worst critic. Take your time. It is not a race. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Wash your finished bunny cold, tumble dry low, and remember — no fabric softener. We're not reinventing the wheel here. A simple bunny like this is a really really sweet make, and super duper cute in a gift basket.
Thanks so much for sewing along with me. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the 2 yd Luxe Cuddle Cut Sorbet Pastel at Linda's Electric Quilters.
