Bunny Pillow Tutorial
I started making these little bunnies last spring as pins. They were kind of a booth filler for me, and I really loved making them and seeing them all together in a bowl, so cute! Well, I was thumbing through a craft book and saw a pillow with a pocket and a little lamb stuck in it.. and I knew I had to make a pillow for my bunnies!!!
This is so easy to do! I hope you have fun making it! *Please note the usage at the bottom of this tutorial. There are restrictions. Thank you!
For this project, you will need 8 different fabrics, 5 for the front, one for the back, and 2 for the bunnies. For the front of the pillow, cut 5 6" squares. 1 square will be the front of the pocket. Lay your squares out to the design that you like. Here I used a plain pink for the background of the pocket square, and above, I used white for the background. Once you have your design laid out, it's time to sew!
First, fold the square that will be the front of your pocket in half. Sew along the fold. You can use a decorative stitch here for added cuteness!
Place this pocket front onto the background square and baste it in place.
Now you have 4 squares instead of 5 for the front, 1 of them being the pocket square! Sew these squares together into a basic 4 patch design. I like the pocket square to be on the bottom right, but you can place it anywhere! Be creative!
For pillows, I usually use a 1/2" seam allowance for durability and ease.
Now that the front is finished, you'll need a back! Cut an 11" square. Place the front and back right sides together and pin. Sew around the edges of the pillow leaving a small opening on the side for Turning and stuffing.
Before you turn the pillow right side out, clip the corners so they will look sharper!
And for stuffing, I ONLY use Polyfil brand. Everything else is just no good... trust me, I've been doing this a long time, and NOTHING else is even close! After your pillow is stuffed, hand stitch the opening shut. (I know there is a lack of pictures here... but I'm assuming most of you have made a pillow before :)
Time to make BUNNIES! This is the best part!!! Download somebunny.pdf Click on that link and print the pattern onto card stock or something stiff so you can cut it out and trace around it with ease!
The pic is of the pattern I printed and the one I've been using since last year... it's got a few lines on it huh! LOL!
This picture kind of shows two steps in one. Take the fabric you are using for your bunnies and place it right sides together! Trace the bunny onto your fabric with pencil. Sew directly on the traced line, and sew ALL THE WAY AROUND! Clip the bunny out allowing only a tiny seam allowance. This can be tricky... if you make the seam allowance too big, your bunny will be lumpy, too small, and you will pop seams open when you are stuffing. About 1/4" works well.
If you look closely, you can see that these bunnies have slits in their backs. This was for turning and stuffing. Once the bunny is clipped out, carefully cut a slit in his back for turning and stuffing. Make sure you are only cutting through ONE layer. Turn and stuff your bunnies, (hopefully you've made two even though I only told you how to make one! LOL!) and then hand sew the slit shut.
For your bunnies faces, just make two french knots for their eyes, and the simple Y pattern for their mouths and noses :) If you don't know how to make french knots, you can use tiny buttons or beads, or make a few tiny stitches... that works just as well! I didn't know how to make french knots for the LONGEST time, so I was queen of taking a few tiny stitches that looked like a french knot... lol!
To finish them off, tie a cute ribbon around their necks and add a little blush to their cheeks. I use a q-tip and blush from my make up kit for this... Easy Easy Easy! :)
So here's kind of an overall pic! The pillow on the right is my first one, the one on the left is the one I made for this tutorial... and yes that's my BERNINA (thanks MOM!) in the background! The fabrics I laid out are in the foreground...
SO did you do it? Did you make one? I wanna see! Email me or post a pic! This would be just such a sweet spring or Valentine's day gift for the little ones in your life!
Okay... so that was very fun! But let's not forget what prompted this project to begin with... those cute little bunnies! Here is a list of other (not for profit!) things you can do with them too! Do you have an idea? Please share!
- Bunny pins for your denim jacket or purse
- make a handful of them and a little sack so the kids can take them to church as church dolls
- Easter basket stuffers
- Make a baby mobile
- Make one into a key chain
- Add one to either side of you cool banner your making (we're all making those now, right? LOL)
- Make a little bunny and add it to your teddy bears arms... she needs a friend!
*Usage: You may make these for yourself or your friends, but not for profit. If you would like to sell the things you make from this pattern, please buy the rights to do so for only $10. You can paypal me at MissyBallance@aol.com and then you'll be happy and so will I :) It just keeps everything on the level! Thanks so much!!!!
Awesome!!! I posted this on my blog and linked it to your site!
Posted by: Tracey Conrad | May 10, 2008 at 10:30 PM
very cute :) thanks for sharing
Posted by: Tracy | May 08, 2008 at 07:33 PM
Its so lovely missy.. i want one too.. i have to try to make this.. its lovely...
Posted by: joanna | May 08, 2008 at 02:30 PM
I love this!
Kissies from Argentina :D
Posted by: Silvia | March 17, 2008 at 12:34 PM
My wife is working on the pillow right now. . . I made a felt variation of the bunny here:
http://grantcthomas.blogspot.com/2008/02/needle-felted-easter-bunny.html
Posted by: grant | February 28, 2008 at 04:35 AM
love this, love the fabrics, thanks for sharing
Posted by: jessica | February 13, 2008 at 08:02 AM
I found your link on CRAFT and love it...I so want to make those for my girls!
Posted by: Vickie E | February 13, 2008 at 02:01 AM
This is so cute!
I made one for me and my friend!
Posted by: Alyssa | December 27, 2007 at 12:59 AM
OMG - this is a MUST MAKE!! Thank you so much!
Posted by: Allison | December 24, 2007 at 12:40 PM
Thank you so much for posting this tutorial! I just finished one for my niece for Christmas. I've gotten rave reviews from everyone that I've shown it to (and linked back here for proper props to you. :) Thanks again!
Posted by: Mary | December 07, 2007 at 08:30 PM
I've been working on these for the last two nights. They are so cute! The bunnies took me forever to turn and stuff - much longer than I thought they would. So I've never done embroidery before, and I'm panicking because maybe I should have done the face before I stuffed them? EEK!
Posted by: Darby | December 06, 2007 at 07:03 AM
Hi, Missy! Have commented here before but ran across this post via SewMamaSew and wanted to say this is such a cute tut! A great little gift idea...
Posted by: Crystal | November 21, 2007 at 02:37 PM
I'm tagging you for name game...Go to my Blog to read how to play...hugs...Carm
Posted by: Carmen Gonzales | August 28, 2007 at 09:23 PM
This is so cute! I'm going to be making a bunch of these for my friend (her nickname is Bunny, and she needs some cheering up) and I'm then going to put them inside some hollowed out books for maximum hide-away cuteness. :3
Posted by: Dani W | July 04, 2007 at 06:21 PM
So cute! I love it! I am a bunny owner and have a bunny-themed room. It will be a great addition to my collection!
Posted by: Sammeh | June 02, 2007 at 08:13 PM
this tutorial is very nice!
but your bunnies seem very ungry..... ;o)))
I put a link in my blog
antonella from italy
Posted by: antonella | March 18, 2007 at 01:00 PM
ooooh my goodness those are the cutest!
Posted by: claire | January 16, 2007 at 02:53 PM
hey, i missed this! how cute is this? and that is really really really nice that you are selling the rights for so little... i wish i had several arms so i could sew with a pair, cut paper with a pair, and play with the kiddo with another pair... could that even work?! hehe...
btw, i tagged you since i'd love to know more about you- its always fun to find quirks and goodness about others, ya know?! http://greenbeanbaby.typepad.com/main/2007/01/weirdness_cute_.html
Posted by: ellia hill | January 08, 2007 at 05:47 PM
This is just the cutest ever!!! I'm going to have to give it a go. Thanks for the great tutorial:)
Posted by: ArtsyMama | January 07, 2007 at 06:31 PM
Loooooooove this!!! too bad I cannot sew!! My goodness!! I wish I wish!! Love it to bits though!! so so sweet and vintagey!!
you clever stylish doll you!!
Happy New Year!!
xoxo Jenny
Posted by: jenny holiday | January 06, 2007 at 02:42 PM
These are so cute. I was born on Easter so bunnies have always been sort of a theme with me :-)
Posted by: Alyssa | January 06, 2007 at 11:13 AM