Needle felt a whimsical jester bunny to usher in spring with a smile!

Finished size: 15" tall Bunny

Skill: 2 Time: 2 Cost: 1

You will need:
•  Craft foam shapes*:
Eggs: one 3 1/16" x 2 5/16", one 3 1/2" x 4 7/8"
Balls: one 1 1/2", one 2"
Block: one 4" x 4"
Scrap piece for needle felting base
•  Wool felt*: 2 oz of natural, one small piece each of pink, black
•  1/4 yd. circle print fabric (A)
•  1/6 yd. pink gingham fabric (B)
•  4" x 45" pink polka-dot fabric (C)
•  4" x 45" blue polka-dot fabric (D)
•  9" x 18" green gingham fabric (E)
•  1 yd. 5/8" blue circle ribbon
•  1/4 yd. 3/8" yellow polka-dot ribbon
•  8" each of 3/8" pink check, green ribbon
•  Four 3/8" colored buttons
•  One 1" white button
•  3/4 yd. green wire*
•  Five wood skewers
•  1 3/8" chipboard letters: S-P-R-I-N-G
•  Awl
•  Needle felt needle
•  Rotary cutter & mat
•  Sewing machine & matching thread
•  Upholstery thread
•  Fabric glue*
5" circle template, candle, freezer or tracing paper, knife, needle, pencil, sharp scissors.

*The following products were used for this project: AMACO Fun Wire • Beacon Adhesives Fabri-tac glue • Clover needle felt needle • National Nonwovens wool felt • STYROFOAM craft foam.

Note: For product information, see end of article.

•  Print and cut out full-sized patterns here.

STEP 1: Cut fabric. From Fabric A cut one 8" x 22" and one 5" circle. From Fabric B cut two 4" x 11" and one 5" x 22" pieces. From Fabric C cut two 4" x 11" and one 4" x 22" pieces. From Fabric D cut four 3" x 11" pieces.

STEP 2: Make head, hands & feet: Cut 2" ball in half for feet. Note: To make it easier to cut craft foam, rub candle on knife blade first. Cover smaller egg, 1 1/2" balls, and 2" ball halves with natural wool and needle felt. For ears, needle felt a flat piece of natural wool on foam pad. Use pattern to cut out two ears. Needle felt ears to top of head. Indent face slightly with fingers where eyes will be placed. Pull two small balls of black wool and needle felt two oval eyes (Photo A). Needle felt a dot of natural wool in eye center. Pull small piece of pink wool and needle felt nose. Place small piece of pink wool below nose and needle felt mouth.

STEP 3: Sew arms & legs: Press Fabric D pieces in half lengthwise. With right sides together use long stitch to sew one to each 4" x 11" fabric piece. Sew long stitch on opposite end of each piece. For arms & legs, place right sides together and sew seams on all four pieces. Insert skewer into each piece, pulling stitches tight at cuff (Photo B).

STEP 4: Make body: Sew long stitches along each long end of rectangular Fabric A pieces. Fold right sides together and sew seam. Pull stitches along one end tightly, secure. Turn right side out and slide over wide end of egg. Pull stitches tightly at narrow end of egg. Glue in place. Cut a skewer in half and insert into top of egg 3". To make neck ruffles, press both 22" pieces in half with right sides out. Place wider pink gingham piece on bottom and line up raw edges. Sew long stitches along raw edge. Pull stitches tightly and slide over skewer. Glue to top of egg (Photo C).

STEP 5: Add head, hands, & feet. Place head on skewer pushing into neck ruffle. Cut 14" of blue circle ribbon and tie bow. Trim ends at a slant and glue at neck. Place hands onto skewers on one Fabric B and one Fabric C arm, pushing each one through center of ruffle into body and glue in place. Place feet onto leg skewers in same way, leaving 2" extending through bottom of feet. Push each foot through center of ruffle into body and glue in place. 

STEP 6: Make base. Wrap base like a package using green check fabric and glue in place. Wrap ribbon around center as shown. Cut off excess, and glue. To make yoyo, finger press around edge of fabric circle. Gather around edge, and pull stitches tightly (Figure 1). Sew button to center of yoyo. Glue to base. Place glue on bottoms of feet and insert skewers into base.

STEP 7: Add letters. Use awl to make small holes in corners of each letter. String letters onto wire. Glue buttons as shown in photo. Cut 3/8" ribbon in 4" lengths and tie in between letters as shown. Cut ribbon ends at a slant. Use pencil to curl end of wires. Wrap wire ends around paws.

Sources:

AMACO
(800) 374-1600
amaco.com 

Beacon Adhesives, Inc.
(914) 699-3405
beaconcreates.com

Clover Needlecraft, Inc.
(800) 233-1703
clover-usa.com 

National Nonwovens
(800) 333-3469
nationalnonwovens.com

STYROFOAM
craft.dow.com