Sock Bunnies

These are easy to make with things you have on hand. You only really need:

• pair of socks (or two socks that aren’t necessarily a pair)
• stuffing (I like to use new batting but you could wash and dry a pillow you didn’t want anymore and use the stuffing from that)
• pink embroidery floss (or thread in a pinch)
• buttons –at least 1 matched pair for eyes –more if you want to embellish (NOTE! Buttons are not appropriate for infants or babies as they can be a potential a choking hazard!!)
• ribbon –if you want to make a girl bunny

You can start out with new socks but you might as well use ones you have around that you aren’t going to wear anymore.  It’s a great project for those mismatched socks, although you will need 2 of them for each bunny, and it’s good if the colors at least go together, but they don’t have to be the same.  You don’t want to socks to have holes worn in them, they need to be in good condition (at least one of them).

The heel will be the bunny’s face, and the toe part of the sock will be the tips of the ears.  Lay the sock out so that the heel is facing you and the top (front) of the sock is facing away from you, laying on your cutting surface.  Then cut down the middle from the toes toward the heel.   Stop just above the heel.  These are the bunny’s ears.

Turn the sock inside out and sew the ears, starting at the tip of each one, down toward the “head”.

When you get them sewn up turn your bunny right side and turn the ears.  If you need to, you can use a chop stick or a pen or something to help poke them all the way out.

Then stitch across the ears so that the stuffing won’t get into them.  If you don’t want to stitch them, you can take some fine ribbon and tie around them tightly.  I did the girl bunny that way, since it was going to be hidden with a bow, and I sewed the boy bunny.

Next, stuff with batting.  I didn’t overstuff them, since my socks were stretchy and I didn’t want them to look shapeless.  You will just have to use your best judgement here.

Sew the bottom closed.  I didn’t worry about turning it under, because both of my socks had a finished hem and I didn’t cut any off, but if you do shorten the bottom, you will need to turn it under so you don’t have a raw edge.

Take your other sock (either the mate to your pair or another sock that will look good with the first sock) and cut arms.  I cut off the cuff part and then cut it in half, and sewed each half into an arm.  I stitched up all but the end, stuffed it halfway, sewed across the middle for an “elbow joint” and then filled it the rest of the way.  You don’t have to do that, but I liked the idea of giving them a little “flexibility”.

Next, I sewed the button eyes on.  I went through my jar of buttons that I have saved for years.  I save extra buttons that come with clothes or ones that fall off of things, or sometimes if I get rid of a blouse but I like the buttons I keep them.  Occasionally I just buy buttons for projects and have extras and they go into my button jar.  So, I had plenty to choose from (but not as many as you would think that match!).  The trick to get the face to look like a rabbit is to sew the buttons tightly across from each other, through the face so that they “indent” in.  You can see what I mean in the photo, I hope.  I stitch across 3 or 4 times to make it sturdy.

I used pink embroidery floss for the nose and mouth.  I free handed, but you can lightly draw them in with a pencil, just be sure to cover your drawing with floss.  If you’re not much of a stitcher (and this is really really easy) I see no reason you couldn’t draw it with fabric paint.  Then I tied on  a bow for the girl.

Next, I sewed the arms on.  I simply turned them under a little and hand stitched them on.  I went over that twice, just to be sure they stayed put.  Stuffed animals can get a lot of “tough love”.  They came out a little “beefier” than I intended, but they must be eating their spinich.  🙂

Lastly I did a little embellishing.  I gave the girl a nice little button brooch which I made with a red button and inset a blingy faceted button in the middle of it.  I stitched that on and she looked quite elegant!

The boy got a more tailored look with dark buttons down the front.  I think he is very stylish but understated.

So, the pair was ready to pack up and send off on an adventure to their new home.  I hope they will be happy, and more importantly I hope two special children will enjoy them!