His and Her DIY Buffalo Check Easter Bunnies

These little DIY stuffed Easter bunnies are a super simple Easter bunny craft made using scraps of fabric.  Spring isn’t showing any signs of arriving yet in northern Canada, so like ever year I am pushing it with some cute Easter themed crafts.  I hope you love my little bunny project including the bunny pattern and tutorial.  My his and her bunnies are propped up on a chair, but wouldn’t they be cute tucked into an Easter basket, or set into a Spring display?

This is a super easy sew project, that you can make for free if you have some scraps of Spring fabric laying around.

As I do lots of buffalo plaid crafts I had some fabric left over, along with some white muslin and bleached drop cloth.  I may make something similar using burlap as well.  The fabric needs to be about 20 inches square, so its easy to make a selection from any Spring, or farmhouse style fabrics you like or have handy in your stash.

How to Sew Fabric Easter Bunny with a Free Bunny Pattern

Begin by printing out the free bunny patterns.  You will find printables for a round ear and a painted ear in the pattern.  Choose whichever ear style you prefer.  To make the pattern I first did some sketching and cutting, to try and visualize what the Easter Bunnies would look like.  You can skip this part as I have the printable bunny pattern for you.

You can pin the pin the printed pattern directly to the fabric by lining up the pieces.  I find it easier to trace the pattern onto parchment paper first so I am working with one full size bunny pattern.

DIY Fabric Bunny Supplies

2 – 2 foot squares of coordinating fabric

Polyfil stuffing

Free bunny pattern

Optional Popsicle stick

Optional wool for pom pom cottontails

Fold your fabric in half so you have two layers.  Pin the bunny pattern to the fabric and cut out.  If making a pair of rabbits cut out two of each bunny in coordinating fabric.  I ended up choosing buffalo plaid and some white cotton.

This is the basic outline of the Easter bunnies.  If you like you can just sew them and skip any embellishments, but I chose to fancy mine up a little bit.

The Girl Easter Bunny

This little bunny doesn’t have the pocket, so we will start by making the bunny body first.   Line up and pin together two Easter bunny fabric pieces with the right side facing out.

Leave a 2 inch gap unsewn on the bottom seam, sew a 1/4″ seam around the outside of the rabbit.  This will leave a little even cut edge around the outside of your bunny.

Fill the Easter bunny with polyfil.  If your fabric bunny craft is for decor place a large popsicle stick through the neck of your bunny.  This is optional as the bunnies head does stand straight without, but it will be sturdier with the stick.  Skip this if your bunny is a snuggly, just make sure to stuff the neck portion very full.

Once the DIY bunny craft is stuffed, sew the gap of the seam closed.

Making the Apron for the Girl Fabric Bunny Craft

Cut a coordinating piece of fabric 23″ wide by 8″ tall and a second long strip of fabric 48″ wide by 3″ tall (If your fabric isn’t 48″ wide I will show you a work around)

Taking the 23″ by 8″ piece of fabric, fold the top over 1/4″ and the bottom over 1″.  Sew a seam along the edges to form hems.  Once the top and bottom hems are done, fold the two outside edges over 1/2″ press and then sew along the edge to make the side seams.

Now we need to gather the width of the fabric.

You can gather your fabric using a needle and thread.  Thread a needle and tie the two ends together with a knot.  Weave the thread through the fabric approximately 1/4″ stitches.  Pull to gather the fabric until its about 8″ wide.  It may take a little bit of adjusting to get the gathers even.

If your willing to try gathering with a sewing machine, this is a great small project to try it on.

Start by changing the thread in your bobbin to a contrasting thread colour.

Adjust the length of your stitches to as long as your machine will allow.

Making sure to leave several inches of thread tail on each end. Sew two parallel lines along the top of the fabric. Make sure not to cross the seams over each other, as this will cause knots.

Pin the middle of the apron across the two parallel lines, pull the coloured bobbin threads to gather the fabric.  Test the gather against the width of your girl Easter bunny to make sure it is wide enough to cover the front of your bunny about 8″. Tie knots at the end to hold the gather, and set aside.

Sewing the Bunny Apron Ties

You need a long strip of fabric 48″ long for the apron ties.  If your scrap fabric is long enough for one long piece great.  If not you will have to sew three pieces together to get the required length.

Cut one piece of fabric 9″ by 3″ for the center and then two pieces of fabric 20 1/2″ by 3″

You want to end up with the central 9″ piece fit between the two longer pieces.

To attach the strips of fabric lay one long piece with the 9″ piece  good sides together.  Sew a half inch seam, then iron the seam flat.  Repeat with the other side.

Once your fabric strips are one long piece, fold the top over one inch and iron to form a crease the length of the fabric.  Repeat with the bottom edge.

Place the two folded creases together, and iron.

Now that you have the ties made, lets put the little bunny apron together.  Find the center of the ties and the center of the gathered edge of the apron front.  Align the two centers making sure to place the edge of the apron front, in the central crease of the ties.

 

Pin together.  Once pinned sew one long seam along the bottom edge of your tie strip.  This will close the ties, and attach the apron front to the tie portion.  Tie it on the front of your Easter bunny craft. its instantly becomes a girl.

The Boy Easter Bunny

Cut out the fabric exactly like you did for the girl bunny, but don’t sew anything together.

Cut out the pocket pattern.  Fold a small piece of fabric in half and place the pocket pattern along the edge.  Cut out.

Now that the front pocket is cut out, remove pins and iron flat.  With the good side down fold the upper edge of the pocket over 1/2″, press well. Fold all the remaining edges of the pocket over 1/4″ and press well.  Turn right side up, and pin to the center of the bunny shaped fabric for your boy bunny.  Once happy with your pocket placement pin in place.

Sew a 1/4 inch seam around the edges with the 1/4 inch fold, leave the 1/2″ top unsewn.

Once you have the bunny shaped fabric pieces cut out we will be attaching a pocket to just one of the bunny pieces before sewing it.

Line up and pin together two Easter bunny fabric pieces with the right sides out, and the pocket on top.  Pin together.

Leave a 2 inch gap unsewn on the bottom seam, sew a 1/4″ seam around the outside of the rabbit.  This will leave a little even cut edge around the outside of your bunny.

Fill the Easter bunny with polyfil.  If your fabric bunny craft is for decor place a large popsicle stick through the neck of your bunny.  This is optional as the bunnies head does stand straight without, but it will be sturdier with the stick.  Skip this if your bunny is a snuggly, just make sure to stuff the neck portion very full so the head stands up firmly.

Once the DIY bunny craft is stuffed, sew the gap in the bottom seam closed.

Optional Pom Pom Cotton Tails

I made a small pom pom for the bum of each of my bunnies using leftover wool, dental floss and a pom pom maker.  Here is another post I did that shows better pom pom instructions.

Thread the dental floss onto a needle. Sew the tail onto the back of your bunny.  Tie the ends together and trim the floss.

 

 

Easter Bunny Craft