Fiber Monday 217: Hoppy Easter

Hooooooo boy. I made a very big mistake this weekend. I wanted to make my own stuffed animal for Easter, so I designed this pattern, crocheted it, photographed it, and wrote it up over the course of a night. It took. Six. Hours And that's not even counting assembly & decoration. That was another hour & a half. Yikes. Now you know why handmade items cost so much, guys. The crafter is just trying to get something for the hours of their life spent making the thing. 

My back hurts, lol.

Oh, also, there's over 100 photos here. Sorry.

First, I put six sc in a Magic Circle.
You could make a round chain and sc into it six times, but this is how I do it.

Then I increased to 12 sc around
(2sc) around

Increase to 18
(sc, 2sc) around

Increase to 24
(sc, 2sc, sc) around

Increase to 30
(2sc, sc in next 3) around

Sc around

And again
Sc around

And again
Sc around

And again
Sc around

And again
Sc around

Decrease row!
(sc2tog, sc in next 3) around (24 sc)

Another Decrease row
(sc, sc2tog, sc) around (18 sc)

Decrease again
(sc2tog, sc) around (12 sc)

Add your eyes, stuff

Decrease one last time
(sc2tog around) (6 sc)

I finished stuffing here.

If I were to make this again, I would've made the neck 12 sc wide instead of 6, but I didn't.
Sc around (6sc)

We've now started the body!
Increase round
(2sc) around (12 sc)

Increase around
(sc, 2sc) around (18 sc)

Increase around
(sc, 2sc, sc) around (24 sc)

Increase around
(2sc, sc 3 times) around (30 sc)

He's going to be a little tubby
(sc in next 2, 2sc, sc in next 2) around (36 sc)

Sounds tubby enough for me!
Sc around (36 sc)

Sc around (36)

Sc around (36)

Sc around (36)

Sc around (36)

Sc around (36)

Is this tall enough? I think it's tall enough.
Sc around (36)

Let's give him a butt, now. He's gotta sit down somehow!
Decrease row.
(sc in next 2, sc2tog, sc in next 2) around (30 sc)

Decrease Row
(sc2tog, sc in next 3) around (24 sc)

Decrease Row
(sc, sc2tog, sc) around (18 sc)

Decrease Row
(sc2tog, sc) around (12 sc)

Stuff that body nice & full!
And then decrease for the last time!
(sc2tog) around (6sc)
Fasten off.

Bunny's gonna need some arms.
Sc 4 in magic ring (or sc 4 into a chain ring...)

Increase Round
(2sc) around (8 sc)

Increase Round
(sc, 2sc) around (12 sc)

Sc around (12 sc)

Sc around (12 sc)

Let's give him a hand!
Decrease round
(sc2tog, sc) around (8 sc)

And now for his arm
sc around (8 sc)

sc around (8 sc)

Stuff the paw/hand, then keep making that arm!
sc around (8 sc)

sc around (8 sc)

sc around (8 sc)
You should have 6 total rounds of 8 sc apiece from the decrease.
Fold the top of the piece in half, then sc straight across to seal the arm
This means less sewing later, trust me.
Leave a long tail for sewing.
Make another arm (unless you've got a tripod bun)

Legs are also necessary for bunnies! Unless your bunny is legless. That works too.
You'll make 2 of these.
Sc 4 into a magic ring

Increase round
(2sc) around (8 sc)

Increase round
(2sc, sc) around (12 sc)

Feet are bigger than hands.
Increase Round
(sc, 2sc, sc) around (16 sc)

Sc around (16 sc)

Sc around (16 sc)

Sc around (16 sc)

Sc around (16 sc)

That's a long enough foot for bun-bun.
Decrease round
(sc, sc2tog, sc) around (12 sc)

Decrease round
(sc2tog, sc) around (8 sc)

Let's give him a proper leg!
Sc around (8 sc)

And again:
Sc around (8 sc)
Stuff at this point - his leg will be hollow from here on out.

And again:
Sc around (8 sc)

And again:
Sc around (8 sc)

And again:
Sc around (8 sc)

And again:
Sc around (8 sc)

And again:
Sc around (8 sc)

And again:
Sc around (8 sc)

And again:
Sc around (8 sc)

Fold the top, sc together (4 sc)
Fasten off & leave a long tail for sewing.

Let's give him some glorious ears!
Sc 6 in magic ring

Increase round
(2sc) around (12 sc)

Sc around (12 sc)

Increase round
(2sc, sc) around (18 sc)

I've folded it in half to show you how it'll look flat, you can do that at the end.
Sc around (18 sc)

Sc around (18 sc)

Increase Round
(sc, 2sc, sc) around (24 sc)

Sc around (24 sc)

Sc around (24 sc)

Sc around (24 sc)

Sc around (24 sc)

Decrease round
(sc, sc2tog, sc) around (18 sc)

sc around (18 sc)

sc around (18 sc)

sc around (18 sc)

Decrease Round
(sc2tog, sc) around (12 sc)

Sc around (12 sc)

Sc around (12 sc)

Sc around (12 sc)

Sc around (12 sc)
continue until you've got 6 rounds of 12 sc each after the decrease
Fold in half until flat, then sc across the top (6 sc)
Fasten off, leave long tail for sewing.

Tail time!
sc 6 in magic ring

increase
(2sc) around (12 sc)

Increase
(2sc, sc) around (18 sc)

Sc around (18 sc)

Sc around (18 sc)

Sc around (18 sc)

decrease round
(sc2tog, sc) around (12 sc)

Stuff & decrease
(sc2tog) around (6sc)
Fasten off, leave long tail for sewing

If you're going to give pause to your project, put everything you'll need in one place.
Here's a project bag I use. It's the clear plastic bag from a sheet set!
I've put my hook, my needles, my thread, my pieces all in one place.

Sew your ears on first. I wanted mine floppy, but they'll stand erect if you want that!
Don't be too worried about what stitch is what. You just want these to stay put.
If it looks good and holds fast, you did it right.

I sewed one side of loops down before circling back and sewing the second set down.

It wasn't perfect, but it got the job done.
Then I pulled the yarn through the body and snipped it where it came out!

Mr Bunny with his ears done!

Do the same for all the limbs & the tail!
I weave the yarn through some of the body stitching before I pull it through and cut it.
Just a little extra support, I guess.

Here we see Mr Bunny with a nice bow and a finished face!
I used a very light crochet thread I had laying around and threaded it through his face multiple times until
I got the size & shape desired for his nose. I free-handed all of that. If I can make it look right(ish)
then you can, too!

That's all from me today, I think.

That was exhausting!

Go Enjoy Something!!!
FC