Abracadabra... Rabbit in a Hat
Rabbit, rabbit, One, two, three. Come out of the hat, And play with me! don't need to be Harry Potter to make the rabbit appear out of this hat What do you need? Scraps of any yarn, DK or Worsted, merino or cotton will work. Since it is a toy for a toddler, you might like to use a washable yarn. At least three colors are needed to make this toy. You will need approximately 50 yards of yarn altogether: A lighter color for the rabbit, and a darker color for the hat. You can use any complimenting color for the rabbit's face, ears and tail. You will also need a bit of fiberfill for the rabbit's head. What skills are required to knit this toy? You need to be comfortable using double pointed needles. Otherwise the making of this toy requires knitting skills like knit, purl, increase, decrease, change of color, and I-cord. You will need to embroider the rabbit's face, and you'll pick up stitches to connect the rabbit and the hat.
My thanks go to:
Blazing Needles for giving me the opportunity to teach fellow knitters about reversible toys, to Wanda and Carla for test knitting, and Michele for proofreading. @ Sandra Ronca Designs - all rights reserved. For non-commercial purposes only. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without prior permission. Abbreviations st(s) = stitch(es) teor = to end of row dpn(s) = double point needle(s) k = knit k2tog = knit two sts together CO = cast on p = purl p2tog = purl two sts together R = row/round m1k = make a knit st ssk = slip slip knit m1p = make a purl st BO = Bind off Suggested Yarn: Cotton Classics, DK, 8ply, 50g, 108 yards Colors: C1 Pale Pink, C2 Dark Salmon, C3 Steel Grey, 1 skein each Needles: US size 4 dpns and a yarn needle Gauge is not important for this project.
The Rabbit
Body: CO 36 sts on 3 dpns in C1 (12 sts each needle). Join in the round without twisting. R1-13: Knit all. R14: (k2, k2tog) repeat teor (27 sts remaining). R15: Knit all. R16: (k1, k2tog) repeat teor (18 sts remaining). R17: Knit all. R18: k2tog, repeat teor (9 sts remaining). Catch live sts, pull together leaving 20" tail. Head: CO 6 sts on 3 dpns in C1 (2 sts each needle). Join in the round without twisting. R1 and all uneven Rs: Knit all. R2: (k1, m1k) repeat teor (12 sts). R4: (k1, m1k) repeat teor (18 sts). R6: (k2, m1k) repeat teor (24 sts). R7-11: Knit all. R12: (k2, k2tog) repeat teor (18 sts). R13: Knit all. R14: (k1, k2tog) repeat teor (12 sts). R15: Knit all. Fill head lightly with fiberfill. R16: (k2tog) repeat teor (6 sts). R17: Attach C2 (optional) and knit all. Catch live sts, pull together leaving a 20" tail. Ears: Pick up 4 sts on the head with C1 on one needle - purl side facing front. R1: Purl all. R2: k1, m1k, k2, m1k, k1 (6 sts). R3-11: Work in stockinette with the purl side facing front. R12: k2tog repeat teor. Catch live sts, pull together leaving a 20" tail Maketwo. Tail: Pick up 6 sts on 2 dpns in C1 or C2 on the bottom backside of the body. Knit 3 rows of I-cord, fill with fiberfill, catch all live sts, pull together and weave in ends. @ Sandra Ronca Designs - all rights reserved. For non-commercial purposes only. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without prior permission. Abbreviations dpn(s) = double point needle(s) CO = cast on R = row/round st(s) = stitch(es) k = knit p = purl m1k = make a knit st teor = to end of row k2tog = knit two sts together p2tog = purl two sts together ssk = slip slip knit
Wrapping up the Rabbit
Ears: To give the earss more body, use the tail at the top of the ear to thread a yarn needle and whipstitch around the top of the ear to fix the tip. Then apply whipstitches all around the ear pulling the yarn slightly as you press along with your thumb in the ear to mold a cupped ear. You can give more depth to the ears when you make some straight stitches on the inside of the ears with a thread of C2 (optional).
Face: Use tail of C2 on a yarn needle and make straight stitches to create eyes. Use tail of C1 to make nose and mouth in a Y shaped stitch. lf you have not changed color in the head's R17, use C2 for nose and mouth. Weaving in ends: Pull the tails through the fiberfill heading for the neck to be. Whipstitch around a random thread of the fabric, pull tail back into and out of the head, and cut the thread. That way the end will be secure and hidden, when you sew the head to the body. Attaching the head to the body: Using the C1 tail from the body on a yarn needle, whipstitch the head to the body. To make the head doesn't wobble, whipstock into enough stitches and don't concentrate them in the center under the head, but spread them out around to make it more neck-like.
The Hat
Pick up 36 sts around the CO of the rabbit's body on 3 dpns purl side facing in. Join in the round. R1: Knit all. R2: (k1, p1, m1k, p1, k1, m1p, ) repeat teor. Make sure to end with an uneven number of sts. Omit last m1k or m1p if necessary. R3-7: Work in seed stitch (knit the purls and purl the knits). R8: BO loosely using all knit sts. Pick up 36 sts around the CO of the rabbit's body and the hat's rim on 3 dpns, again with the purl side facing in. R1-16: Knit all. R17: Purl all. R18: Knit all. R18: (k1, k2tog) repeat teor. R19-20: Knit all. R24: k2tog repeat teor. R25: Knit all, catch all live sts, pull together and weave in ends. @ Sandra Ronca Designs - all rights reserved. For non-commercial purposes only. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without prior permission.
