Erik Easter Bunny Knitting Pattern: Detailed Instructions for a Charming Stuffed Animal

SWEDEN

ERIK EASTER BUNNY

SKILL LEVEL Improving

SIZES / MEASUREMENTS

Approx 35cm/14in tall and 20cm/7 34in wide

MATERIALS

· Two 50g/1 34oz balls of MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino in Putty (121) (A). · One ball in each of Snow (124) (B) and Daisy Yellow (142) (C). · Pair of 3mm (US 2) needles.

TENSION / GAUGE

27 sts and 36 rows to 10cm/4in over st st using 3mm (US 2) needles.

HINTS AND TIPS

The hardest part of knitting a stuffed animal is often the sewing up. Use mattress stitch for a neat finish (see the tutorial on our blog if you need to). The long ends you leave when you cast on are used for sewing up. Stuff the bunny frmly as this will give Erik a nice, even finish. Take the time to smooth out the stuffing before you sew the seams. We have used safety eyes (available from most good haberdashers / craft shops) but if you prefer you can always just sew crosses intheirplace.

ABBREVIATIONS

approx approximately; beg beginning; cont continue; dec decrease(ing); fll following; g-st garter stitch; inc increase(ing); k or K knit; k2 tog knit two stitches together; m1 pick up loop between needles and work into back of it - one stitch made; p or P purl; rem remain(ing); rep repeat(ing); rev st st reverse stocking stitch; sl slip stitch; skpo slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over - one stitch decreased; st st stocking stitch; st(s) stitch(es); ws wrong side.

Cont in st st.

LOWER FOOT, BACKLEGSANDBODY

With 3mm (US 2) needles and A, leaving a long end cast on 9 sts. Cont in st st. Ist row (ws) P to end. 2nd row K4, m1, kl, m1, k4. 1l sts. 3rd and every foll ws row P to end. 4th row K4, [m1, k1] 3 times, m1, k4. 15 sts. 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th and 16th rows K to end. 18th row Kl, ml, kto last st, ml, k1. 17 sts. 20th row Kl, m1, k to last st, m1, k1. 19 sts. 22nd row K1, skpo, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1. 17 sts. 24th row K1, skpo, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1. 15 sts. 26th, 28th and 30th rows K to end. 3lst row P to end. Break off yarn and leave these sts on a spare needle. Work a second upper foot and front leg to match, do not break offyarn. Next row K15, cast on 13 sts, then k across 15 sts offrst upper foot and front leg. 43 sts. Ist and every foll ws row P to end. 2nd row K25, turn, sl 1, p6, turn, sl 1, k8, turn, sl 1, p10, turn, sl 1, k to end. 4th row K21, m1, kl, m1, k21. 45 sts. 6th row K22, m1, kl, m1, k22. 47 sts. Inc 2 sts in this way on the next 4 right side rows. 55 sts. Work 7 rows straight. Dec row K1, skpo, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1. 53 sts. Work 3 rows. Rep the last 4 rows twice more, and then the dec row again. 47 sts. Work I row. Dec row K1, skpo, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1. 45 sts. Rep the last 2 rows 13 times more. 19 sts. P l row. Cast off.

UPPERFOOT,FRONTLEGSANDBODY

With 3mm (US 2) needles and A, leaving a long end cast on 3 sts. Cont in st st. Ist row (ws) P to end. 2nd row Kl, ml, kl, ml, kl. 5 sts. 3rd and every foll ws row P to end. 4th row K2, m1, kl, m1, k2. 7 sts. 6th row K3, m1, k1, m1, k3. 9 sts. Markeach end oflast row with a coloured thread. 8th, 10th, 12th, 14th, 16th and 18th rows K to end. 20th row Kl, m1, kto last st, m1, k1. 1l sts. 22nd row Kl, ml, kto last st, m1, kl. 13 sts. 24th row Kl, m1, kto last st, m1, k1. 15 sts. 26th, 28th and 30th rows K to end. 31st row P to end. Break off yarn and leave these sts on a spare needle. Work a second lower foot and back leg to match, do not break off yarn. Next row K15, cast on 13 sts, then k across 15 sts of frst upper foot and front leg. 43 sts. Cont in st st. Ist and every foll ws row P to end. 2nd row K25, turn, sl 1, p6, turn, sl 1, k8, turn, sl 1, p10, turn, sl 1, k to end. 4th row K16, [m1, k2] 5 times, ml, k17. 49 sts. 6th row K17,[m1, k3] 5 times, m1, k17. 55 sts. Work 15 rows straight. Dec row K1, skpo, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1. 53 sts. Work 3 rows. Rep the last 4 rows twice more, and then the dec row again. 47 sts. Work I row. Dec row K1, skpo, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1. 45 sts. Rep the last 2 rows 13 times more. 19 sts. P l row. Cast off. Join cast on edge of upper foot to lower foot between markers. Leaving neck open, join front and back together. Stuff frmly.

HEAD

With 3mm (US 2) needles and A, leaving a long end cast on 15 sts. Beg with a k row, work in st st. Work 2 rows. 3rd row K1, [ml, kl] to end. 29 sts. Work I row. 5th row K1, [m1, k2] to end. 43 sts. Work 3 rows. 9th row K1, [m1, k3] to end. 57 sts. Work 7 rows. 17th row K1, [skpo, k2] to end. 43 sts. Work I row. 19th row K1, [skpo, kl] to end. 29 sts. Work I row. 21st row Kl, skpo, k2 tog, k19, skpo, k2 tog, k1. 25 sts. Work I row. 23rd row K1, [skpo, k2] to end. 19 sts. Work I row. 25th row K1, [skpo] to end. 10 sts. Cast off. Leaving cast on edge open join row ends. Stuff firmly.

ARMS (make 2)

With 3mm (US 2) needles and B, leaving a long end cast on 9 sts. Cont in st st. Ist row (ws) P to end. 2nd row K1, [m1, kl] 8 times. 17 sts. 3rd row P to end. 4th row K1, [m1, k2] 8 times. 25 sts. Work 5 rows straight. Break off B, join on A. Work 10 rows straight. 20th row K1, [k2 tog, k2] 6 times. 19 sts. 2lst row P to end. 22nd row Kl, [k2 tog, k] 6 times. 13 sts. 23rd row P to end. Castoff. Join row ends and cast on edge, stuff firmly.

EARS (make 2)

With 3mm (US 2) needles and A, leaving a long end cast on 12 sts. Beg with a k row, work in st st. Work 2 rows. 3rd row K2, m1, kto last 2 sts, m1, k2. 14 sts. Work 3 rows. 7th row K2, ml, k to last 2 sts, m1, k2. 16 sts. Work 9 rows. 17th row Kl, skpo, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1. Work I row. Rep the last 2 rows 4 times more. 6 sts. Mark each end of last row with a coloured thread. Work 2 rows. Break off A, join on B 29th row K1, skpo, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1. 4 sts. Work I row. 31st row Kl, ml, k2, ml, kl. 6 sts. Work I row. 33rd row Kl, m1, kto last st, m1, kl. 8 sts. Rep the last 2 rows twice more. 12 sts. Work 9 rows. 47th row K2, skpo, k to last 4 sts, k2 tog, k2. 10 sts. Work I row. Rep the last 2 rows twice more. 6 sts. Cast off. Fold in half at coloured markers and join row ends. With 3mm (US 2) needles and B, leaving a long end cast on 5 sts. Cont in g-st. Next row (ws) K to end. Inc row Kl, [ml, kl] to end. 9 sts. K I row. Rep the last 2 rows once more. 17 sts. Inc row K1, [ml, k2] to end. 25 sts. K l row. Inc row K1, [m1, k3] to end. 33 sts. K I row. Inc row K1, [m1, k4] to end. 41 sts. K l row. Inc row K1, [m1, k5] to end. 49 sts. K 3 rows. Dec row K1, [k2 tog, k4] to end. 41 sts. K I row. Dec row K1, [k2 tog, k3] to end. 33 sts. K l row. Dec row Kl, [k2 tog, k2] to end. 25 sts. K l row. Dec row Kl, [k2 tog, k1] to end. 17 sts. K l row. Dec row K1, [k2 tog] 8 times. 9 sts. K l row. Dec row K1, [k2 tog] 4 times. 5 sts. K I row. Leaving a long end, break off yarn and thread through rem sts. Thread cast on end through cast on sts and draw up tightly, join seam halfway, stuff, join remainder of seam, draw up sts and fasten off securely.

Back

With 3mm (US 2) needles and B, leaving a long end cast on 55 sts. Beg with a k row work in st st. Work 4 rows. Now cont in stripes of 2 rows C and 3 rows B. 5th row K1, skpo, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1. Work 3 rows. Rep the last 4 rows until 47 sts rem. 21st row K1, skpo, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1. Work I row. Rep the last 2 rows until 23 sts, ending with a dec row. Using B, work 5 rows. Cast off.

TUMMYPATCH

With 3mm (US 2) needles and B, leaving a long end cast on 5 sts. Work in st st with g-st edge. Ist row Kl, p to last st, kl. 2nd row Cast on 2 sts, k to end. 3rd row Cast on 2 sts, kl, p to last st, k1. Rep the last 2 rows twice more. 17 sts. 8th row Kl, m1, k to last st, m1, kl. 19 sts. 9th row Kl, p to last st, k1. Rep the last 2 rows 4 times more. 27 sts. 18th row K to end. 19th row Kl, p to last st, kl. Rep the last 2 rows 5 times more. 30th row K1, skpo, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1. 25 sts. 31st row K1, p to last st, kl. Rep the last 2 rows 4 times more. 17 sts. Cast off 2 sts at beg of next 6 rows. 5 sts. Cast off.

Front

Work as given for back until 41 sts rem, ending with a p row. Next row K1, skpo, k6, ml, k1, turn, leaving rem sts on a spare needle. Next row P to end. Next row Kl, skpo, k6, m1, k1. Rep the last 2 rows 6 times, ending with a k row. Leave these 10 sts on a spare needle. With right side facing, rejoin yarn to rem sts, kl, skpo, k15, k2 tog, kl, turn, leave rem sts on spare needle. Next row P to end. Next row K1, skpo, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1. Rep the last 2 rows 6 times, ending with a k row. Leave these 5 sts on a spare needle.

Left armband

With right side facing, starting at top of left side, using 3mm (US 2) needles and C, pick up and k23 sts round armhole. Begwith a p row,work 3 rows rev st st. Castoff. With right side facing, rejoin yarn to rem sts, kl, m1, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1. Next row P to end. Next row K1, m1, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1. Rep the last 2 rows 6 times, ending with a k row.

Right armband

With right side facing, starting at top of centre front, using 3mm (US 2) needles and C, pick up and k 23 sts round armhole. Beg with a p row, work 3 rows rev st st. Castoff. Joining row With wrong side facing, P10 from right front, 5 from centre front, then 10 from left front. 25 sts. Next row K1, skpo, kto last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1. 23 sts. Using B, work 5 rows. Castoff.