Gaura Whisper-Tier Bunny – Knitting

This elegant bunny doll is designed with a soft heirloom look, featuring a blush beret, a petal collar cardigan, a whisper-pink tiered skirt, Mary Jane shoes, a tiny shoulder purse, a little book, a flowering stem, and a sweet mouse companion. The finished set feels perfect for collectors, baby shower gifts, nursery decor, handmade toy lovers, and shoppers searching for knitted bunny dolls, luxury stuffed animals, artisan nursery gifts, and boutique soft toys. Every detail is shaped to match the gentle proportions and romantic styling shown in the image while staying enjoyable to knit and assemble.

Please note: I strive for accuracy in every pattern, but occasional errors can happen. Thank you for understanding and for enjoying my designs.

Materials

• Sport or light DK weight yarn in warm cream for the bunny body
• Light beige yarn for the beret, purse, and mouse body accent areas
• Blush pink yarn for shoes, beret flowers, mouse sweater, and mouse beret
• Soft white yarn for skirt and mouse collar
• Very pale pink speckled yarn or white yarn with scattered pink duplicate-stitch flecks for the skirt
• Olive green and dusty rose yarn scraps for embroidered vines and tiny flower buds
• Small amount of gray yarn for the mouse
• Pair of 2.25 mm or 2.5 mm double-pointed needles
• Pair of 2.75 mm needles for garments if you prefer a slightly softer drape
• Toy stuffing
• Two 6 mm to 8 mm black safety eyes, or black embroidery thread for stitched eyes
• Blush pink embroidery thread for nose and mouth
• Tapestry needle
• Stitch markers
• Waste yarn
• Thin cardboard for the tiny book insert
• Very small buttons or knitted bobble buttons for the cardigan front
• Optional floral wire or pipe cleaner wrapped in yarn for the flower stem

Gauge and Finished Size

Gauge is not critical if you keep the fabric firm enough that stuffing does not show. With 2.25 mm needles and sport-weight yarn, the main bunny measures about 12 inches tall from the feet to the top of the head, not including the beret crown. The ears fall to shoulder level. The mouse measures about 3 inches tall.

Important shaping note: The bunny in the image has a large rounded head, a narrow neck, a soft pear-shaped body, long straight legs, medium-length gently curved arms, broad hanging ears, and a calm centered face. Keep stuffing smooth rather than hard to preserve that gentle look.

Abbreviations

• K = knit
• P = purl
• Kfb = knit into front and back of stitch
• K2tog = knit 2 stitches together
• P2tog = purl 2 stitches together
• SSK = slip, slip, knit
• St st = stockinette stitch
• RS = right side
• WS = wrong side
• CO = cast on
• BO = bind off
• Rep = repeat
• Rnd = round
• M1 = make 1 increase

Construction Overview

The main bunny is worked in separate pieces: head, muzzle shaping, body, legs, arms, and ears. The clothing is also worked separately so the finished doll keeps the layered wardrobe seen in the image. The cardigan is fitted and embroidered after knitting. The skirt is worked in soft tiers for the light ruffled silhouette.

The accessories complete the look. Do not skip them if you want the same visual effect. The beret sets the mood of the whole doll, the purse balances the front view, the tiny book fills the opposite side, and the small mouse makes the scene feel storybook-like.

Head

Use cream yarn and smaller needles. The head is round and smooth, with a softly protruding lower face. You may work it flat in rows and seam, or in the round if preferred. The row-by-row version below is easy for most knitters and gives precise facial placement.

1. CO 12 sts.
2. Row 1: P.
3. Row 2: Kfb across. 24 sts.
4. Row 3: P.
5. Row 4: K1, Kfb across to last st, K1. 46 sts.
6. Row 5: P.
7. Row 6: K2, Kfb across to last 2 sts, K2. 68 sts.
8. Rows 7-21: Work in St st, beginning with a purl row.
9. Row 22: K2, K2tog across to last 2 sts, K2. 46 sts.
10. Row 23: P.
11. Row 24: K1, K2tog across to last st, K1. 24 sts.
12. Row 25: P.
13. Row 26: K2tog across. 12 sts.

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Leave a long tail. Fold and seam the side and back neatly. Before closing the lower opening, add extra stuffing to the cheek area so the face stays full. Do not overstuff the top of the head. The head in the image is softly domed, not tight and hard.

Muzzle Contour

Thread a length of cream yarn through the lower center of the face in a shallow oval, about one-third up from the bottom edge. Pull lightly to define a subtle muzzle pad. This should be very soft. The image shows gentle contouring, not a dramatic snout.

Body

The body is slightly tapered at the shoulders and wider through the lower torso. It should be shorter than the legs combined so the seated proportions remain long and graceful.

1. CO 16 sts in cream.
2. Row 1: P.
3. Row 2: Kfb across. 32 sts.
4. Row 3: P.
5. Row 4: K3, M1, knit to last 3 sts, M1, K3. 34 sts.
6. Rows 5-9: Work in St st.
7. Row 10: K3, M1, knit to last 3 sts, M1, K3. 36 sts.
8. Rows 11-21: Work in St st.
9. Row 22: K2, K2tog, knit to last 4 sts, SSK, K2. 34 sts.
10. Row 23: P.
11. Row 24: K2, K2tog, knit to last 4 sts, SSK, K2. 32 sts.
12. Rows 25-29: Work in St st.
13. Row 30: K1, K2tog, knit to last 3 sts, SSK, K1. 30 sts.
14. Rows 31-33: Work in St st.
15. BO loosely.

Seam the body and stuff firmly at the base, then more lightly toward the shoulders. The front should remain smooth because it will sit under the cardigan and skirt. Shape the neck opening slightly inward with your seaming if needed.

Legs

Make 2 in cream, then add blush shoes separately over the feet or work the shoe color directly into the lower section. The image shows straight, softly stuffed legs with simple rounded feet.

1. CO 10 sts in blush pink for the shoe sole.
2. Work 6 rows in St st.
3. Next row: Kfb, knit to last st, Kfb. 12 sts.
4. Work 4 rows in St st.
5. Change to cream.
6. Work 22 rows in St st for the leg.
7. BO.

Fold lengthwise and seam, shaping the foot into a rounded slipper toe. Stuff the foot well and the leg lightly. Flatten the top edge slightly so it attaches smoothly to the lower body. Make both legs equal in length, because the image shows them hanging almost symmetrically from the bench.

Shoe Strap

For each shoe, pick up or sew a narrow i-cord or knitted strip across the upper foot in blush pink. Attach the ends at each side of the shoe opening so it resembles a Mary Jane strap. The strap should sit low, leaving a cream oval visible on top of the foot.

Arms

The arms are medium length with soft shoulder fullness and narrower wrists. They angle downward naturally.

1. CO 12 sts in cream.
2. Work 4 rows rib: K1, P1.
3. Work 18 rows in St st.
4. Next row: K2tog, knit to last 2 sts, K2tog. 10 sts.
5. Work 4 rows in St st.
6. BO.

Seam and stuff lightly. Keep the wrist area slim. Flatten the top end and sew to the body just below the neckline. When attaching, angle the arms downward and slightly forward so the purse and flower can sit naturally.

Ears

Make 2 in cream. These ears are long, broad at the top, softly tapered, and drape straight down. They are not stiff or sharply pointed.

1. CO 8 sts.
2. Row 1: P.
3. Row 2: Kfb, K to last st, Kfb. 10 sts.
4. Row 3: P.
5. Row 4: Kfb, knit to last 2 sts, Kfb, K1. 12 sts.
6. Rows 5-27: Work in St st.
7. Row 28: K1, K2tog, knit to last 3 sts, SSK, K1. 10 sts.
8. Rows 29-33: Work in St st.
9. Row 34: K1, K2tog, knit to last 3 sts, SSK, K1. 8 sts.
10. Rows 35-37: Work in St st.
11. BO.

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Seam only along the sides, leaving the base open. Do not stuff. Lightly steam or finger-shape so each ear lies flat. Sew to the upper sides of the head, slightly behind the face line, then let them hang straight down under the beret.

Face Detailing

Place the eyes as small dark stitched ovals rather than large plastic eyes if you want the calm expression from the image. Position them wide apart and slightly above the muzzle centerline. They should be tiny compared to the head size.

Embroider a small inverted Y-shaped nose and mouth in dusty blush thread. Start with a short vertical center stitch, then add two soft diagonal mouth lines. The expression should look neutral and sweet. Keep the nose very small. Overworking this feature will change the entire character.

Beret

The beret is soft beige with a folded-looking brim and tiny pink blossoms clustered on one side. It sits low on the head and slightly angled. Work it in the round if possible for the smoothest finish.

1. Using beige yarn, CO 64 sts. Join carefully.
2. Rnds 1-6: K1, P1 rib.
3. Rnd 7: Knit, increasing evenly to 80 sts.
4. Rnds 8-16: Knit.
5. Rnd 17: K8, K2tog around. 72 sts.
6. Rnd 18: Knit.
7. Rnd 19: K7, K2tog around. 64 sts.
8. Rnd 20: Knit.
9. Rnd 21: K6, K2tog around. 56 sts.
10. Rnd 22: Knit.
11. Rnd 23: K5, K2tog around. 48 sts.
12. Rnd 24: K4, K2tog around. 40 sts.
13. Rnd 25: K3, K2tog around. 32 sts.
14. Rnd 26: K2, K2tog around. 24 sts.
15. Rnd 27: K1, K2tog around. 16 sts.
16. Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, and pull tight.

Shape the beret with your hands so the crown slouches softly. Do not flatten it completely. Sew three to five tiny flowers at the right front side. Use pale blush and dusty rose yarn. Add one or two tiny cream petals if desired. Each flower can be made as a tiny knitted circle or embroidered lazy-daisy style using yarn.

Cardigan

This cardigan is cream, waist-length, slightly fitted, and decorated with embroidered trailing flowers. It closes down the front with tiny buttons and has a rounded petal collar. The sleeves appear gently puffed at the shoulder because the arm seam sits under the sweater line.

Back

1. CO 28 sts in cream.
2. Rows 1-4: K1, P1 rib.
3. Rows 5-24: Work in St st.
4. Shape shoulders by binding off 6 sts at the start of the next 2 rows.
5. Place remaining 16 sts on hold for collar joining.

Left Front

1. CO 14 sts.
2. Rows 1-4: K1, P1 rib.
3. Rows 5-18: Work in St st, keeping 3 sts at center front in garter for button band.
4. Row 19: Neck shaping, BO 3 sts at front edge, then decrease 1 st at neck edge every RS row 3 times.
5. Work to same shoulder height as back and BO 6 shoulder sts.

Right Front

Work as left front, reversing shaping. Add three evenly spaced buttonholes in the garter band if you prefer working buttons functionally. Small decorative sewn buttons also work well.

Collar

Join shoulder seams. Pick up around the neckline and work 2 small rounded collar flaps separately or as one continuous band. The collar in the image is soft and petal-like, not sharp.

1. Pick up about 24 sts around neckline.
2. Work 4 rows garter.
3. On the next row, increase 1 stitch at each collar point area.
4. Work 4 more rows garter.
5. BO loosely.

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Sew side seams lightly. The cardigan should sit close to the body and end just above the first tier of the skirt. Add three small front buttons. Embroider climbing vines and tiny rosebuds over both fronts and near the lower edge. Use green backstitches for vines and French-knot-style wrapped yarn buds or tiny bobble stitches in blush and rose.

Tiered Skirt

The skirt is a soft white and pale pink two-tier shape with ruffled edges. It sits at the waist and falls full around the bunny. The fabric in the image has scattered pink speckles. You can create these by adding a few tiny duplicate stitches after knitting.

Upper Tier

1. CO 60 sts in white or pale blush-speckled yarn.
2. Work 4 rows in K1, P1 rib.
3. Next row: Increase evenly to 84 sts.
4. Work 16 rows in St st.
5. Next row: *K2tog, yo* across for a soft decorative transition if desired, or simply continue plain if you want a smoother finish.
6. Work 2 rows knit.
7. Work 1 row with increases evenly to 108 sts.
8. Work 10 rows St st.
9. Work 4 rows garter to create a gentle ruffle edge.
10. BO loosely.

Lower Tier

1. Pick up or sew the lower tier beneath the upper tier seam line.
2. CO 108 sts separately if preferred.
3. Work 12 rows St st.
4. Increase evenly to 132 sts.
5. Work 8 rows St st.
6. Work 4 rows garter.
7. BO loosely.

Add tiny pink flecks sparsely across both tiers using duplicate stitch. Keep them delicate and widely spaced. The lower edge should wave softly, not flare too stiffly. Sew the waistband around the bunny or fasten it at the back with a few hidden stitches.

Purse

The purse is a small beige envelope-style shoulder bag worn across the body. It is soft, lightly padded, and finished with a blush button accent.

1. CO 12 sts in beige.
2. Work 16 rows in garter.
3. BO.
4. Fold the lower third upward, then fold the top down into a pointed flap.
5. Seam the sides.

For the strap, make a narrow i-cord long enough to cross from shoulder to opposite hip. Sew securely. Add one tiny blush knot or button to the flap tip.

Tiny Book

The book is tucked into the bunny’s right side. It is small, rectangular, and neutral in tone.

1. CO 10 sts in beige or taupe.
2. Work 12 rows in garter.
3. BO.
4. Make a second identical piece.

Cut a small piece of thin cardboard slightly smaller than the knitted covers. Place it between the two pieces and sew around three sides. Add a center fold line with a few light stitches so it resembles a closed book.

Flower Stem

The bunny holds a delicate flowering stem in one hand. This detail matters because it balances the storytelling mood of the image.

Wrap green yarn around a fine floral wire or pipe cleaner. For blossoms, make three or four tiny pale pink flowers using five short straight stitches radiating from a center point. Attach them at varied heights near the top. Keep the stem airy and slender.

Mini Mouse Companion

The tiny mouse sits beside the bunny and wears a blush sweater, a white collar, and a small pink beret. Even though it is tiny, include it carefully because it strongly contributes to the overall charm of the set.

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Mouse Body and Head

1. Using gray yarn, CO 8 sts.
2. Row 1: P.
3. Row 2: Kfb across. 16 sts.
4. Rows 3-10: Work in St st.
5. Row 11: K2tog across. 8 sts.
6. Rows 12-18: Work in St st for lower body.
7. BO.

Seam into a tiny tube with a rounded upper section. Stuff lightly. Shape the head and body with one firm neck thread wrap if needed. Embroider tiny black eyes, a pale pink nose, and a short mouth stitch.

Mouse Ears

Make 2. CO 6 sts in gray, work 4 rows St st, then BO. Gather the base slightly and sew to the head. Keep the ears rounded and fairly prominent.

Mouse Arms and Tail

For arms, make two short gray i-cords or narrow knitted tubes about 1 inch long. For the tail, make one longer gray cord and sew to the lower back. Curve it gently forward.

Mouse Sweater

1. CO 12 sts in blush pink.
2. Work 3 rows rib.
3. Work 8 rows in St st.
4. BO.

Wrap around the mouse body and seam at the back. Add a tiny white rounded collar made from two little garter flaps or embroidered petal shapes. Make a miniature beret exactly like the main beret in a simplified version by casting on 24 sts, increasing slightly, then decreasing back to close the crown.

Assembly

1. Sew the head to the body with the face centered and the neck slightly tucked in.
2. Attach the legs low on the body front so they dangle naturally when seated.
3. Sew the arms at shoulder level, angled downward.
4. Attach the ears behind the face line, hanging straight.
5. Dress the bunny with the skirt first, then cardigan.
6. Place the beret low and slightly angled.
7. Add the purse across the torso.
8. Sew the tiny book at the right side or lightly tack it into the paw area.
9. Place the flower stem in the left hand with a few hidden stitches.
10. Set the mouse beside the bunny.

Styling Notes for an Accurate Look

• The head should look larger than the torso.
• The ears should reach to about the upper arm area.
• The skirt should be fuller than the cardigan.
• The cardigan embroidery should be delicate and scattered, not dense.
• The beret should sit low enough to overlap the ear base.
• The shoes should be rounded and soft, not flat.
• The purse should rest at the left hip.
• The mouse should be small enough to fit beside one bunny shoe comfortably.

Final Assembly and Facial Detailing

Check the face from the front before tying off any embroidery permanently. Tiny changes in eye angle or mouth length can change the expression. Keep all facial features centered, calm, and understated. Brush the knit lightly with clean hands to smooth the surface and settle the stuffing evenly.

Care Notes

Display pieces like this look best when handled gently. Keep them away from sharp jewelry, rough surfaces, and strong sunlight. If the beret or skirt ruffle loses shape, smooth it back with lightly damp fingers and let it dry flat.

Quick Checklist Before You Finish

• Both legs match in length
• Ears hang evenly
• Eyes are level
• Cardigan closes neatly
• Skirt tiers sit in soft layers
• Beret flowers face forward
• Purse strap is secure
• Mouse stands or sits steadily

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Detailed Cleaning and Preservation Guidelines

Spot clean with a soft cloth and mild soap only when needed. Do not soak if the book insert includes cardboard. For long-term storage, wrap the set in clean tissue and keep it in a dry box. Avoid plastic bags in humid areas, and never hang the doll by the ears or clothing.