Waffle Mouse Charm Bunny – Knitting

This charming knitted set features a soft bunny dressed in a dark pinafore with a waffle-front bib, a slouchy beret, lace-look socks, Mary Jane shoes, two checked bags, and two tiny mice companions. It is a lovely choice for anyone searching for a handmade bunny doll, knitted heirloom toy, nursery gift, collectible stuffed rabbit, or artisan toy pattern with elegant miniature details and a warm storybook look.

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

Finished Set Overview

This pattern creates the full scene shown in the image: one standing bunny, one small standing mouse, one tiny mouse tucked into a bag, one beret for the bunny, one dark dress with decorative side tabs and bows, one bib-front insert, one pair of socks, one pair of shoes, one shoulder bag for the bunny, one separate checked basket-style bag, and one tiny beret for the standing mouse.

The overall style depends on gentle shaping, neat stockinette, tidy mattress seaming, and restrained embroidery. The bunny’s face is simple and calm, with small eyes, a narrow nose, and a softly divided mouth. The dress is the main visual feature, so work evenly and keep the hem, waist, and checked motifs crisp.

Materials

• Main bunny color: light oatmeal or pale beige DK yarn
• Dress color: dark brown or near-black DK yarn
• Accent brown: milk-chocolate or chestnut DK yarn
• Contrast cream: soft ivory DK yarn
• Tiny heart accent: deep berry, wine, or muted red yarn
• Toy stuffing: soft polyester filling
• Knitting needles: sizes suitable for a firm DK fabric
• Double-pointed needles: for narrow tubes and tiny pieces
• Tapestry needle: for seaming and facial shaping
• Stitch markers: helpful for shaping and matching rows
• Waste yarn: for holding live stitches if preferred
• Small black beads or embroidered French-knot eyes: keep them tiny

Suggested Gauge and Size

Use a firm gauge so the stuffing does not show through the knitted fabric. The fabric should feel dense and smooth, not loose or drapey. If you can easily see the filling through the stitches, move down a needle size.

• Bunny height: about 9 to 10 inches from feet to top of head, excluding ear rise hidden under the beret
• Standing mouse height: about 4 to 4.5 inches
• Tiny mouse: about 2 inches seated
• Bunny shoulder bag: about 2 inches wide
• Separate checked bag: about 2.5 inches wide including upper edge

Exact size may vary, but proportions matter more than measurement. The bunny should have a rounded head, compact torso, long slim arms, straight sturdy legs, and softly elongated ears that fall down beside the face under the beret.

Abbreviations

• CO = cast on
• BO = bind off
• k = knit
• p = purl
• st(s) = stitch(es)
• rep = repeat
• RS = right side
• WS = wrong side
• inc = increase 1 stitch
• dec = decrease 1 stitch
• k2tog = knit 2 together
• ssk = slip, slip, knit
• ssk and k2tog are used to keep shaping balanced

Notes Before You Begin

The bunny, mice, shoes, and bags are worked as separate pieces and assembled at the end. Most pieces are worked flat and seamed to preserve the structured look seen in the image. Narrow tubes may be worked in the round if that is more comfortable for you.

Keep all facial embroidery light. The charm of the design comes from small features and balanced placement, not heavy stitching. The checked surfaces on the bib and bags should look woven and tidy, so keep tension even when changing color.

Color Placement Summary

• Bunny head, ears, body, arms, legs: pale beige
• Dress: dark brown or black-brown
• Bib border: cream
• Bib center checks: cream and brown
• Dress bows and straps: warm brown
• Socks: cream
• Shoes: warm brown with cream showing at the opening
• Beret: soft taupe or mushroom beige
• Mouse companions: cream with warm brown accessories

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Bunny Legs

Make 2. Work the legs long and gently tapered. They should be straight rather than chunky, because the dress falls over the upper leg and the shoes visually widen the lower edge.

1. CO a narrow leg opening in pale beige.
2. Work several rows in stockinette, beginning with a flat sole allowance if you prefer a shaped foot base.
3. Increase gradually across the lower leg to create a gentle calf.
4. Work straight for the center leg length.
5. Add a few subtle increases toward the top so the leg joins cleanly into the body.
6. Leave a long yarn tail for sewing or keep the top live if joining directly.

Stuff the lower half of each leg firmly so the bunny stands with support. The upper part should be slightly softer. Before closing, press the foot area flat with your fingers so the base is not completely round.

Leg Shaping Detail

The feet in the image are mostly hidden by socks and shoes, so they do not need dramatic sculpting. A soft oval base is enough. Keep both legs equal in length and thickness. Place stitch markers at the center front so later shoe openings align neatly.

Bunny Body

The bunny body is compact, pear-shaped, and mostly hidden under the dress. It needs enough width to support the head and arms, but it should not look bulky. The shoulders slope softly, and the waist is mild.

1. CO for the lower torso in pale beige.
2. Work a flat base section or a rounded lower body section, depending on your preferred construction.
3. Increase evenly over the next few rows to form the fullest lower torso.
4. Work straight for the belly area.
5. Begin gentle decreases at each side to shape the upper torso.
6. Work a short shoulder section.
7. Leave yarn for sewing the neck opening closed after stuffing.

Join the legs to the body symmetrically, keeping a small gap between them. The bunny in the image stands with feet slightly apart, not touching. When stuffed, the body should remain soft but stable, with the front kept smooth for the dress.

Bunny Arms

Make 2 in pale beige. The arms are slim, slightly tapered, and hang straight down. They reach to around the lower dress area. They are not bent and should not be overly stuffed.

1. CO at the wrist edge.
2. Work straight for a short cuffless opening.
3. Increase gradually to shape the forearm.
4. Work several rows straight.
5. Add one or two light increases near the upper arm only if needed.
6. BO with a rounded top edge for easy seaming.

Stuff lightly. Flatten the upper edge before attaching. The arm should look like a soft tube with a rounded hand end, not a hand with separate fingers. Position the arms slightly forward on the body so they frame the dress and bags naturally.

Bunny Head

The head is the most important piece. It is large, rounded, and softly oval, with a calm front plane. The muzzle is created through shaping and light thread sculpting rather than a separate snout piece.

1. CO for the lower head or begin from the crown if that is your usual method.
2. Increase steadily to form a smooth round head.
3. Work straight through the widest section.
4. Decrease gradually toward the closing edge.
5. Stuff firmly and evenly, especially around the cheeks.
6. Close the opening neatly and weave in the yarn securely.

Head Proportion Notes

The bunny’s head should be visibly wider than the neck and slightly wider than the body shoulders. Do not make the chin too pointed. The face needs a soft, broad center area so the tiny embroidered nose and mouth sit naturally without crowding.

Bunny Ears

Make 2 in pale beige. The ears are long, soft, and hang downward beneath the beret. They are not upright. They begin from a rounded tip and widen slightly before narrowing at the base.

1. CO a few stitches for the tip.
2. Increase on both sides over several rows to create a narrow leaf shape.
3. Work straight through the midsection.
4. Decrease slightly near the base so the ear sits close to the head.
5. Make the second ear to match exactly.

Do not stuff the ears. Steam or finger-press them flat if needed. Sew them to the head slightly behind the face line so they fall down at the sides and remain partly covered by the beret brim.

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Facial Placement for the Bunny

Use very small black beads or tiny stitched eyes. The eyes are simple dots placed wide apart, about halfway between the top of the muzzle zone and the outer cheek curve. The nose is embroidered in matching brown, forming a tiny upside-down triangle.

From the lower point of the nose, embroider a short vertical stitch and then two small angled stitches to form a gentle split mouth. Keep this tiny. The image shows a delicate expression, so avoid oversized features.

• Eyes: small, level, and slightly wide-set
• Nose: tiny, centered, warm brown
• Mouth: lightly separated into two short curves
• Cheek shaping: optional light sculpting for a rounded muzzle

Bunny Beret

The beret is soft taupe and sits low on the forehead. It has a neat lower ribbed band and a slouchy crown that rounds outward before settling down over the top of the head. Make it soft but not floppy.

1. CO enough stitches to fit around the bunny’s head snugly.
2. Work a ribbed band.
3. Increase evenly across the next row to create the fuller beret body.
4. Work several rounds or rows in stockinette until the beret is wide and softly domed.
5. Begin decrease rounds spaced evenly around the crown.
6. Draw the top closed and secure well.

The beret should rest low enough to nearly touch the eye line without covering it. Allow a slight slouch toward the bunny’s left or right side. In the image, the beret edge frames the face closely and helps press the ears down beside the cheeks.

Bib Front Insert

This decorative front piece sits over the chest and under the bow at the neck. It is rectangular with softly rounded lower corners, a cream border, and a center panel worked in a waffle-like check pattern using cream and brown.

1. Work the center rectangle first in a small checked pattern.
2. Use alternating knit blocks in cream and brown to imitate tiny waffle squares.
3. Keep the grid symmetrical, with more height than width.
4. Pick up or sew on a cream border around the rectangle.
5. Shape the lower corners slightly rounded.

The bib should cover the upper chest only. It must remain smaller than the full dress front and should not extend too far toward the waist. Add a tiny brown tie bow at the neckline edge after sewing the piece in place.

Bunny Dress

The dress is a sleeveless dark pinafore with cream short sleeves visible underneath. The skirt falls straight with mild flare, ending just above the socks. The front includes two cream side tabs, each topped with a brown bow. The hem has narrow decorative stripes.

Dress Upper Structure

You may work the dress as a separate garment or as a sewn-on pinafore shell. For the neatest result, work it separately and dress the bunny after the body is assembled. Keep the shoulder openings wide enough to pass over the head, or leave a back seam opening.

1. CO for the lower skirt in dark yarn.
2. Work the hem border, adding two narrow accent stripes near the lower edge in warm brown or cream-brown combination.
3. Continue in stockinette for the main skirt.
4. Decrease slightly toward the waist so the skirt narrows gently.
5. Work the bodice straight.
6. Shape armholes and a shallow neckline.

Dress Hem Border

The hem is subtle but important. Work two fine horizontal accent lines close together above the lower edge. They should look delicate, not bold. This small stripe detail helps anchor the dark dress and matches the warm brown accessories.

Dress Front Side Tabs

The two cream front tabs sit vertically on the lower bodice and upper skirt area, one on each side of the center front. They are narrow and slightly tapered. Each tab is attached flat and topped with a small brown bow.

1. Work 2 slim cream strips.
2. Make each strip long enough to reach from about bust level toward the skirt upper area.
3. Sew them symmetrically to the dress front.
4. Do not place them too close to the center bib.
5. Add one knitted bow at the top of each strip.

Dress Short Sleeves

The cream sleeves seen in the image are rounded and puff-like. They can be made as tiny sleeve caps sewn under the armhole edges, or as part of an underbodice. They should be short, smooth, and softly full.

1. CO a small number of stitches in cream.
2. Work a curved cap shape with gentle increases and decreases.
3. Make 2 identical pieces.
4. Sew them under the dark armholes so only the rounded tops show.
5. Add a narrow dark trim at the sleeve lower edge if desired to match the image.

Neck Bow

The neck bow is tiny, warm brown, and tied directly above the bib. It should be flatter and smaller than the waist bows. Make a narrow strip, knot or stitch it into a bow shape, then sew it securely at the center neckline.

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Bunny Socks

The socks are cream and delicate. They rise above the shoe opening and show a lace-like vertical motif. This can be imitated with a simple eyelet or twisted-stitch pattern worked in narrow columns.

1. CO for a snug ankle fit in cream.
2. Work a short rib or neat cuff.
3. Continue with a simple lace-look panel, such as eyelets or mock cables.
4. Keep the sock narrow and close-fitting.
5. Make 2 identical socks.

If you prefer, work these as decorative sock cuffs instead of full socks, because the shoes hide the lower portion. The visible effect should be a neat cream section with tiny vertical texture peeking above each shoe.

Bunny Shoes

The shoes are warm brown Mary Jane-style slippers with a rounded toe and a strap across the front. They sit over the cream socks and appear slightly wider than the lower leg. Make them soft but structured enough to keep their shape.

1. CO for the sole width in warm brown.
2. Work a flat oval or rounded sole.
3. Pick up around the sole and knit upward for the side wall.
4. Shape the toe by decreasing toward the center front.
5. Leave a top opening that shows the cream sock.
6. Add a narrow strap across the instep.

Do not make the shoes too deep. The sock must remain visible. Lightly stitch the shoes to the feet so they stay centered and do not twist. The strap should sit just above the toe curve, similar to a classic Mary Jane line.

Bunny Shoulder Bag

This small checked shoulder bag hangs across the bunny’s body. It is square, compact, and made in a waffle-grid pattern using cream and warm brown over a darker base. The strap is narrow and long enough to cross from one shoulder to the opposite hip.

1. Work the front as a small square panel with checked blocks.
2. Work a plain back panel in matching brown or add checks to both sides if preferred.
3. Sew side and bottom seams.
4. Add a narrow top band.
5. Make an i-cord or narrow knitted strap.
6. Sew the strap to the upper corners.

Let the finished bag hang at hip height. In the image, the bag sits on the bunny’s right side and angles naturally across the chest. Add a tiny mouse charm to the strap attachment area or lower edge near the bag front.

Tiny Mouse Charm

This tiny charm hangs from the bunny’s bag and echoes the larger mouse companion. It is very small, cream-colored, and finished with a tiny brown bow. The head is round, the ears are circular, and the body is only a few stitches long.

1. Work a tiny oval body in cream.
2. Make a tiny head with minimal shaping.
3. Make 2 tiny round ears.
4. Embroider tiny eyes and a tiny nose.
5. Add a tiny brown bow at the neck.
6. Attach it securely to the bag area.

Keep this piece very light so it does not pull the bag down. It should look decorative, almost like a plush bag charm rather than a full toy.

Standing Mouse Companion

The larger mouse stands beside the bunny and is knitted in cream. It has a rounded head, small rounded ears, a narrow body, short arms, straight legs, a tiny face, a warm brown neck bow, a tiny brown beret, and matching little shoes.

Mouse Body and Head

1. Work the legs first as two slim tubes in cream.
2. Join them and work the lower body upward.
3. Increase for a softly rounded belly.
4. Decrease toward a narrow upper torso.
5. Work the head separately or continue upward with shaping.
6. Stuff firmly but keep the neck area gentle.

The mouse proportions are simple and childlike. The body is slim, the head is round, and the arms hang straight. The face should be even smaller and more delicate than the bunny face.

Mouse Ears

Make 2 small flat circles or softly rounded ovals in cream. Sew them to the top sides of the head. They should project slightly outward and remain clearly visible under the tiny beret.

Mouse Arms

Make 2 short slim tubes in cream. Stuff lightly and sew at shoulder level so the hands rest near the hips.

Mouse Shoes and Beret

Make the shoes like miniature versions of the bunny shoes. The beret is a tiny rounded cap in warm brown or taupe-brown, sitting at a slight tilt. Finish the mouse with a very small neck bow in warm brown.

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Tiny Mouse in Checked Bag

The second miniature mouse sits inside the separate basket-style checked bag. Only the upper body is visible. This mouse should be much smaller than the standing mouse and should fit snugly inside the bag opening.

1. Make a tiny rounded head in cream.
2. Work a very short body stump so it can sit inside the bag.
3. Make 2 tiny ears.
4. Embroider tiny eyes and nose.
5. Add a small berry-red heart at the front or beside the mouse inside the bag.

The tiny seated mouse should appear tucked in, not fully standing. Keep it light and simple. A few well-placed stitches matter more than complexity at this size.

Separate Checked Basket-Style Bag

This second bag sits on the table and holds the tiny mouse. It is slightly larger than the bunny’s shoulder bag and more open at the top. The checked structure is the defining detail, so work the panel carefully and keep the shape square.

1. Work a flat base rectangle in warm brown.
2. Pick up or sew on front and back checked panels.
3. Add side gussets in matching brown.
4. Leave the top open.
5. Work one long strap and attach it to both sides.

If you like, line the inside lightly with a felt insert, but it is not necessary. The strap should drape beside the bag, and the bag should sit upright when lightly stuffed or supported by the tiny mouse inside.

Knitted Bows

The set includes several small bows: one at the bunny neckline, two on the dress front, one at the standing mouse neck, and possibly one tiny accent for the bag charm mouse. Make each bow from a narrow strip cinched at the center.

1. CO a small number of stitches in warm brown.
2. Work a short rectangle.
3. BO and wrap the center tightly with matching yarn.
4. Shape the loops with your fingers.
5. Sew securely where needed.

The dress bows should be a little larger than the neck bows. Keep the loops symmetrical and slightly flattened for a neat storybook finish.

Order of Assembly

1. Sew and stuff the bunny legs, body, arms, head, and ears.
2. Join the bunny body pieces.
3. Add the face before dressing the bunny.
4. Sew the ears in place.
5. Dress the bunny with socks, shoes, bib, dress, and beret.
6. Make and attach the shoulder bag and mouse charm.
7. Make the standing mouse and dress it with shoes, beret, and bow.
8. Make the second checked bag and tiny seated mouse.

Positioning Details for Accuracy

• Beret: low on the forehead, soft slouch, ears falling beneath it
• Bib: centered on chest, just below neck bow
• Dress tabs: one on each front side, topped by bows
• Shoulder bag: crossing diagonally, resting at bunny hip
• Standing mouse: placed at bunny’s side, same color family
• Checked basket bag: open top, tiny mouse peeking out

Final Assembly and Facial Detailing

Sew the bunny head firmly to the body, checking that the face looks straight from the front. Attach the arms slightly below shoulder height and angle them just a little forward. Add the ears before the beret so you can control how they fall.

Place the eyes first, then sculpt the muzzle lightly if desired, then embroider the nose and mouth. Keep every facial stitch small. Add the bib neatly, then the dress, then the bows. Put on the socks and shoes last so you can balance the standing posture.

For the mice, follow the same order on a smaller scale. Keep their faces even simpler than the bunny face. The tiny mouse in the checked bag only needs enough body to sit securely and peek from the opening.

Care Notes

• Handle the bags, bows, and tiny mice gently.
• Display indoors away from prolonged direct sunlight.
• Avoid rough play if bead eyes or very small accessories are used.
• Store the set flat or upright in a dust-free space.
• Reshape the berets and bows by hand after handling.

Quick Checklist Before You Finish

• Is the bunny head centered and stable?
• Do both ears hang evenly beneath the beret?
• Are the eyes level and the nose centered?
• Does the bib sit straight?
• Are the two front dress tabs symmetrical?
• Do the shoes match in height and angle?
• Does the shoulder bag hang naturally across the body?
• Are both mice securely assembled?
• Does the checked basket hold the tiny mouse upright?

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Detailed Cleaning and Preservation Guidelines

Spot clean with a barely damp cloth and a small amount of mild soap. Do not soak the finished set, because the stuffing and tiny accessories may distort. Blot gently and let all pieces dry naturally on a towel, away from heat.

For long-term preservation, wrap the set in acid-free tissue and store it in a breathable box. Avoid plastic bags for long periods in humid spaces. If the beret or bags flatten during storage, reshape them gently with clean fingers.

If lint appears, remove it carefully with a soft dry brush. Do not pull at embroidery. When displayed on a shelf, support the checked bag and tiny mouse so the strap and edges keep their shape over time.