This elegant knitted bunny set is designed to resemble a boutique heirloom rabbit doll with a soft country look and carefully coordinated extras. The finished set includes the bunny, floral dress, buttoned cardigan, flowered bucket hat, tiny purse, bouquet, little label, folded cloths, and a companion hedgehog. It is a beautiful choice for knitters who love collectible stuffed animals, handmade nursery gifts, artisan bunny dolls, and keepsake toy patterns. Every piece is sized to work together so the display looks balanced, polished, and close to the image.
Please note: I strive for accuracy in every pattern, but occasional errors can happen. Thank you for understanding and for enjoying my designs.
Overview
This bunny has a rounded head, a soft pear-shaped body, short legs, gently curved arms, wide upright ears, and a calm face with tiny black eyes. The clothing is not random decoration. Each garment shapes the silhouette in a very specific way, giving the bunny its dressed, storybook look.
The dress is full but not stiff. The cardigan is short and slightly open at the lower front. The hat sits low over the forehead with a wide downward brim. The accessories are small, neat, and understated so they do not overpower the main doll.
The knitting style that best matches the image is fine gauge stockinette worked firmly and stuffed evenly. Small details such as duplicate stitch flowers, leaf embroidery, bobbles, and neat seaming matter just as much as the shaping itself.
Materials
- Main bunny yarn: light mushroom beige fingering or light sport weight
- Dress background yarn: warm taupe-beige
- Trim yarn: soft cream or ivory
- Accent green: muted sage
- Accent purple: dusty thistle purple
- Hedgehog body yarn: oatmeal beige
- Hedgehog spines and cardigan: olive-brown
- Black embroidery thread: for eyes and nose details
- Stuffing: small-fiber polyester fill
- Knitting needles: sizes suitable for a tight toy fabric, such as US 1.5 to US 3 depending on your yarn
- Double-pointed needles or magic loop: for small circumferences
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch markers
- Waste yarn
- One tiny button: beige or wood tone, about 7 to 9 mm
Finished Size
- Bunny: about 12 to 13 inches tall from feet to ear tips
- Body without ears: about 8.5 inches
- Hat brim diameter: sized to sit just below the ears
- Hedgehog: about 3 inches tall
- Purse: about 2 inches wide
- Bouquet: about 2.5 inches long
- Folded cloth stack: about 2 inches square
Gauge
Gauge is less important than firmness, but your knitted fabric should be dense enough that stuffing does not show through. Aim for a smooth stockinette surface with clear stitches and minimal gaps at increases and decreases.
Abbreviations
- k = knit
- p = purl
- st = stitch
- sts = stitches
- inc = increase 1 stitch
- kfb = knit into front and back of stitch
- ssk = slip, slip, knit
- k2tog = knit 2 together
- RS = right side
- WS = wrong side
- rep = repeat
- BO = bind off
- CO = cast on
- pm = place marker
- sl = slip
- wyif = with yarn in front
- bobble = kfb, kfb, turn, p5, turn, k2tog, k1, ssk
General Notes
- The bunny is made in separate pieces and sewn together for the clearest shaping.
- Work all toy pieces at a firm tension.
- Stuff lightly at first, then add more after shaping seams are secured.
- Leave long tails for sewing wherever possible.
- Duplicate stitch and embroidery are essential for matching the floral look.
- The skirt motifs are placed after knitting the skirt panel.
- The hat includes openings for the ears, so measure on the bunny before final finishing.
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Bunny Legs and Lower Body
Make 2 legs in main bunny yarn. CO 10 sts. Work 6 rows in garter stitch for the sole edge. Change to stockinette and begin shaping the foot. Increase 1 stitch at each end of the next RS row. Work 3 rows even.
On the next RS row, k1, inc, knit to last stitch, inc, k1. Work 5 rows even. Begin narrowing the ankle by working k2tog near each side edge on the next RS row. Work 3 rows even. Repeat this decrease once more.
You should now have a neat foot shape with a slightly rounded toe and a narrower ankle. Sew the side seam and base seam, then stuff the toe and foot quite firmly but keep the ankle only lightly stuffed so it remains slim.
For the lower leg, pick up or continue with 10 to 12 sts around the opening and knit in stockinette for 14 rounds or the equivalent length if working flat. Increase 2 stitches evenly across one round to create a soft calf.
Work 8 more rounds even. Fasten off the first leg. Make the second leg the same, but do not cut yarn. Join the legs with a bridge of 4 stitches to begin the lower body. If working flat, create the body front and back with these measurements mirrored.
Once joined, work across one leg, the bridge stitches, the second leg, and the opposite bridge side for a total lower body circumference that looks proportionate to a dress-wearing rabbit. Knit 8 rounds even.
Increase 6 stitches evenly over the next 2 rounds. The body should widen gently, not suddenly. Continue in stockinette for 14 rounds. Stuff the legs fully and begin filling the lower body with small pinches of stuffing.
Body and Chest
To create the softly padded torso seen in the image, work a slight belly but keep the upper body narrower than the hips. Increase 4 stitches evenly on one round, then work 6 rounds even. After that, begin reducing 4 stitches evenly every 5th round, twice.
The result should be a pear-shaped form that narrows into the chest. Work 10 rounds even for the upper torso. Stuff as you go. The bunny in the image is plump but not overfilled, so avoid a hard, ball-like body.
At the shoulder level, divide the body if you prefer to attach separate arms into a flatter opening, or continue upward for the neck. For a clean toy proportion, reduce 6 stitches evenly over the next 2 rounds to form a defined neck.
Work 4 rounds even at the neck. Add stuffing very firmly into the chest and upper body. The neck must be stable enough to support the wide head and hat.
Head
The head is large, rounded, and slightly broader through the cheeks than the neck. Starting from the neck opening, increase 8 stitches evenly across the first head round. Knit 4 rounds even. Increase 6 stitches evenly on the next round.
Work 8 rounds even. Increase 4 stitches evenly once more. Work 10 rounds even. This section forms the fullest part of the face and back of head. Keep checking that the head looks smooth and softly oval rather than sharply round.
For the muzzle effect, do not knit a separate snout. Instead, shape by stuffing and embroidery. Place a little extra stuffing into the lower front face so the nose area projects just slightly. The face should remain gentle and understated.
Begin decreasing once the head height looks correct. Reduce 6 stitches evenly, work 2 rounds even, then reduce 6 stitches again. Work 2 rounds even. Continue until the opening is small enough to close. Stuff very firmly before finishing.
Thread the tail through the remaining stitches, pull tight, and close. Weave the end through the crown several times. Massage the stuffing so the face front is smooth, with soft side cheeks and a slight chin.
Arms
Make 2 arms in main bunny yarn. CO 10 sts. Work 4 rows garter for the wrist edge. Change to stockinette and work 12 rows even. Increase 2 stitches evenly across the next RS row for a softly fuller upper arm.
Work 10 more rows even. The arm in the image is rounded and relaxed, with no sharp elbow. Shape the shoulder cap by decreasing 1 stitch at each end of every RS row 3 times. Work 2 rows even, then bind off.
Sew the arm seam, stuff the lower half firmly, and use only a little stuffing near the shoulder. This lets the arm sit downward naturally once attached. Make sure both arms are the same length and thickness.
Ears
Make 4 ear pieces in main bunny yarn, 2 outer ears and 2 inner ears that will be paired together. CO 8 sts. Work in stockinette while increasing 1 stitch at each end of every RS row 6 times. You should have a broad leaf shape forming.
Work 10 rows even. Then decrease 1 stitch at each end of every RS row until 6 stitches remain. Work k2tog across, cut yarn, and fasten off. Make all four pieces the same. Press lightly if needed.
Place two ear pieces together with wrong sides facing inward and whipstitch around the sides, leaving the bottom open. Do not stuff. Fold the lower edge slightly and tack it so the ear stands upright with a gentle inner cup.
The ears in the image are large, smooth, and open rather than floppy. Make sure the lower fold gives width at the base and a pointed tip at the top. Attach them high on the head, fairly close together, but still wide enough for the hat crown to fit between them.
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Face Shaping and Embroidery Placement
Mark the eye line slightly below the midpoint of the head. The eyes are small black ovals placed wide apart, giving a calm and innocent expression. Embroider each eye with a few tight satin stitches or use tiny knots covered neatly with thread.
For the nose, stitch a small upside-down triangle in matching beige-brown or slightly darker taupe thread. Extend one short vertical line downward, then split into a tiny Y for the mouth. Keep this detail short. The expression should stay very soft.
If needed, use two small sculpting stitches from the under chin area to the muzzle sides to define the face. Do this gently. The image shows a smooth face, not a deeply indented one.
Skirted Dress
The dress is worn under the cardigan and shows a gathered or softly full skirt. Begin with the skirt hem in cream. CO enough stitches to fit around the bunny waist and create a generous flare. A practical count is 72 to 84 stitches, depending on your gauge.
Work 4 rounds in garter or seed stitch. Then knit a simple lace-inspired hem using eyelets if desired, but keep it subtle. The image reads as a delicate cream lace finish rather than a dramatic ruffle. One useful sequence is: k2tog, yo, repeated around, followed by a plain round.
Change to taupe-beige for the main skirt. Work in stockinette for 20 to 24 rounds. To keep the skirt lightly bell-shaped, decrease 6 stitches evenly every 6th round, twice. The finished skirt should still look full around the lower half.
Bind off loosely. Sew into a tube if worked flat. Gather or ease the waist edge onto a narrow waistband sized to the bunny body. The waistband should sit just under the cardigan and not add bulk.
Now embroider or duplicate stitch the milk thistle motifs. Place three main purple flower heads across the front of the skirt: left, center, and right. Each flower has a dark purple tulip-like or thistle-like top made from a compact cluster of stitches.
Under each flower, work two sage leaves angled outward, plus a short stem. Keep the motifs crisp and symmetrical. The center flower may be slightly larger. Leave generous space between motifs so the skirt still looks airy.
For the bodice, pick up stitches around the waistband or make a separate narrow bodice strip in the main bunny beige. Work enough rows to cover from waist to upper chest. This section is mostly hidden under the cardigan, so keep it simple and smooth.
Add thin shoulder straps if needed to hold the dress in place. The image suggests a neat underlayer rather than a visible sleeved dress, so these straps should stay concealed beneath the cardigan.
Cardigan
The cardigan is short, slightly rounded at the lower fronts, and closes once at the top with a tiny button. It has long sleeves and botanical decoration. Make it in the same light mushroom beige as the bunny so the leaves and buds remain subtle.
Begin at the lower back edge. CO the width of the back hem. Work 6 rows garter for a stable border. Continue in stockinette with 3 garter stitches at each side for clean edges. Increase gradually over several rows to create a soft body width.
Work even to the underarm. Separate for left front, back, and right front. The fronts should each include a garter button band. Shape the lower fronts slightly rounded by starting with fewer rows at the bottom edge before building to full length.
At the neckline, keep the front opening modest and straight. Join shoulders with neat mattress stitch or three-needle bind off. Pick up stitches around each armhole and work sleeves downward in stockinette.
The sleeves are slightly full near the upper arm and narrower at the wrist. Work 2 gentle decrease rounds spaced evenly along the sleeve. Finish with 5 or 6 rounds of garter at the cuff. Bind off neatly.
Before sewing the sleeve seams or after knitting in the round, add the sleeve bud details. Make 3 tiny bobbles on the outer lower sleeve of each arm, arranged in a small diagonal cluster. Embroider short sage stems below them so they resemble thistle buds.
Next, embroider leaf panels on both cardigan fronts. Each side has a vertical pair of elongated sage leaves, worked with angled satin stitches or duplicate stitch. The leaves begin near the lower front and point upward toward the chest.
Sew one tiny button at the top front opening. On the opposite side, work a small thread loop. The cardigan should sit open below the button so the dress is visible at center front, exactly as in the image.
Bucket Hat with Floral Crown
The hat is one of the most important features of the set. It is a bucket-style hat with a rounded crown, softly sloping sides, and a downward brim. The crown includes a scattered floral pattern in sage and purple on a pale background.
CO for the crown top using the pale background shade that matches the cardigan tone but reads slightly lighter once patterned. Work a flat circle or rounded crown in the round. Increase evenly every other round until the top diameter fits the bunny head crown.
Begin the floral section. Scatter small clusters of purple dots with occasional sage leaves between them using stranded colorwork or duplicate stitch after knitting. Do not make the pattern dense. The image shows a light, airy floral scatter rather than an all-over print.
After the crown, work 8 to 10 rounds even for the side wall. Try the hat on the bunny. Mark where the ears need to pass. Create two vertical ear openings by binding off a short section, then casting on the same number of stitches over those gaps on the following round.
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Continue working even for a couple of rounds so the ear holes look tidy and reinforced. The holes should sit high enough that the ears emerge naturally, not pulled down. The hat then continues into the brim.
Increase evenly around one round to start the brim. Work 6 to 8 rounds even. Increase again slightly if you want more flare. The final brim should angle down but still hold a smooth circular line. Bind off loosely.
If your brim is too floppy, run a very fine thread through the final round or work one purl round before the brim begins to encourage a fold. Place the hat low on the forehead so it shades the eyes slightly.
Purse
The purse is a tiny curved flap bag in the same beige family as the bunny. CO 14 sts. Work 2 rows garter. Continue in stockinette for 10 rows. Shape the body into a rounded pouch by decreasing 1 stitch at each end every other row twice.
For the flap, continue on the upper half only or fold the top section downward. Shape the flap with gentle decreases toward the corners so it becomes rounded. Work the strap as an i-cord or narrow knitted strip long enough to loop naturally beside the bunny.
Sew the sides of the pouch, attach the strap, and add one tiny embroidered dot or stitched knot as a button. The bag should remain soft and simple.
Bouquet of Buds
This accessory is small but important. Knit or wrap 5 little bud shapes in dusty purple. Each bud can be made by knitting a tiny oval, sewing it closed, and stuffing it with a trace of filling. Alternatively, use a tight wrapped knot over stuffing.
Work 5 narrow stems in sage green using i-cord, twisted yarn, or embroidered stem stitch over a support thread. Gather the stems together and tie with a pale strand. The bouquet should look hand-tied and slightly irregular.
Small Floral Label
The little tag-like accessory is a tiny cream square with a single purple-and-green flower motif. CO 8 sts in cream. Work 8 rows in garter or seed stitch. Bind off. Duplicate stitch one small leaf and one purple bud in the center. This piece can be tucked near the purse.
Folded Cloth Stack
Make 2 small cream squares. CO 12 sts and work 12 to 14 rows in garter or seed stitch. Bind off. Add a narrow edge line in pale blue-gray or leave plain if preferred. Fold each square into a neat rectangle and tack lightly so the folds hold.
Hedgehog Companion
The hedgehog is tiny, upright, and charming. The face and tummy are pale beige. The back and head have darker olive-brown textured spines. It also wears a tiny green-brown cardigan and a matching floral hat.
For the body front, CO 10 sts in pale beige. Increase to about 16 sts and work a small oval torso. For the back, use olive-brown and work the same shape, adding purl texture or loop texture to suggest spines. Join front and back, stuff, and close.
The head may be worked as an extension of the body or as a separate small ball. The snout should be slightly pointed. Embroider tiny black eyes and a neat black nose. Add very small feet in pale beige, either knitted separately or embroidered afterward.
For the cardigan, knit a tiny open-front piece in olive-brown. Keep it short and simple. The hat mirrors the bunny hat: a pale crown with tiny purple speckles and a soft brim. Because the hedgehog is so small, duplicate stitch is easier than stranded colorwork.
Assembly
- Sew the legs and body if worked in pieces.
- Stuff firmly and close all openings securely.
- Attach the head to the neck with strong matching yarn.
- Sew the arms at shoulder level so they angle down naturally.
- Attach the ears high on the head with a slight inward tilt.
- Dress the bunny in the underdress first, then the cardigan.
- Add the button closure.
- Place the hat through the ears and adjust the brim.
- Arrange the accessories around the bunny for display.
Final Assembly and Facial Detailing
Once everything is attached, look at the bunny from the front and side. Adjust stuffing by gently massaging the head and body until the silhouette appears smooth. The cheeks should be soft, the neck stable, and the ears upright.
Check the face carefully. The eyes should be level, slightly wide-set, and small. The nose should sit low enough to create a sweet expression, but not so low that the face looks long. Keep the mouth tiny and centered.
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Steam very lightly from a distance if needed, but never flatten the stuffed pieces. Shape the brim, cardigan fronts, and skirt hem with your fingers so they settle into place.
Care Notes
- Spot clean whenever possible.
- For deeper cleaning, hand wash gently in cool water.
- Do not twist or wring the toy.
- Press excess water out in a towel.
- Dry flat and reshape all pieces before fully dry.
- Keep away from rough handling if displayed with accessories.
Quick Checklist Before You Finish
- Are both ears even and upright?
- Is the hat centered and sitting below the ear base?
- Do the three skirt flowers read clearly from the front?
- Are the cardigan leaves balanced on both sides?
- Are the sleeve bud clusters matched?
- Is the face calm, symmetrical, and neat?
- Do the small accessories feel scaled correctly next to the bunny?
Detailed Cleaning and Preservation Guidelines
Store the finished set in a dry, clean place away from direct sunlight. Prolonged sun can fade the purple and sage details. If the bunny is displayed on a shelf, dust it gently with a soft brush every so often.
When storing long term, wrap the bunny and accessories in clean tissue or cotton cloth. Do not seal them in damp plastic. If the hat or cardigan loses shape, lightly mist with water and reshape by hand while drying flat.
For heirloom use, check seams and accessory stitches occasionally. Reinforce any loose points early so the set stays beautiful over time.
