Crocus Dawn-Pelerine Bunny – Knitting

This heirloom-style knitted bunny is designed to match the soft countryside look of a collectible handmade toy. The finished piece includes a gentle beige rabbit, a clouded blue dress, a mossy green cardigan, a rounded cloche hat, Mary Jane shoes, a crossbody bag, a tiny flower bundle, and a sweet hedgehog friend. It is ideal for readers searching for a knitted bunny doll, nursery gift, artisan stuffed animal, handmade rabbit toy, or premium spring decor piece with boutique charm and detailed wardrobe styling.

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

Materials

• Main bunny yarn: light fingering or heavy lace merino in warm oatmeal-beige for head, body, ears, arms, legs, and muzzle shaping.
• Dress yarn: soft sky blue and cream marl or alternating pale blue and cream for the striped dress.
• Cardigan yarn: muted sage green.
• Collar yarn: very pale blue with a whisper of gray.
• Hat yarn: soft cream.
• Shoes and satchel yarn: rosy taupe or muted cocoa pink.
• Flower detail yarn: lilac, yellow, soft green, and cream.
• Hedgehog yarn: warm taupe, dark brown, cream, sage green, and lilac.
• Needles: double-pointed needles and circular needles in sizes needed to create a firm fabric. For most knitters, US 1.5 to US 3 will work depending on yarn choice.
• Stuffing: high-loft toy stuffing.
• Eyes: two small black safety eyes or glossy black embroidery knots for the bunny, plus tiny beads or French knots for the hedgehog.
• Buttons: four tiny greenish buttons for the cardigan front and one small decorative button for the satchel flap.
• Optional support: a little cotton filling cord or pipe-cleaner alternative safe for toys, only if you want firmer ears or posture.
• Tapestry needle, stitch markers, waste yarn, and small sharp scissors.

Gauge and Fabric Feel

The fabric in the image is smooth, close, and refined. Use a needle size that gives a dense knitted surface with almost no stuffing peeking through. The bunny should feel softly structured rather than floppy.

A good target is approximately 8 to 9 stitches per inch in stockinette for the body and clothing. The cardigan and hat should look slightly cushioned but still neat. The dress should drape softly without becoming loose.

Finished Measurements

• Main bunny height: about 13 to 15 inches from hat crown to shoe sole when seated upright.
• Head: wide and softly oval, about one-third of the visible height.
• Ears: long, flat, and relaxed, hanging to shoulder level.
• Body: slim upper torso with a fuller skirt covering the lower section.
• Hedgehog companion: about 3 to 4 inches tall.

Abbreviations

• k = knit
• p = purl
• st(s) = stitch(es)
• rnd = round
• RS = right side
• WS = wrong side
• inc = increase 1 stitch
• kfb = knit into front and back of stitch
• ssk = slip, slip, knit
• k2tog = knit 2 together
• m1 = make 1 increase
• BO = bind off
• CO = cast on
• rep = repeat

Design Notes

This design is worked as separate pieces and assembled carefully. That approach gives the sculpted face, the dropped ears, the shaped jacket sleeves, and the layered outfit seen in the image.

The bunny has a calm, centered expression. The eyes sit wide apart and low on the face. The nose is tiny and forms a neat stitched Y shape. Keep the embroidery delicate so the face stays soft.

The outfit is an important part of the overall look. The dress is long, pale, and lightly striped. The cardigan ends above the lower dress fullness. The hat brim rolls gently. Small accessories complete the countryside styling.

Main Bunny: Legs

Make 2 in oatmeal-beige. Work from the foot upward. The legs in the image are slim cylinders with a subtle ankle and a gentle stuffed firmness. They do not flare at the thigh.

1. CO 10 stitches. Divide onto needles for working in the round.
2. Work 1 rnd knit.
3. Inc evenly to 16 sts.
4. Knit 8 rnds.
5. Shape the sole by working short rows if desired, or continue evenly for a simple rounded foot base.
6. Knit 16 rnds straight for the lower leg.
7. Increase to 18 sts.
8. Knit 18 more rnds.
9. BO loosely, leaving a long tail for sewing to the lower body.

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Stuff the feet firmly and the upper leg more lightly. The visible legs below the dress are straight, smooth, and not bulky. Flatten the top edge before sewing later.

Main Bunny: Arms

Make 2 in oatmeal-beige. The sleeves cover most of the arms, but a cuff of beige paw is visible below each cardigan sleeve. Keep the arms slim and softly bent.

1. CO 8 stitches and join in the round.
2. Increase evenly to 12 sts over the next 2 rnds.
3. Knit 20 rnds straight.
4. Increase to 14 sts for the upper arm.
5. Knit 8 rnds.
6. BO loosely, leaving a long tail.

Stuff lightly. The arms should lie gently at the sides without sticking outward too far. One arm can angle slightly forward to hold the flower wrap.

Main Bunny: Body and Neck

The body is mostly hidden by the dress and jacket, so keep it clean, slim, and balanced. A seated-doll shape works best, with a softly pear-shaped torso and a defined neck rise.

1. CO 24 sts and join in the round.
2. Knit 6 rnds.
3. Increase every 6th st around to 28 sts.
4. Knit 8 rnds.
5. Increase every 7th st around to 32 sts.
6. Knit 10 rnds.
7. On the next 2 rnds, increase evenly to 36 sts.
8. Knit 12 rnds.
9. Begin upper body shaping by decreasing 4 sts evenly.
10. Knit 6 rnds.
11. Decrease 4 sts evenly again.
12. Knit 4 rnds.
13. Decrease to 20 sts for the chest.
14. Knit 4 rnds.
15. Decrease to 16 sts for the neck.
16. Knit 8 rnds for a firm neck column.
17. BO, leaving a long tail for attaching the head.

Stuff the base firmly so the bunny sits securely. The upper body should be a little lighter. Keep the neck very firm. Add extra stuffing in small bits to prevent wobble.

Main Bunny: Head

The head is the key shape. It is broad, softly domed, and slightly longer than wide. The lower face is smooth and rounded, with only very light muzzle definition and no heavy cheeks.

1. CO 12 sts and join in the round.
2. Increase evenly on each of the next 6 rnds until you have 48 sts.
3. Knit 12 rnds even.
4. Place eye markers between rnds 11 and 13 of the even section, spacing them about 12 to 14 stitches apart.
5. Knit 4 more rnds.
6. Begin decreases: reduce 4 sts evenly every other rnd 4 times.
7. Stuff firmly, especially at the cheeks and crown.
8. Decrease every rnd until 12 sts remain.
9. Thread tail through remaining stitches and close.

To create the face, lightly indent the eye area by pulling the yarn tail or a separate shaping thread from the eye points to the lower head center. Do not over-sculpt. The image shows a very gentle, natural contour.

Main Bunny: Ears

Make 2 flat ears in oatmeal-beige. These are long, broad at the base, softly tapered, and hanging downward under the hat. They are knitted flat in two layers or as one piece folded and seamed.

1. CO 8 sts.
2. Row 1: k1, m1, knit to last stitch, m1, k1.
3. Repeat increase row every RS row until 22 sts.
4. Work 24 rows straight in stockinette.
5. Begin taper: k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
6. Repeat decrease row every RS row until 8 sts remain.
7. Work 2 rows.
8. BO.

Make a second matching layer for each ear if you want a finished double-thickness look. Sew edges neatly, leaving the base open. Lightly steam or block so the ears lie flat and smooth.

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Do not stuff the ears. They should drape naturally and sit behind the hat brim. When attached, angle them slightly outward first, then down toward the shoulders.

Face Embroidery

Insert the eyes before final head closure if using safety eyes. If embroidering, place tiny black satin knots later. The eyes should be glossy, small, and calm, never oversized.

Embroider the nose in dark brown. Make a tiny vertical wedge centered low on the face. From its base, stitch a split mouth line downward about 3 or 4 rows, then add two short diagonal mouth curves.

The image shows no obvious blush, eyelashes, or extra facial decoration. Keep the face clean and classic.

Dress Bodice

The dress is pale blue with soft cream clouding. It has a fitted bodice, narrow waist, long skirt, eyelet lines, and bobble edging near the hem. Make it as a separate garment.

Use pale blue and cream held in narrow marled sequence, or alternate short sections to imitate blurred stripes. Keep the overall impression delicate rather than strongly striped.

1. CO 44 sts for the bodice lower edge.
2. Work 4 rows in k1, p1 rib.
3. Change to stockinette.
4. Decrease 1 st at each side every 6th row 3 times to shape the waist.
5. Work even until bodice measures from waist to underarm.
6. Divide for front opening or keep as a back-fastened dress according to preference.
7. Shape a shallow neckline and small armholes.
8. Sew shoulder seams.

The bodice visible beneath the cardigan is simple and smooth. Keep it close-fitting. It should not puff at the waist, because the skirt begins with more fullness just below the bodice seam.

Dress Skirt

Pick up stitches around the bodice lower edge or work separately and sew on. The skirt reaches nearly to the ankles and spreads in a wide bell shape while the bunny is seated.

1. From waist, increase evenly to 72 sts.
2. Knit 8 rows.
3. On the next row, create the first eyelet column placement by working paired yarn-over and decrease lines in evenly spaced vertical groups.
4. Continue knitting 10 rows.
5. Repeat eyelet columns in the same positions to maintain straight decorative ladders.
6. Increase 8 sts evenly.
7. Knit 10 rows.
8. Work one more set of eyelet columns.
9. Increase evenly to 96 sts.
10. Knit until skirt reaches desired length.

To mimic the image, create about six visible vertical eyelet motifs around the front half of the skirt. These should be slim and elegant, not lace panels. They read as little dotted columns.

Near the lower skirt, work small bobbles or wrapped nub stitches at regular intervals. In the image, they appear like tiny rounded puffs edging the hem area. Keep them modest and evenly spaced.

1. For the hem, work 4 rows garter stitch.
2. On the second garter row, place small bobbles every 10 to 12 stitches, spacing them around the circumference.
3. BO knitwise on the final garter row.

Cardigan

The cardigan is short, mossy sage, and slightly boxy. It has a gentle V opening, four small buttons, patch pockets, and decorative petal motifs on the pockets. The sleeves are full enough to soften the silhouette.

Work flat from the lower edge upward in separate fronts and back, or as one piece to the armholes. A seamed cardigan gives cleaner structure for a miniature garment.

Back

1. CO 34 sts.
2. Work 6 rows in garter stitch for the lower edge.
3. Change to stockinette and work straight until underarm.
4. BO 2 sts at each side for armholes.
5. Work straight to shoulder level.
6. Shape a shallow neck and BO shoulders.

Left Front

1. CO 18 sts.
2. Work 6 garter rows.
3. Continue in stockinette, keeping front edge in garter for the band.
4. Begin a soft V-neck decrease after several rows, decreasing 1 st every 6th row along front edge.
5. At underarm, BO 2 sts once.
6. Continue to shoulder and BO.

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Right Front

Work to match left front, but add four buttonholes evenly spaced along the band. Each buttonhole can be made as yarn over, k2tog or BO 1 and cast on 1, depending on your preferred finish.

Sleeves

1. CO 16 sts.
2. Work 5 rows garter or narrow cuff.
3. Change to stockinette.
4. Increase 1 st each side every 8th row until 24 sts.
5. Work until sleeve reaches wrist-to-shoulder length.
6. BO loosely.

Sew shoulder seams, set in sleeves, and sew side and sleeve seams. The cardigan should sit just above the widest part of the skirt and curve open at the center front.

Pockets and Pocket Embellishment

Make 2 tiny patch pockets in the same sage yarn.

1. CO 8 sts.
2. Work 6 rows stockinette.
3. Work 2 garter rows.
4. BO.

Sew pockets low on each front. Embroider or knit tiny cream petal buds on the pocket fronts. Each pocket in the image shows a small pair of pale tulip-like buds with a hint of stem placement.

Collar

The pale collar is one of the clearest details in the image. It is broad, rounded, and softly folded over the cardigan edge. Use pale blue with a washed, powdery look.

1. Pick up stitches around the cardigan neckline or knit a separate collar strip.
2. Work short rows or shaped ends so the collar widens at the tips.
3. Use stockinette with a tidy edge, or seed stitch on the underside for control.
4. BO loosely and fold outward.

The collar tips should be rounded and fairly large. They sit over the cardigan fronts and frame the bunny face without hiding the neck.

Cloche Hat

The hat is cream, rounded, and gently deep, with a rolled brim and a delicate decorative band above it. It must sit low enough to overlap the top of the head and partly cover the ear bases.

1. CO 12 sts and join in the round.
2. Increase evenly every other rnd until 60 sts.
3. Knit straight for 20 to 24 rnds to form the dome depth.
4. Work one decorative band: knit 2 rnds, then create a scalloped or twisted raised line using a small cable-cross, eyelet twist, or purl ridge pattern.
5. Knit 2 more rnds.
6. For the brim, increase evenly by 6 sts.
7. Work 8 to 10 rnds in stockinette.
8. Work 3 rnds garter or a rolled-edge finish.
9. BO loosely.

Steam lightly over a rounded form. The brim should curve outward and down just a little. The decorative band should read as a narrow stitched trim, not a bold lace border.

Shoes

The shoes are rosy taupe Mary Janes with straps and a tiny side nub that suggests a button or knot. They are rounded at the toe and shallow at the instep.

Make 2. These can be knitted as slip-on shoe shells that sew over the finished feet.

1. CO 10 sts in the round or flat, depending on preference.
2. Shape a rounded toe with gradual increases to 16 sts.
3. Knit enough rows to cover the front foot.
4. Decrease slightly at the instep.
5. Add a narrow strap across the top by picking up 3 or 4 stitches on one side, knitting a short strip, and sewing to the opposite side.
6. Add a tiny bobble or wrapped knot at the outer strap end.

The beige foot should remain visible above the shoe opening. The shoes must look neat and close-fitting, not like socks.

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Crossbody Satchel

The satchel is a soft cocoa-rose shade with a narrow strap crossing from the bunny’s left shoulder to right hip. The bag is small, slightly rectangular, and closes with a flap and centered button.

1. CO 12 sts.
2. Knit a rectangle in stockinette or reverse stockinette for the bag body.
3. Fold lower portion upward and seam side edges.
4. Continue upper section as the flap, decreasing slightly at flap corners for a rounded finish.
5. BO and sew a decorative button at the bag center.
6. For the strap, work an i-cord or narrow knitted strip long enough to cross the body diagonally.

Sew the strap securely to each upper side of the bag. Position the bag so it rests just above the lower edge of the cardigan and over the dress.

Handkerchief and Crocus Posy

In the bunny’s left hand, there is a small folded cream cloth and a tiny spring flower bundle in lilac tones. These details make the styling feel complete and should not be skipped.

Handkerchief

1. CO 10 sts in cream.
2. Work 12 rows in stockinette or linen-like texture.
3. Add a tiny picot-like edge if desired using simple loops or a scalloped sewn edge.
4. BO and fold into a soft triangle or draped rectangle.

Crocus Posy

Create 3 tiny crocus heads. Each flower can be made from a tiny knitted petal unit in lilac with a touch of yellow center and a green stem. Keep them delicate and compact.

1. For each petal cluster, CO 3 sts and work a tiny leaf-petal wedge over 4 to 6 rows.
2. Make 3 petals per flower and stitch together at the base.
3. Add a yellow center stitch.
4. Make a thin green stem and one or two small leaves.
5. Wrap stems in the cream cloth and tack lightly into the bunny’s hand.

Hedgehog Companion

The small hedgehog is standing or sitting at the bunny’s side. It has a rounded taupe body, darker textured head top, a tiny cream hat, a sage shoulder cape, and one lilac flower stem. This companion is essential to the full scene.

Body

1. CO 8 sts in taupe and join in the round.
2. Increase evenly to 28 sts.
3. Knit 10 rnds even.
4. Decrease slightly at the upper body so the neck area tucks inward.
5. Stuff firmly.
6. Close at the top or continue into the face section if working seamlessly.

Face and Snout

The face is small, tapered, and slightly pointed. Use lighter taupe or beige for the muzzle area and darker brown for the nose. Tiny black eyes should sit close to the snout line.

1. Shape the snout with short rows or stitched sculpting after knitting.
2. Embroider a small dark nose at the tip.
3. Add tiny black eye stitches.

Spines

The top and back of the hedgehog head appear darker and textured. Use loop stitch, seed-stitch texture, brushed yarn, or little knotted strands to suggest soft knitted spines.

Mini Cape

1. CO enough stitches for a half-circle neck cape in sage green.
2. Work short rows or gradual increases to widen slightly.
3. Finish with a neat edge.
4. Fasten with one tiny button or stitched nub at the front.

Mini Hat

Knit a tiny cream dome with a rolled brim, echoing the bunny hat. It should sit low and charmingly oversized for the small head.

Mini Flower

Make one small lilac crocus and place it in the hedgehog’s front paw or side. Keep the scale tiny so it does not overpower the figure.

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Assembly Order

1. Sew the legs to the lower body evenly.
2. Sew the arms to the shoulder line.
3. Attach the head firmly to the neck.
4. Sew the ears to the upper side sections of the head.
5. Complete face embroidery.
6. Dress the bunny in the bodice and skirt.
7. Add the cardigan and sew on buttons.
8. Position and tack the collar if needed.
9. Put on the shoes.
10. Add the hat.
11. Sew the satchel strap in place.
12. Tack the handkerchief and crocus posy to one paw.
13. Finish and dress the hedgehog companion.

Styling Details for Accuracy

• The bunny must remain softly neutral in expression.
• The ears should hang below the hat brim and beside the collar.
• The cardigan should end above the bobbled hem details of the dress.
• The collar should be broad and pale, with rounded tips.
• The satchel strap should cross diagonally from upper left to lower right as viewed from the front.
• The shoes should show the beige feet through the top opening.
• The color palette should stay dusty, springlike, and muted.
• The hedgehog should be small enough to sit clearly beside the bunny without reaching the bunny’s knee height.

Final Assembly and Facial Detailing

After full assembly, sit the bunny upright and check balance from the front. Add tiny hidden stitches where needed so the hat stays low, the cardigan fronts remain aligned, and the satchel rests naturally.

Adjust the eye depth gently if needed. The nose should stay small and centered. The mouth lines should be short and refined. A tiny amount of cheek shaping can be added, but keep the overall face smooth and serene.

Care Notes

Handle the doll as a decorative knitted toy rather than a rough-play item. Frequent rubbing can soften the crisp finish of the clothing details, especially the collar, flower petals, and hat trim.

If gifting to a child, ensure all buttons, beads, and decorative pieces are secured to your own safety standard or replaced with embroidered alternatives.

Quick Checklist Before You Finish

• Head centered and secure
• Ears matched in length and angle
• Dress hem even all around
• Cardigan buttons aligned
• Collar balanced on both sides
• Shoes matched and level
• Satchel resting diagonally
• Flower bundle secured neatly
• Hedgehog scaled correctly beside bunny
• All yarn tails woven in firmly

Detailed Cleaning and Preservation Guidelines

Spot clean with cool water and a tiny amount of wool-safe soap. Press gently with a soft cloth and never twist. Reshape while damp, especially the hat brim, collar, and skirt hem.

Lay flat to dry away from direct sun. Store in a breathable cotton bag or covered shelf space. Avoid hanging, which can stretch the outfit and neck over time. For long-term display, support the seated body so the legs and shoes keep their shape.