DIY PLUSH BUNNY

I made these for Easter. Even though Easter is past, I'll give a quick tutorial, because this doesn't have to be a bunny, you could make it a girlie doll, or another animal. I originally saw a dollie here. But I needed something for Easter so I turned it into a bunny. My husband helped out with their cute little  faces.


MATERIALS
Felt (Collar, Shoes, Ears)
One small button (Collar)
Patterned Fabric (Dress)
Flexible Muslin Fabric (Head. Arms. Legs)
Cotton Lace (Base of Dress)
Embroidery Thread and Needle (Pink. Brown. + Collar Accent)
Scissors. Pins. Sewing Machine. Seam Ripper (if you're like me, and make mistakes)
Iron and Ironing Board
Stuffing
Tracing Paper
Pen
Chopstick (for turning inside out, and stuffing)

PROCESS
1. Draw your plush out, flat on a piece of paper. Try to make it the size you want in the end.
2. Trace over each of the body parts with 1/2" seam allowance. Dress first, then legs, arms, head.
3. Pin the traced pieces to fabric and cut: 2 pieces (back to back for dress) for each item. Use the Muslin for the arms, legs, and head. Use the patterned fabric for the dress.
4. For felt pieces, trace over your original drawing without a seam allowance for the ears. For the shoes and collar pieces, trace with a slight seam allowance
5. Cut out your felt pieces.
Head:
6. Embroidery the face to one piece of the Muslin head. I draw in pencil first and then stitch with pink for the nose and a Dark Brown for the eyes, and nose.
7. Sew the Pink felt to the Muslin ears on the head.
Arms:
8. Sew each of the arms, turn inside out and iron flat. Stuff with stuffing and set aside.
Legs:
9. Take one Muslin leg piece, and the MaryJane felt shoe piece (with the hole). Stitch the top of the felt shoe and the inside of the MaryJane hole. Take the other Muslin leg piece and other felt shoe piece and stitch along the top only.
10. Now back those together and stitch all around. Turn inside out and iron flat. Repeat for the other Leg.
11. Stuff both legs and set aside
Dress:
12. Embroider the center collar piece to the top edge/center of the dress. Sew the button into the center of the center collar piece. Place the two-loop collar piece on top of that.
13. Back up the head piece bottom edge of the head and top edge of the dress with the collar in between. Stitch 1/4" in to connect the head to the dress. Repeat this for the back side of the dress, except without the collar.
Put It Together:
14. Back up and pin the dress/head pieces. Sandwich and pin the arms in just below the collar. Let the arms stick out beyond the edge a bit just to ensure they get sewn in properly.
15. Sew around the dress and head with a 1/4" seam, starting with one arm and ending with the other arm.
16. Once all are connected, tuck the arms up into the head.
17. Pin the legs up inside the dress, making sure that the MaryJane side is the same side as the face. Also, be sure to sandwich a piece of cotton lace (cut the same width as the dress base), in front of the MaryJane shoes. Line it up with the bottom edge of the dress. Let the legs hang out a bit past the edge to ensure that they get sewn in properly.
18. Stitch the remaining starting with one corner, past both legs and then up along one side of the dress. This should leave a 2" gap or so, to pull everything through. I like to use a chopstick when turning things inside out, to get into the small areas.
19. Press the entire thing flat and stuff with stuffing.
20. Hand stitch the remaining 2" opening.