Large Crochet Bunny Peep

Crochet a large bunny peep for a fun Easter basket addition, gift or home decor, compliments of Alicia Kachmar of Create!  Place a few on the sofa to amuse friends, family and Easter guests. For small bunny peeps, see this Easter crochet pattern.

Materials:

• K/10 ½-6.50mm hook
• Any worsted weight yarn in bunny color and brown (I use Red Heart 100% acrylic)
• Needlepoint needle
• Polyester fiber filling

Abbreviations:
Ch: chain
Sc: single crochet
Sl: slip
Hdc: half double crochet
Dc: double crochet
Tr: treble crochet
Dec: decrease, pull up a loop in next 2 sc, yarn over (YO) and draw all 3 loops on the hook

Instructions:

Make an adjustable ring (or ch 2 and use the 2nd ch loop from hook); 10 sc into the ring (or loop); pull the tail of ring to tighten and join.
Ch 1; 2sc into that stitch and each sc; join (20 sc)
Ch 1; 2sc into that stitch, sc in next stitch (2sc, sc around); join (30 sc)
Ch 1; 2sc into that stitch, sc in next, sc in next (2sc, sc, sc around); join (40 sc)
Ch 1; 2sc into that stitch, sc in next, sc in next, sc in next (2sc, sc, sc, sc around); join (50 sc)

This forms the bottom circle of the body. The top half is worked by moving across and turning at the end of each row. The circle will feel like it’s turning in (hard to flatten), but this won’t matter.

Ch 1; sc into first space; 12 more sc across; sl stitch into the last one
Ch 1 turn; Dec, sc across until two sc from last row are left, Dec.
Ch 1 turn; repeat the row directly above.
Ch 1 turn; repeat the row directly above.
Ch 1 turn; sc all the way across.
Ch 1 turn; 2sc into first sc, sc across until 1 sc from last row is left, 2 sc.
Ch 1 turn; Dec, sc, sc, Dec, sc, sc, Dec.
Ch 1 turn; sc across.

Make sure the right side is facing you now. If you missed a row at any point, but you don’t want to go back, an easy “fix” is to either sl stitch across or just turn the work. Neither one will really affect the finished look.

Ch 8 (ear); 2 hdc in 2nd ch from hook, dc, tr to the end of chains; skip a sc on the body (head) and sl stitch into next one.
Ch 8; 2hdc in 2nd ch from hook, dc, tr to end of chains, sl stitch into the last sc on the body; finish off.

This is the “front” of the bunny. With a brown yarn and needlepoint needle, make two eyes and a nose. I came up with the needle and made a circle with the yarn as if I were making a “lazy daisy” and went down into the same hole. Stitch around the circle a few times to tack it in place and then fill in the center as best you can. You could also use beads to make more uniform eyes and nose.

If the ears seem loosely connected to the body, take a needlepoint needle and the same yarn you used, and make a few stitches between the last tr and the top of the body. For the hole in the middle of the large circle, I took thread again and sewed a vertical, horizontal, and two diagonal stitches to cover it up.

Repeat the above instructions to make the “back” of the bunny, but do not finish off. Sc around the entire body, including the ears. If there are inner and outer loops, sc using the inner loops to give the bunny depth. Stuff the bunny when it is 2/3 finished. Stuff the ears when you are almost done with the sc around them. Be sure not to overstuff the ears, as the stuffing will show through. Finish off.