Knit a Bunny: Free Rabbit Knitting Pattern to Love — From Britain with Love
There is something undeniably charming about a hand-knitted bunny. Soft, slightly lopsided, stitched with care and quiet afternoons — it carries a warmth that no shop-bought toy ever quite manages. Whether you are making one for a new baby, a beloved grandchild, a friend who needs cheering up, or simply for the pleasure of making something sweet with your own hands, a knitted rabbit is one of those timeless projects that never goes out of style.
This free rabbit knitting pattern comes with a great deal of love from Britain, where the tradition of hand-knitting soft toys stretches back through generations. From Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit to the beloved soft toys that lived in nurseries across the country, the bunny holds a special place in British hearts. Now it is your turn to add one more to the world.
This pattern is suitable for knitters with a little experience — you will need to know how to cast on, knit, purl, increase, decrease, and seam — but it is by no means an advanced project. If you have made a few things before and feel comfortable with the basics, you will manage this beautifully. Beginners who are keen to try should not feel put off either. Take your time, read through the whole pattern before you start, and you will find it entirely achievable.
So put the kettle on, find your favourite needles, and let’s make a bunny.
What You Will Need
Before you begin, gather your materials together. There is nothing more frustrating than sitting down to start a project and realising you are missing something essential, so take a moment to check your knitting basket.
Yarn: You will need approximately 100g of double knitting (DK) weight yarn in your chosen main colour. A soft, washable yarn is ideal — especially if the bunny is destined for a baby or young child. Pure wool gives a lovely finish, but an acrylic or wool blend is more practical if the toy will need frequent washing. You can use a contrast colour for the inner ears if you like, which adds a beautiful touch and uses only a very small amount.
Needles: A pair of 3.5mm or 3.75mm knitting needles. The tighter your gauge, the less likely the stuffing will show through the fabric, so it is worth swatching first if you are particular about that sort of thing.
Stuffing: Polyester toy filling, available from most craft shops and online. Make sure it is appropriate for toys — look for CE-marked filling if you are in the UK.
Other bits: A tapestry or yarn needle for seaming, a small amount of black yarn or embroidery thread for the eyes and nose, scissors, and stitch markers if you find them helpful.
Optional: A small bell or rattle insert if you are making the bunny for a very young baby who enjoys sensory toys — just make sure it is secured safely inside.
Tension and Sizing
Tension: approximately 22 stitches and 30 rows to 10cm in stocking stitch using 3.5mm needles and DK yarn.
The finished bunny will measure approximately 25cm tall when sitting, with the ears adding a further 8–10cm. This makes for a very holdable, huggable size — not too big, not too tiny.
If you knit tightly, you may find your bunny comes out a little smaller, and if you knit loosely, a little larger. Neither matters much for a soft toy as long as the fabric is dense enough to keep the stuffing inside.
Abbreviations
Before diving in, here is a quick guide to the abbreviations used throughout this pattern.
k — knit
p — purl
st(s) — stitch(es)
st st — stocking stitch (knit on right side, purl on wrong side)
k2tog — knit two stitches together (a right-leaning decrease)
ssk — slip, slip, knit (a left-leaning decrease)
kfb — knit into the front and back of a stitch (an increase)
CO — cast on
BO — bind off (cast off)
RS — right side
WS — wrong side
The Pattern
The bunny is knitted in separate pieces — the body, head, two arms, two legs, and two ears — which are then seamed together and stuffed. This approach gives you the most control over the finished shape and means you can easily adjust the proportions if you want a slightly different style of bunny.
Body
Cast on 10 stitches.
Row 1 (RS): Knit.
Row 2 (WS): Purl.
Row 3: Kfb into every stitch. (20 sts)
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: (K1, kfb) repeat to end. (30 sts)
Row 6: Purl.
Row 7: (K2, kfb) repeat to end. (40 sts)
Rows 8–30: Work in st st without shaping.
Row 31: (K2, k2tog) repeat to end. (30 sts)
Row 32: Purl.
Row 33: (K1, k2tog) repeat to end. (20 sts)
Row 34: Purl.
Row 35: K2tog across. (10 sts)
Row 36: Purl.
Break yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread through remaining 10 stitches and pull tight to close. This will form the top of the body (the neck end). Seam the side of the body using mattress stitch, leaving the cast-on edge open for stuffing. Stuff firmly and close the bottom.
Head
Cast on 10 stitches.
Row 1 (RS): Knit.
Row 2 (WS): Purl.
Row 3: Kfb into every stitch. (20 sts)
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: (K1, kfb) repeat to end. (30 sts)
Row 6: Purl.
Row 7: (K2, kfb) repeat to end. (40 sts)
Row 8: Purl.
Row 9: (K3, kfb) repeat to end. (50 sts)
Rows 10–26: Work in st st without shaping.
Row 27: (K3, k2tog) repeat to end. (40 sts)
Row 28: Purl.
Row 29: (K2, k2tog) repeat to end. (30 sts)
Row 30: Purl.
Row 31: (K1, k2tog) repeat to end. (20 sts)
Row 32: Purl.
Row 33: K2tog across. (10 sts)
Row 34: Purl.
Break yarn, thread through remaining stitches, pull tight. Seam, leaving a gap for stuffing. Stuff the head until it is pleasingly round and firm — the head should feel nice and solid. Close the gap. Set aside.
Arms (make two)
Cast on 6 stitches.
Row 1 (RS): Kfb into every stitch. (12 sts)
Row 2 and all WS rows: Purl.
Row 3: (K1, kfb) repeat to end. (18 sts)
Rows 4–20: Work in st st.
Row 21: (K1, k2tog) repeat to end. (12 sts)
Row 22: Purl.
Row 23: K2tog across. (6 sts)
Break yarn, thread through remaining stitches, close the paw end. Seam, leaving the top open. Stuff gently — the arms look lovely if they are a little softer than the body, so they can flop naturally. Close the top.
Legs (make two)
Cast on 10 stitches.
Row 1 (RS): Kfb into every stitch. (20 sts)
Row 2 and all WS rows: Purl.
Row 3: (K1, kfb) repeat to end. (30 sts)
Rows 4–8: Work in st st. (This creates the foot.)
Row 9: K10, (k2tog) 5 times, k10. (25 sts)
Row 10: Purl.
Row 11: K10, (k2tog) twice, k1, (k2tog) twice, k10. (21 sts) — Wait, let me keep this clean: K9, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k9. (19 sts)
Rows 12–30: Work in st st without further shaping.
Row 31: (K1, k2tog) repeat to last stitch, k1. (13 sts)
Row 32: Purl.
Row 33: K2tog across, k1. (7 sts)
Break yarn, thread through remaining stitches, close. Seam the leg, leaving the top open. Stuff firmly, especially in the foot section. Close the top.
Ears (make two outer ears, two inner ears)
Outer ear (make two in main colour):
Cast on 6 stitches.
Rows 1–4: Work in st st.
Row 5: Kfb, k to last stitch, kfb. (8 sts)
Row 6: Purl.
Row 7: Kfb, k to last stitch, kfb. (10 sts)
Rows 8–24: Work in st st.
Row 25: Ssk, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (8 sts)
Row 26: Purl.
Row 27: Ssk, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (6 sts)
Row 28: Purl.
Row 29: Ssk, k2tog, k2tog. (3 sts)
Row 30: Purl.
Row 31: Sl1, k2tog, psso. (1 st)
Break yarn and pull through.
Inner ear (make two in contrast colour if using, or main colour):
Cast on 4 stitches.
Rows 1–4: Work in st st.
Row 5: Kfb, k to last stitch, kfb. (6 sts)
Rows 6–22: Work in st st.
Row 23: Ssk, k to last 2 sts, k2tog. (4 sts)
Row 24: Purl.
Row 25: Ssk, k2tog. (2 sts)
Row 26: P2tog. (1 st)
Break yarn and pull through.
Place one inner ear on top of one outer ear (wrong sides together) and whip stitch around the edges neatly. A small amount of light stuffing in the base of the ears can help them stand up nicely, but this is entirely optional. Some knitters prefer floppy ears, which have their own particular charm.
Putting It All Together
Now comes the most satisfying part: assembling your bunny. Lay all your pieces out on a flat surface and take a moment to admire them before you begin.
Attaching the head: Pin the head to the top of the body, centring it carefully. Using your tapestry needle and a length of yarn, sew around the base of the head in a firm, even circle, making sure it is secure. A bunny whose head wobbles has a certain comedic appeal, but for safety and longevity you want a good firm join.
Attaching the ears: Position the ears on top of the head. Most knitters find that placing them slightly towards the back of the head rather than right at the top gives a more natural look. Pin them in place and sew down firmly at the base.
Attaching the arms: Sew the arms to either side of the body, just below where the head joins. They should hang naturally at the sides, with the paws pointing slightly forward if you like that look.
Attaching the legs: Sew the legs to the base of the body, positioning them so the bunny can sit. This often takes a little trial and error — it helps to pin and check before committing with the needle and thread.
Adding the Face
This is the moment your bunny really comes to life.
For the eyes, use a length of black yarn or embroidery thread and create two small French knots, or satin-stitch circles, set evenly on the front of the head. The position of the eyes makes an enormous difference to the expression of your bunny — eyes placed lower on the face tend to give a more babyish look, while eyes higher up create a slightly more grown-up feel. Play around with pins or a fabric marker before committing.
For the nose, create a small triangle of satin stitch in the centre of the face, roughly where a nose should sit. Pink or pale peach thread works beautifully here if you want a softer look, or you can keep everything black for a classic appearance.
You can add a little embroidered smile beneath the nose if you like — just a tiny curved line of thread — though many knitters leave the mouth off entirely and let the eyes do all the expression.
Making Your Bunny Unique
One of the great joys of knitting your own toys is that you can customise them endlessly. Here are a few ideas for putting your own stamp on this pattern.
A small ribbon or bow tied around the bunny’s neck transforms it from a plain toy into something gift-worthy in an instant. A little checked or floral ribbon feels particularly British and sweet.
You could dress your bunny in a tiny knitted jumper or jacket — there are many free miniature garment patterns available online that will fit a toy of this size.
Different yarn colours create entirely different personalities. A grey bunny with a white belly feels very natural and realistic. A pale yellow one is sunshine-soft and lovely for a new baby. A deep teal or burnt orange bunny is wonderfully modern and grown-up, perfect as a decoration or a quirky gift for an adult friend.
If you want to add more dimension to the face, you can use safety eyes — the kind with a plastic backing that clicks through the knitting — which give a very polished, professional look. Just make sure they are appropriately sized and secured if the toy is for a child under three, as small parts can pose a risk.
A Few Tips Before You Finish
If your seams are showing more than you would like, try a slightly smaller needle to create a tighter fabric, or use mattress stitch very carefully along the edge rather than catching too much of each stitch.
Blocking your pieces before seaming can make assembly considerably easier, particularly for the ears. Lightly mist them with water and pin to shape, leaving to dry flat.
Do not underestimate the stuffing stage. A well-stuffed bunny with a pleasing firm shape is much more satisfying than one that feels soft and slightly defeated. Use small amounts of stuffing at a time, pushing it into corners with a blunt pencil or chopstick before adding more.
If you are making this bunny as a gift, a small hand-written tag tied to its wrist explaining that it was hand-knitted with love is a beautiful finishing touch that the recipient will treasure for a very long time.
A Little Closing Thought
There is something quietly radical about knitting a toy. In a world full of mass-produced things, a hand-knitted bunny made with time and care and your own two hands is an act of genuine love. Every stitch is a small decision, a moment of attention. The slight imperfections — the tension that changed on row fourteen, the ear that sits at a slightly rakish angle — are not flaws. They are the proof that a real person made this, thought about it, and gave it to someone who mattered.
This free rabbit knitting pattern is yours to use, to share, and to make your own. Knit it for a baby shower, for a birthday, for a child who is going through a hard time and needs something soft to hold. Knit it for yourself, because you deserve a bunny too. Knit it on the train, in the garden on a sunny afternoon, or tucked up on the sofa on a rainy evening with something good on the radio.
From Britain with love — and with the hope that your bunny turns out every bit as wonderful as the one you are imagining right now.
Happy knitting.
