Way back in February, I bought the "Storybook Toys" book after seeing all of the amazing and fabulous pictures Tara posted of the doll she made. I fully intended on making one of my own for Violet for her birthday but then, sadly, I ran out of time. I'm not giving up hope of making the doll mind you...I just got a little sidetracked by the adorable "velveteen rabbit" style bunny that was also in the book.
I've got a soft spot for Easter animal making. I'm not sure what it is, but I really love to tuck a little handmade stuffed animal into Easter baskets. I've made mini bunnies, wool bunnies, hand painted fabric bunnies, wool sheep, felted wool sheep, felt chicks and flannel chicks plus a chicken which maybe doesn't count, but we stuff the mini animals inside it so, we count it! Wow, that's really a lot of Spring time animals, especially when the kids line them all up together. I'm particularly partial to bunnies so when I saw this adorable bunny, I just knew I had to make it!
Henry's, whom he's named Chockley, has a soft brown corduroy body, the corduroy is left from these favorite pants of Henry's, which he totally appreciated and thought was cool!
And his tummy is made of super soft dyed and felted herringbone wool that I bought a while back at the sheep and wool festival...
For Violet, I made hers the opposite way with a wool body and a corduroy tummy...
The felted wool is from Purl Soho and the beautifully soft and colorful corduroy (Denyse Schmidt, Chicopee) is a scrap leftover from this dress...
The floral pattern of this bunny's tummy is what gave her her name, Flora!
These little bunnies are just so, so sweet and soft and snuggly! Even before their faces were added (heck even before they were stuffed!) I knew I was in love!
These two are such a sweet pair...
And, their tails?! I love their tiny tails!
Their little faces didn't turn out quite perfectly, my faces don't usually turn our perfectly...but those imperfect little noses and eyes are what gives each their own sweet little personality and twinkle in their eyes...
And, really regardless of their imperfections they were loved immediately! Each child snatched up their new little bunny and gave it a great big hug as soon as they found them Easter morning...
They've even found a spot next to the most beloved stuffed animals...those who long ago became real.
Perhaps, someday Chockley and Flora will become real as well...
