Bunny Toes Sweater by Jane Burns

Bunny Toes Sweater

Knitting
February 2024
DK (11 wpi) ?
22 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches
in stocking stitch
US 3 - 3.25 mm
US 6 - 4.0 mm
2 to 11 years to fit chest size 56-76 cm / 22-30 in
English
This pattern is available for £4.95 GBP
buy it now or visit pattern website

A bunny jumper is made for Easter morning, but there is something about a sleepy rabbit with flowers behind its ears that makes small children want to wear it every single day.

The Bunny Toes Sweater has a big, fluffy intarsia bunny on the front, with 3D flowers, soft floppy ears and little pink toe pads on its feet. Children point at the toes first. Every time.

If you have never tried intarsia, this is a perfect first project. The bunny is knitted in a fluffy yarn, which hides any untidy edges where the colours change, so it is very forgiving. One small tip from me: fluffy yarn can make it hard to tell the right side from the wrong side, so mark your first right side row and you will always know where you are.

The jumper is worked bottom up in pieces and seamed, with moss stitch edges and striped sleeves, one with wide stripes and one with narrow. The bunny is charted, and there are full written line by line instructions too, if you would rather not work from a chart. The ears, nose, feet, toe pads and flowers are knitted separately and sewn on. The neckband is finished with Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Sewn Cast Off, with step by step instructions, for a neat, stretchy neck.

Designed by Jane Burns, with 18 years of experience creating exclusive knitting and crochet patterns for babies and children.

Yarn
King Cole Big Value DK, 100% premium acrylic, 145m (158yds) per 50g ball.
Yarn A Carnation (4055): 4 (5: 6: 7: 8) balls
Yarn B White (4020): 1 ball
King Cole Truffle, 100% polyamide, 180m (197yds) per 100g ball.
Yarn C Coconut (4365): 1 ball
Oddments of Dark Grey, Lilac and Yellow DK for the face and flowers.
Any DK weight yarn will work for the main colours. Paintbox Yarns Simply DK is a good substitute in the US.

Needles
A pair of 3.25mm (US 3) needles
A pair of 4mm (US 6) needles
A 3.25mm (US 3) circular needle, optional for the neck

Also needed
Darning needle, stitch markers, stitch holder

Tension
22 sts x 30 rows = 10cm x 10cm (4in x 4in) in stocking stitch using 4mm (US 6) needles

Sizes
2-3 (4-5: 6-7: 8-9: 10-11) years
To fit chest: 56 (61: 67: 71: 76) cm / 22 (24: 26.5: 28: 30) in

Finished chest
63.5 (67: 74.5: 78: 83.5) cm / 25 (26.5: 29.25: 30.75: 32.75) in

Finished length
36 (40: 45.5: 49.5: 53.5) cm / 14.25 (15.75: 18: 19.5: 21) in

Sleeve length
31.5 (33.5: 37: 39: 43) cm / 12.5 (13.25: 14.5: 15.25: 17) in

Skill level
Confident beginner

Knitting for a little one you can’t measure? My size guide has charts of average measurements by age, so you can get the fit just right.

The PDF is available to purchase here on Ravelry, and in my shop, laid out cleanly for printing or saving to your device.

Sign up to my newsletter at jane-burns-designs.kit.com/413556a207 and new patterns, free downloads, and the occasional knitting rabbit hole will land straight in your inbox.