Upcycling Projects to Try : Number 7 : Felt Easter Bunny

Upcycling Project No 7

Make a Felt Easter Bunny

What is cuter than an Easter Bunny, and what better way to occupy the kids in the Easter Break, especially if the British Weather is being its usual unpredictable self?

And what is even better, is that you can make this cute bunny knowing that you have done your bit to protect the environment in the process.

The bunny is made from recycled clothing, and we all have the odd jumper (or 10) that is cluttering up our wardrobes, or that would otherwise be destined for the bin.

Clothes recycling

If you don’t recycle your old clothes they end up in landfill. Man-made fibres take hundreds of years to break down and it’s bad news for the environment.

If we don’t recycle clothes, more clothes have to be made, which uses up more energy and creates more pollution.

Clothes production is bad for the environment

Cotton production destroys land and pollutes waterways. Almost ¼ of the insecticides used in agriculture each year are used in cotton farming. The dyes used to dye the material are also harmful.

Man-made fibres such as polyester and nylon aren’t any better. They’re made from petrochemicals, which come from oil.

Recycling clothes saves energy and resources

When you recycle your clothes, you will be helping to save raw materials and natural resources. That means less has to be extracted, refined, transported, and processed. This will use less energy and cause less pollution.

Recycle clothes to help others

Recycling your clothes can help people in the third world to have access to clothes that they would not be able to afford otherwise. Items like jumpers and hats that are in good condition can be sent to areas where there is a refugee crisis.

How to make the felt Easter bunny

What you’ll need:

Fabric:

An old jumper

Faux fur, white

Felt in beige and green

Safety toy eyes, 6mm diameter

Toy stuffing

Velvet ribbon

Black bead

Button (pearl)

Thread in black and pink

How to make it

Step one

To felt your old jumper, wash it on a hot wash so the fibres matt together.

Step two

Draw a bunny template, then cut it into two body pieces, one underbody and two outer ears. Make the inner ears from fabric of a different colour.

Step three

Pierce a small hole for the eyes in each side of the head, using the stencil pattern as a guide. Push the stalk of one of the eyes through the right side of the head and fix the washer on the other side. Pin the two sides of the body together. Using small stitches between the tail and chin, open out the legs, then pin the underbody to the bottom of the body. Sew the underbody in place and leave a 3cm gap near the tail. Stuff it with the filling, then stitch up the gap.

Step four

Sew the inner ears to the outer pieces, then fold the bottom edges so the inner ears are on the inside. Attach them to the head. To make the tail, cut a 1.5cm x 3cm strip of faux fur fabric and roll it up with the furry side outwards. Sew a few stitches through the bottom to keep it together and fix it securely in place. Embroider the nose and mouth, and finish it off by using the velvet ribbon to make a bow for the bunny’s neck.