Pull out your needle and thread! You’re going to want to make a dozen of these little Bunny Pillows with Pockets. They are sweet and versatile. Tuck a small gift or treat in the pocket and use them as a mini Easter basket. Or add some spring cheer to the house and hang them on a door handle. They make a welcome guest for teddy bear play, or why not make a Bunny Pillow Tree?
With the free bunny image download, our little pocketed bunny pillows multiplied quickly! And we’re so glad that they won’t hop away — they’ll continue to be adorable long past Easter weekend.
Are you ready to hop to it?
Supplies:
-Bunny Image Downloads (FREE!) – Blue, Brown or Pink
–Printer Transfer Paper
–White Cotton Fabric
–White Thread
–Sewing Needle
–Pins
–Fabric Stuffing
–Ribbon
–Pom pom
Step 1: Using one of the Bunny Image Downloads, print 2 Bunnies onto the Transfer Paper, following the manufacturer’s print instructions. Each pillow will need 2 matching printed bunnies. Once you have printed the bunnies, trim them, leaving about 1/2 inch around the edge of the image.
Note: you may change the direction of the bunny by choosing to print as a mirror image if you would like variety. To make this exact version, I fit 4 bunnies onto a letter sized piece of transfer paper. If you print 4 bunnies, you will be able to make 2 pillows.
Step 2: Moving to a cutting surface, cut 3 rectangles for pillows from cotton that are about 3 inches larger than the outer edge of the printed bunny.
Step 3: Preheat your iron to the transfer paper specification. On your ironing board, place 2 of these pillow pieces face down. Place the printed bunnies, face down, on top of these pillow pieces, keeping their images centered. Carefully iron the bunny transfers, following the transfer paper instructions.
When the ironing is complete, remove transfer and let cool.
Step 4: Returning to your cutting and work surface, gather all 3 pillow pieces, 2 of which now have the bunny transfer. Place one of the bunny transfer pieces, image side up, on the work surface. Fold the second pillow piece with transfer in half and place it on top of first; matching the image to form one complete bunny. As you can see, the second folded piece will become the bottom area of the pillow and the pocket. Pin this into place and carefully cut around the contour of the image approximately 2 inches from the edge of the image. Turn it over so that the images and pocket are face down.
Step 4: Place the third pillow piece (rectangle) on top and gently turn it over again so that you can see the bunny image. Pin into place and trim off the edge of the third piece along the same contour. At this point, the image will be on the inside so that right sides are facing in.
Step 5: Now, it’s time to sew up the edges. I used my sewing machine, but the kids sewed theirs by hand. Starting at the bottom, sew the edges, leaving a small gap at the top (for the ribbon) and at the bottom for stuffing.
Once the seams are complete, clip the curves and corners.
Step 6: Then turn the pillow, right side out. Carefully pressing all seams and corner flat.
Cut desired length of ribbon, slip both ends into the top gap and close the seam with ribbon, by hand.
Step 7: Stuff the pillow to desired thickness. If you plan to fill these with Easter goodies, do not over stuff so there is plenty of room for filling the pocket with goodies.
Final step: Finish the bottom seam by hand, and attach the pom pom tail by hand as well.
Happy Easter!
P.S. — We love making things! Find more of our tutorials here.
Project created by Gina Vide for Design Mom.
