Recycled Rabbits

When my girls were diaper wearing fools I made a small business of using wool sweaters to create wonderful pants and covers for them.  Now they are all grown up out of diapers, and I still have a large plastic tote full of woolens.  I was looking for something to make with my daughter's first grade class and came across a pattern in "Knitting for Children" by Bonnie Gosse and Jill Allerton for a Rabbit.  Knowing that time is of the essence sometimes, I skipped over the knitting part and had the children sew up the rabbit using some of my scraps of wool sweaters.  They turned out beautiful.

They do multiply quickly if you are not careful!

Cut a rectangle shape out of the wool.  Ours are about 8inches by 5 inches.
Go in and out of the smaller side with a plastic darning needle.  Leave loose.
Sew again two-thirds of the way up the side of the rectangle.  This is the body and the head.
The open top will form the ears.
Cinch tight the bottom of the rabbit, folding the the excess.
Stuff lower part firmly for the body and upper part lightly to make the head.
Roll the top of the edge toward the head to form the ears and top of the head, sew in place.
Run thread in and out for the neck.  Secure.
Make a little pom-pom tail and sew it in place.