The lady practises a midair pirouette while the gentleman leads the way with a sedate soft shoe. With their flexible arms and legs, these Easter rabbits are made to move - and they're soft enough to sit and snuggle with you when all the dancing's done. Edmonton designer and puppet maker Noreen Crone-Findlay designed them so that they're simple to knit. The pattern pieces are worked flat, sewn together and stuffed, then sculpted with stitching lines. Use up leftover laces and tulle for the lady's ruffles and tutu, and scrap yarns for the gentleman's splendid Fair Isle sweater. Change the needle size and yarn to make your rabbits short or tall.

Gentleman and Lady Easter Rabbits

The gentleman and lady rabbits are worked flat in stocking stitch, following charts. Standard abbreviations are used. NOTE: Recommended for knitters with some experience.

The rabbits were knitted with worsted-weight yarn using 5 mm needles and measure 106 cm (42 inches) tall.

General Notes:

• When working charts, carry colours loosely across a maximum of 3 stitches (sts) at back of work. When carrying colour across more than 3 sts, weave it over and under colour in use at every 4th st or at centre point of sts it passes over.
  
• When working charts, work knit rows from right to left and purl rows from left to right.
  
• Cast on stitch(es) to work increase(s) and cast off stitch(es) to work decrease(s), as indicated on charts. On right-hand edge of each chart, cast ons and cast offs are worked at beginning of knit rows. On left-hand edge of each chart, cast ons and cast offs are worked at beginning of purl rows.
  
• The slight asymmetry of chart edges will be hidden in seam lines when finished pieces are stitched together.
  
• Ladder-stitch (see ladder-stitch diagram) finished pieces together using tapestry needle and MC yarn, aligning Fair Isle patterns at seam lines where appropriate.
  
• Straight-stitch sculpting lines (see stitching diagram) using tapestry needle and 2 strands of MC buttonhole twist. Begin each sculpting line by sewing 2 or 3 short "locking stitches"; pull tightly to shape as desired. Finish with a knot.
  
• Enlarge charts if desired.

You Will Need (For Each):

• Download graphs and patterns
  (PDF format requires free Adobe Acrobat Reader)
  
• Yarn and needles in desired sizes
  
• Fibrefill or washed carded fleece, for stuffing
  
• Scraps of ribbon, lace and tulle, for lady rabbit
  
• Buttonhole twist or other sturdy thread to match MC, for sculpting
  
• 2 ball buttons, for eyes
  
• Piece of cardboard, for stiffening shoe soles
  
• Black yarn, for embroidery
  
• Tapestry needle
  
• Powder blush and brush, or pink, nontoxic acrylic paint and small piece of sponge

Designer's Tips:

1. Rabbit size varies depending on yarn and needles used.
2. Use needles that are 1 size smaller than you would normally use for your particular yarn so that knitted fabric will be dense enough to hide stuffing.
3. If desired, make heavier-weight yarns by stranding together up to 3 yarns of same or differing colours.
4. Make it super simple by knitting plain rabbit from single colour of yarn, following charts for shaping only.