Sheila, a leading sweater designer and owner of One World Button Supply Co., cites her inspiration for this sweater: "It just seemed natural to me that the soft and fuzzy angora/lambswool blend felt like a bunny rabbit, and what baby wouldn't want one?"

Skill level
Easy

Sizes
Instructions are for infant size 3-6 months. Changes for 9 and 18 months are in parentheses. Shown in size 9 months.

Finished measurements
Chest: 21 (22-1/2, 24)"/53.5 (57, 61) cm
Length: 11-1/2 (12-1/2, 14)"/29 (31.5, 35.5) cm

Yarn
Angel by Lorna's Laces Hand-Dye Yarns, 1/2 oz/14.25 g skeins, each approx 50 yd/46 m (70% angora/30% lambswool) or a medium weight yarn

Sweater:
• 6 (6, 7) skeins in 43NS Sage (MC)

Bunny:
• 1 skein in 0NS Natural (CC)

Needles and notions
Sweater:
• One pair each sizes 5 and 7 (3.75 and 4.5 mm) needles or size needed to obtain gauge
• Size 7 (4.5 mm) circular needle, 16"/40 cm long
• Tapestry needle

Bunny:
• One set (4) size 4 (3.5 mm) double-pointed needles (dpns) for bunny (Note: Short wooden ones work best with the small number of stitches.)
• Two large safety pins for stitch holders
• Stitch marker
• Washable stuffing
• Tapestry needle

Gauge
• 22 sts and 28 rows = 4"/10 cm over St st using larger needles.

Adjust the needle size as necessary to obtain correct gauge.

Construction notes
Sweater:
1. This sweater is worked in pieces from the bottom up.
2. The neckband is worked in the round after the pieces are assembled.

Bunny:
1. The bunny is worked in small pieces on double pointed needles (dpns).
2. The legs are worked first. They are joined to create the body, which is decreased for the neck, then increased for the head.
3. The arms and ears are worked last, then sewn to the body after all pieces are stuffed.

Glossary
SK2P: Slip one st k-wise, k2tog, pass the slipped st over -- 2 sts decreased.

Instructions for the sweater

Back
With smaller needles and MC, CO 58 (62, 66) sts. Work in k2, p2 rip for 1-1/4"/3 cm, end with a WS row. Change to larger needles and knit across row, inc 0 (2, 4) sts evenly spaced -- 58 (64, 70) sts. Cont in St st until piece measures 11-1/4 (12-1/4, 13-1/2)"/28.5 (31, 34) cm, end with a WS row.

Neck shaping
Next row (RS): Work across first 15 (18, 21) sts, join a 2nd ball of MC and BO centre 28 sts for back neck, work to end. Working both sides at the same time, dec 1 st from each neck edge once -- 14 (17, 20) sts each side. Work even until piece measures 11-1/2 (12-1/2, 14)"/29 (31.5, 35.5) cm from beg. BO all sts each side.

Front
Work as for back until piece measures 9-3/4 (10-3/4, 11-3/4)"/24.5 (27.5, 30) cm from beg, end with a WS row.

Neck shaping
Next row (RS): Work across first 19 (22, 25) sts, join a 2nd skein of MC and BO centre 20 sts for front neck, work to end. Working both sides at the same time, BO 3 sts from each neck once, then 2 sts once -- 14 (17, 20) sts each side. Work even until piece measures same length as back to shoulder. BO all sts each side.

Sleeves
With smaller needles and MC, CO 26 (30, 38) sts. Work in k2, p2 rib for 1-1/4"/3 cm. Change to larger needles. Cont in St st and inc 1 st each side every 4th row 4 (4, 8) times, then every 6th row 4 (4, 5) times -- 42 (46, 64) sts. Work even until piece measures 7-1/2 (8-1/2, 10)"/19 (21.5, 25.5) cm from beg or desired length. BO all sts.

Pocket
With larger needles and MC, CO 22 sts. Work in St st for 2-1/2"/6.5 cm. BO all sts.

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Excerpted from The Natural Knitter: How to Choose, Use, and Knit Natural Fibers from Alpaca to Yak by Barbara Albright, with photography by Alexandra Grablewski. Copyright 2007 by Barbara Albright. Excerpted with permission from Potter Craft, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced except with permission in writing from the publisher.