Knit a cute baby sweater with toy bunny

Finishing
Block pieces gently to avoid felting the angora. Sew shoulder seams.

Neckband
With RS facing, circular needle and MC, pick up and k 86 (86, 90) sts evenly spaced around neck edge. Work around in k2, p2 rib for 3/4"/2 cm. BO all sts loosely in rib.

Place markers 3-3/4 (4-1/4, 5-3/4)"/9.5 (10.5, 14.5) cm down from shoulders on back and front. Sew sleeves to armholes between markers. Sew side and sleeve seams. Centre pocket on front, then sew in place. Using CC, stitch rolled top edge down, using blanket stitch or overcast stitch. With a tapestry needle, weave in loose yarn tails to the WS of work and secure.

Instructions for the bunny
Legs
With dpns, CO 6 sts. Divide sts evenly between 3 needles (2 sts on each needle). Join and pm to indicate beg of rnd. Knit 1 rnd.
Next rnd: K1 into front and back of each stitch around -- 12 sts. Cont around in St st for 15 rnds. Place 6 sts on one safety pin and 6 sts on 2nd safety pin. Work 2nd leg as for first; leave sts on needles.

Body
Arrange 24 sts from legs in a circle on 3 dpns (8 sts on each). Join and pm to indicate beg of rnd. Work even in St st for 8 rnds.

Separate for armholes
*Transfer front 12 sts to one needle and work back and forth in St st for 6 rows. BO 3 sts each side*. Place rem 6 sts on safety pin. Rep from * to * for the 12 back sts -- 6 sts; leave sts on needle.

Neck and head
Arrange rem 12 sts from body on 3 dpns (4 sts on each). Work 5 rnds (neck), then inc 1 st at each end of each needle (beg of head) -- 18 sts. Knit 7 rnds.
Next (dec) rnd: [K2tog] 9 times -- 9 sts.
Next (dec) rnd: [K2tog, k1] 3 times -- 6 sts. BO all sts.

Arms
With dpns, CO 6 sts (2 sts on each needle). Join and pm to indicate beg of rnd. Knit 10 rnds. BO all sts.

Ears
With dpns, CO 3 sts. Work back and forth in St st for 2 rows.
Next row: Inc 1 st each side -- 5 sts. Work 8 rows even.
Next row: SK2P -- 3 sts. Purl one row.
Next row: SK2P -- 1 st. Fasten off.

Finishing
Close small opening between legs with tail. Stuff legs, body, head and arms. Sew each "hand" opening closed, then sew open end of arms to armholes. Sew on ears approx 3/4"/2 cm below top of head. With a tapestry needle, run loose yarn tails inside body.

Embroidery
With MC, embroider face, then duplicate stitch or embroider heart.

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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.