How To Make My "Prim Me A Bunny, Mitzy!" Primitive Bunny & Free E-Pattern

What could be better than stories about bunnies, reading, and libraries?  Not much as far as I'm concerned.  Well, maybe add dolls, Victorian dresses and history...lol

"Peter Prim Tail!" and his sister, "Prim Me A Bunny, Mitzy!" are on their way to read to the "bunny kids" at the "Great Bunny Library." 

They love to be involved in their bunny community and volunteered to read to the younger bunnies at the weekly story hour. 

Maybe we should say, that "Prim Me A Bunny, Mitzy!" thought it would be a wonderful idea for her and her brother, "Peter Prim Tail!" to read to all the younger bunnies. Leave it to sisters to decide for their younger brothers...lol 

Peter, on the other hand, would rather be out teaching the younger bunny boys any variety of sports. Hopping, jumping, skipping, relay races, leap frogging, hurdle jumping - that's his thing. 

Reading is really Mitzy's thing. But, Mitzy asked him ever so sweetly, so how could he say "no!" He couldn't, so they're off to the "Great Bunny Library" to read to the kids. 

They're only problem is what should they read?

"Peter Prim Tail!" has decided that he wants to read the bunny kids some of his favorite comic books.

His sister, Mitzy, doesn't consider comic books real books, but Peter feels that to get the "bunny boys", in particular, interested in reading that he should read them something to hold their interest. 

And, "Peter Rabbit" and "Alice In Wonderland" are just not going to hold their attention. At least, he doesn't think so. 

Mitzy is not so sure. She loves the classics and thinks the "bunny kids" will too. Even the boys. 

But, Peter is her brother and is being so nice about reading to the "bunny kids" she doesn't want to upset that. 

So, she'll let Peter win this battle. At least for this week's story hour.

Peter and Mitzy had so much fun with the kids I thought you all might like to learn how I made them. 

So, I decided to tell you so you could make some Peter and Mitzy bunnies of your own and read some books to your own children or even take them with you when you're reading at the local library. I'm sure the kids will love them, too.

"Prim Me A Bunny, Mitzy!" is a 20" primitive cloth bunny with an embroidered face with two button eyes. Her nose is zig-zag embroidered with black floss and her mouth is outlined with a back stitch in black floss. Her eyebrows and eyelashes are straight stitched with black floss, her cheeks are blushed, and she has freckles and whiskers. Her ears are wired and bendable and she has cloth flower print inner ears. She is wearing her favorite primitive outfit. Her bloomers are fringed and gathered at the waist and are stitched with the seams on the outside with the edges being pinked. Her dress is fringed and gathered at the waist and neck edge. The collar of her dress is a crochet doily and there is a ribbon bow on the top of her head. A fringed apron is wrapped around her waist and tied in a knot in the back. A floral ribbon decorates the center of the apron's waistband. She is wearing her favorite scrunched socks.

Designer - Linda Walsh Originals

Here's how I made Mitzy:  

Supplies Needed…..         

1/2 Yard Muslin Fabric (for body, arms and legs)

1/4 Yard Fabric (for shirt and inner ear)

1/4 Yard Fabric (for pants) 

1/4 Yard Fabric (for pant ties, pockets, and bandanna)

Poly-fil (for body, arms and legs)

1/4” 2-Hole White Buttons (for eyes)  - 2

Micron Pigma  Marker (for freckles)  - Brown

Pipe Cleaners (for ears)  - 2

Blush 

DMC Embroidery Floss—Black 

Glue Sticks and Glue Gun

Upholstery Thread and Sewing Thread

Linda Walsh Originals - LW206 “Prim Me A Bunny, Mitzy!” – 20” Primitive Bunny Doll Pattern Instructions 

IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE BEGINNING.

1.  All seam allowances are ¼” unless otherwise stated.

2.  RST = Right Sides Together                   WST = Wrong Sides Together          WS = Wrong Side

3.  RSO = Right Sides Out                          WSO = Wrong Sides Out                  RS = Right Side

4.  Clip all curves and corners.                                 

5.  Glue is hot glue unless otherwise noted.

6.  Iron fabric pieces and seams as required.  Seam edges should be ironed flat.

7.  Trace all pattern pieces onto tracing paper or tissue paper, or use the enclosed pattern pieces directly.  

Trim seams as required with pinking shears.

Cut all fabric pieces outside the black lines shown on the pattern.  

BODY, HEAD and LEGS:   Cut the doll’s body (front and back) and legs out of the muslin fabric, as indicated on the pattern pieces.   

Mark the Points A on the body (front and back) where indicated in the body (front and back) pattern for the arm placement (See Diagram #1).  

Lightly trace the doll’s eyelashes, eyebrows, nose and mouth onto the muslin piece using the a pencil (See Diagram #1)a.   

Do not trace the #’s and eyes.  They are there only to indicate where the eyes and blush placed should be applied, later on in the pattern.   

The face will be embroidered later in this pattern.  

   

With WST turn the bottom edge of the body (front) under 1/4” and stitch (See Diagram #1a).  

Do not turn the bottom edge of the body (back) under (See Diagram #1a).  

With RST sew the body (front and back) together along the side seam leaving the side seams open between the two Points B (See Diagram #1a). 

Clip the shoulder curves and all along the head (See Diagram #1a).  

Turn the body (front and back) RSO (See Diagram #1a).    

With RST sew the legs together along the side seams (See Diagram #1b).    

Leave the body edge open for stuffing, as indicated in the leg pattern.   

Clip all curves and turn RSO (See Diagram #1b).   

Stuff the legs with poly-fill to the stuff to here line, as indicated in the leg pattern (See Diagram #1b). 

Don’t stuff the legs too tightly.  

With RST position the legs on the body (back) along the leg placement lines indicated in the body (front and back) pattern and stitch (See Diagram #1c).  

The body edge of the back of the legs and bottom edge of the body (back) should be RST and even, and the feet should be facing away from the body (back) (See Diagram #1c).  

Make sure the feet will be facing in the right direction when the doll is righted  (See Diagram #1c).  

Hand or machine sew the bottom edge of the body (front) to the bottom edge of the body (back) (See Diagram #1c)

Stuff the body firmly with poly-fil and then hand stitch the opening in the side seams between the Points B closed with upholstery thread  (See Diagram #1d). 

ARMS:   Cut the arms out of the muslin fabric, as indicated on the pattern piece.  

With RST sew the arms together along the side seams (See Diagram #2a).   

Leave the body edge open for stuffing.   

Clip the curves and turn RSO (See Diagram #2a).  

Stuff the arms with poly-fill to the stuff to here line, as indicated in the arm pattern (See Diagram #2a).  

Don’t stuff the arms too tightly.   

With WST fold the body edge of the arms under ¼” and machine stitch closed (See Diagram #2b).  

With RST position the arms on the shoulders of the body between Points A of the body (front) and Point A of the body (back) as indicated in the body pattern.  

Hand-stitch the body edge of the arms to the body (front and back) with upholstery thread (See Diagram #2b).  

The arms should be hanging down the sides of the doll.   

EARS:    Cut the ears out of the muslin fabric  and the inner ears out of the same fabric as you will using for the shirt, as indicated on the pattern pieces. 

 

Pin the WS of one of the inner ears to the RS of one of the ear pieces so that the inner ear is centered within the ear (See Diagram #3a).  

Sew the WS of one of the inner ears to the RS of one of the ears sewing 1/8” away from the edges of the inner ear (See Diagram #3a).   

Do the same with the other inner ear piece and one of the other ear pieces.  

With RST sew one of the ears with the inner ear attached to one of the ear pieces without the inner ear attached and then turn it RSO (See Diagram #3a).  

With RST sew the other ear with the inner ear attached to the other ear piece without the inner ear attached and then turn it RSO (See Diagram #3a).  

Fold each of the pipe cleaners in half.   Twist the ends of each to form a loop and insert one into one of the ears and one into the other ear (See Diagram #3a).  

Spread the pipe cleaners within the ears so that they are close to the side edges and away from the body edge.  

With WST turn the body edge of the ears under 1/4” (See Diagram #3b).  

Pin the head edge of the ears to the top of the head along the side seam leaving a spacing of about 1/4” in between (See Diagram #3b).   

Using the upholstery thread sew the body edge of the ears to the top of the head with small blind stitches (See Diagram #3b).  

Bend the ears forward (See Diagram #3b).  

 

FACE:  You are going to embroider most of the face with 2 strands of the DMC Embroidery floss.

Make sure that when you embroider the dolls face the beginning and ending knots of the DMC Embroidery floss will be on the back of the dolls back or neck and, eventually, covered by the top of the dolls shirt. 

 

Straight stitch the eyelashes, nose and eyebrows with two strands of the black DMC Embroidery floss (See Diagram #4).  

Backstitch the mouth with the black DMC Embroidery floss (See Diagram #4).   

Sew the 1/4” 2-hole white button for the eyes using the upholstery thread (See Diagram #4).  

Blush the cheeks with the blush (See Diagram #4).  

Apply freckles to the cheeks using the brown Micron Pigma Marker (See Diagram #4).  

You are going to create one area of whiskers on the cheeks with 4 strands of floss in it on the left hand side of the face and on the right hand side of the face.  

To do so thread 4 strands of the black DMC Embroidery floss into a needle.  

Tie a knot in the end of the strand about 1” away from the end.  

Insert the thread into the cheek area on the right hand side of the face.  

Pull the floss until the knot meets the cheek then take a small stitch and insert the needle into the same area, again, and come out around the same position on the cheek on the left hand side of the face.  

Take a stitch and then knot the black DMC Embroidery floss and trim it 1” away from your knot.  

BLOOMERS:    Cut the bloomers (front and back) out using pinking shears.  

Mark Point A on the bloomers (front and back) sections where indicated in the bloomers (front and back) pattern (See Diagram #5a).  

 

You are going to fray the bottom hem edge and top edge of the bloomers (front and back) before you sew the side seams.  

Fray the bottom hem edge of the bloomers (front and back) by pulling 5-6 pieces of horizontal thread out of the bottom hem edge (See Diagram #5a).  

Fray the top edge of the bloomers  (front and back) by pulling 5-6 pieces of horizontal thread out of the top edge (See Diagram #5a).  

With WST sew the side seams of the bloomers (front and back) (See Diagram #5a).  

With WST sew the bloomers (front and back) along the center seam to Point A, as indicated in the bloomers (front and back) pattern and then cut along the center seam line to Point A (See Diagram #5a).  

Put the bloomers on the doll (See Diagram #5b).  

Sew a gathering stitch with the black DMC Embroidery floss along the top edge of the bloomers.  

Gather the top edge of the bloomers to the waist of the doll, knot and tie in a bow in the front (See Diagram #5b).  

    

DRESS:     Make sure the dress bodice is cut out on a double fold.  

Mark the Points A where shown in the dress bodice (front and back) pattern (See Diagram #6a).  

Clip the dress bodice (front and back) between Point A on the left hand side of the dress bodice and Point A on the right hand side of the dress bodice to form the neck edge (See Diagram #6a).   

You are going to fray the bottom hem edge of the dress skirt (front and back) and sleeve hem edges of the dress bodice (front and back) before you sew the side seams.  

Fray the bottom hem edge of the dress skirt (front and back) by pulling 5-6 pieces of horizontal thread out of the bottom hem edge (See Diagram #6a).  

Fray the sleeve hem edge of the dress bodice (front and back) by pulling 5-6 pieces of vertical thread out of the sleeve hem edge (See Diagram #6a).  

  

With RST sew the side seams of the dress bodice (front and back) (See Diagram #6a).  

Clip the underarms and turn RSO (See Diagram #6a).  

 

 

With RST sew the center back seam of the dress skirt (front and back) (See Diagram #6b).  

Gather the dress bodice edge of the dress skirt (front and back) to fit the dress skirt edge of the dress bodice (front and back) (See Diagram #6c).  

With RST sew the dress bodice edge of the dress skirt (front and back) to the dress skirt edge of the dress bodice (front and back) (See Diagram #6c).  

Put the dress on the doll (See Diagram #6d).  

With WST turn the neck edge under 1/8” and sew a gathering stitch along the neck edge with the upholstery thread (See Diagram #6d).   

Gather the neck edge of the dress bodice until it is tight to the neck and then knot to secure (See Diagram #6d).   

Cut a piece slit in the center of the 4” doily so that it just fits around the top of the doll’s head.  

Put the 4” doily around the neck of the doll.  

With WST turn the edges of the slit under 1/4” and hot glue them to the neck edge of the doll (See Diagram #6d).   

   

APRON:  Mark the Points A on the apron waistband and ties piece.  

You are going to fray the top edge, bottom edges and side edges of the both the apron and apron waistband and ties before sewing the apron and waistband ties to the apron.  

Fray the top and bottom edges of the apron and apron and waistband ties by pulling 2-3 pieces of horizontal thread out of the bottom edge (See Diagram #7a).  

Fray the side edges of the apron and apron waistband and ties by pulling 2-3 pieces of vertical thread out of the side edges (See Diagram #7a).  

Sew a gathering stitch to the top edge of the apron between Points A (See Diagram #7a).  

Pin the RS of the top edge of the apron to the WS of the bottom edge of the apron waistband & ties and gather the top edge of the apron to match the bottom edge of the apron waistband & ties between Points A (See Diagram #7a).  

Sew the apron and apron waistband & ties between the Points A in a rectangle pattern.  

To do so start at Point A on the left hand side of the bottom edge of the apron waistband & ties and stitch 1/4” up from the bottom edge (See Diagram #7a).  

Turn the needle and stitch across the top edge until you are 1/4” above Point A on the right hand side of the apron waistband & ties (See Diagram #7a).  

Turn the needle and stitch down about 1/4” until reaching Point A on the right hand side of the bottom edge of the apron waistband & ties (See Diagram #7a).    

Turn the needle, again and stitch straight across the bottom edge of the apron ties until you  reach your starting point of Point A on the left hand side (See Diagram #7a).  

Wrap the apron around the waistline of the doll (See Diagram #7b).  

Tie the apron ties ends tightly in a knot in the back (See Diagram #7b). 

SOCKS:   You are going to create tube socks for the doll.  

To do so cut two 10” long by 5” wide sections out of the old socks and with RST sew the 10” long side (See Diagram #8a). 

Put the socks on the legs of the doll and scrunch them down to about 6” on each side with the center back seam in the back (See Diagram #8b).  

Hot glue the tops and bottom to hold the socks to the legs  (See Diagram #8b).

FINISHING:   Tie a bow in the 1/8” ribbon and then hot glue this to the top of the dolls head in between the ears (See Diagram #9).  

Hot glue the 3/4” ribbon floral to the center of the apron waistband & ties (See Diagram #9).

Congratulations! Prim Me A Bunny, Mitzy! Is done.

Copyright © 2005-2023 Linda Walsh Originals – Designs by Linda Walsh

  

Prim Me A Bunny, Mitzy's free e-pattern (see link below) contains the four pattern piece sheets at full size that you will need to cut out her pieces and make her. 

Prim Me A Bunny, Mitzy!, 20” Primitive Bunny Doll Free E-Pattern - Stout Series - Pattern Category - Skill Level - Beginner

To view and download my "Prim Me A Bunny, Mitzy!" free e-pattern (LW205) please CLICK HERE. You'll be brought to Google Drive where you can view my free e-pattern. Then just download my free .pdf e-pattern by clicking on the down arrow in the top center.  Or, just print off the four pattern pieces sheets at the end of the e-pattern.

For more information on all my free e-patterns, e-printables and e-books please CLICK HERE.

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