Knitted Bunny from a Square

Instructions

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1. 1Knitting the squareCast on 30 sts. Rows 1-60: k every row (garter stitch, 30 ridges). Bind off loosely, leaving a 40 cm tail for sewing. Measure the piece: it should be a square of about 16 x 16 cm; if needed, add or remove 2 rows at a time before binding off.
2. 2Making a tubeLay the square in front of you with the bound-off edge at the top. Fold it in half vertically so the two side edges meet and sew them together from top to bottom with the tail to make a tube. Turn the tube so the seam is at the center back. The lower half of the tube (8 cm) will be the body, the upper half the head and ears.
3. 3Separating the earsFlatten the tube with the seam at the center back. Sew the top (bound-off) edge closed through both layers in a straight line. Then, starting at the exact center of the top edge, backstitch a vertical line 4.5 cm down through both layers. This seam divides the top into two ears; do not stuff the ears.
4. 4Stuffing the head and bodyThread a long strand through the stitches along the ridge at the exact middle of the tube (about row 30) as a gathering thread, leaving both ends outside. Through the bottom opening, stuff the head up to just below the ear seam, then pull the gathering thread tight and knot it twice to form the neck; hide the ends inside. Then stuff the body and close the base by gathering a strand threaded through the bottom edge.
5. 5Face and tailWith black yarn, embroider the eyes on the front of the head about 2 cm above the neck, 1.5 cm apart, as small dots of 3-4 stitches. With pink yarn, embroider a small V nose centered between and slightly below the eyes. For the tail, cast on 6 sts, knit 8 rows of garter stitch and bind off; gather the edges into a small ball and sew it to the lower back.
6. 6FinishingYou can round the outer top corners of the ears slightly inward with a few stitches. Weave all ends into the body. Shape the bunny by pressing with a damp cloth and let it dry; if made in cotton, it can be washed at 30 °C.