Fancy Bunny

Description:  This Fancy Bunny decoration is so cute, I decided it was time to share it. This Macrame pattern was originally written in 1978, by Judy Palmer. It is more complex than the Easter Bunny listed in the Kid’s section.  This Easter Bunny has long ears, fuzzy cheeks, and a bowtie.  The finished size is approximately 32 inches tall.

This project is rated Moderate, but can be made by beginners who have some experience with the decorative knots used in this pattern.

• 6mm White Cord, Twisted Style (120 yards)
• 6mm Pink Cord, Braided Style (20 yards)
• One 8-inch Ring
• Two 5-inch Rings
• Two wire coat hangers (ears)
• 2 round Beads for the eyes (25mm)
• 1 Oval Bead for the nose (32 x 22mm)
• 24 Barrel Beads (15 to 16mm)
• 3 Chenille Stems (whiskers)
• Ribbon Bow
• Red Felt (tongue)
• Project Board and Pins (optional, but recommended)

• Larks Head Knot (reverse variation)
• Double Half Hitch (DHH)
• Alternating Square Knots (ASK)
• Barrel Knot
• Square Knot (SK)

Cutting Instructions:

• Cut 8 Pink cords, each 2½ yards long (90 inches)
• Cut 4 white cords, each 5½ yards long
• Cut 4 white cords, each 7 yards long
• Cut 4 white cords, each 3 yards long
• Cut 12 white cords, each 1½ yards long (54 inches)
• Cut 1 white cord, 12 inches long
• Cut 1 white cord, 36 inches long

Step 1:  Prepare all the cords with glue or tape to prevent unraveling as you tie the knots.

Creating the Ears

Step 2:  Cut off the hook from one of the metal hangers.  Squeeze it together so it forms the shape of the Fancy Bunny’s ear.  The area where the hook was removed will be at the bottom.

Step 3:  Fold a 5½-yard white cord in half, and attach it just to the left of the top curve of the ear frame.  Use a reverse Larks Head knot, and add a Half Hitch with each end.  Do the same with a second cord, placing it to the right of the first one. 

Tie the first row of Alternating Square Knots with the four strands. There will be one knot, which will have two working cords and two fillers. 

Step 4: Fold 2 of the 7-yard white cords in half and mount them to the ear frame, too.  They should be placed to the right and left of the ones already present.  Use reverse Larks Head knots plus an extra Half Hitch to attach them.

Tie the next row of ASK, consisting of two knots.  Be sure to alternate the cords, and use four strands for each knot.

Step 5:  Mentally number the cords 1 thru 8.  Take one of the pink strands and add it to cords 4 and 5.  Center it under the two cords and make sure the ends are even.  Use the pink ones as the working cords, and tie a Square Knot.  The white cords are the fillers.

Note:  Whenever you are asked to add a cord, do so in this same manner.

Step 6:  Mentally re-number the cords 1 thru 10. Attach cords 1 and 2 as well as 10 and 9 to the sides of the ear frame.  Use Double Half Hitches. 

Bring the cords back inside the Fancy Bunny's ear frame.  Don’t use the pink strands.  Tie a Square Knot using the four white cords on the right.  Tie another SK with the remaining four white cords, on the left.

Step 7:  Fold two more of the pink cords in half.  Add one to each of the pink cords already present, following the instructions for step 5.  The only difference is that you will add the cords to 1 strand rather than 2. 

Step 8:  Fold the last pink cord in half and add it onto the two pink strands in the center.  Attach it as you did in step 5. When you are finished, there should be 8 pink strands next to one another.  This will form the central section of the Fancy Bunny's ear. The white ones should rest beside them, to form the right and left edges of the ear.

Step 9:  Mentally number the cords 1 thru 16.  The pinks should be 5 thru 12. Attach cords 1 and 2 as well as 15 and 16 to the sides of the ear frame, with DHH. 

Tie a right-facing (Mirror) SK with cords 3 thru 6.  Tie a left-facing SK with cords 11 thru 14.  These knots should line up with the SK you tied in step 8, when you added the last pink cord.

Tip:  If necessary, spread the frame apart slightly as you work on the Fancy Bunny's ears, so the knots don’t bunch up.

Step 10: Bring all the cords inside the ear frame.  Tie a row of 4 ASK, using both white and pink cords.

Step 11: Repeat step 9.

Step 12: Repeat steps 10 and 9 five more times.  End on a row that consists of 4 ASK.

Step 13:  Attach cords 1 and 2 as well as 15 and 16 to the frame with DHH.
Tie one ASK with cords 7 thru 10 (all pink). 

Tie a right-facing SK with cords 3, 4, 7, and 8.  Bypass pink cords 5 and 6. 

Tie a left-facing SK with cords 9, 10, 13, and 14.  Bypass pink cords 11 and 12.

The pink cords you bypassed will not be used for the remainder of the Fancy Bunny's ear.  Direct them to the back of the ear and work them into the back of the SK to hold them in place.  Apply glue and allow it to dry before moving on.

Step 14: Re-number the remaining cords, 1 thru 12.  Tie the next row of ASK so it consists of one white knot, a pink knot, and another white one.

Attach cords 1 and 2 as well as 11 and 12 to the frame, with DHH.

Tie two ASK with the remaining 8 strands.

Step 15:  Repeat step 14.

Step 16:  Bring all the cords inside the frame.  Attach all the white strands to the top of the 8-inch ring, with DHH.  Direct the pink cords to the back of the Fancy Bunny's ear and secure them like you did the others. 

Step 17:  Repeat steps 2 thru 16 to make the second ear.

Designing the Face

Step 18:  Fold 2 of the 3-yard white cords in half and mount them to the ring between the ears.  Use a reverse Larks Head knot, plus a Half Hitch with each end, to mount the cords. 

Mount one 3-yard white cord to the right of the ones that came from the ears.  Do the same on the left.

Step 19:  Mentally number the cords 1 thru 24.  Create the face for your Fancy Bunny following the instructions below:

Row 1:  Tie 2 ASK using cords 9 – 12 and 13 – 16.

Row 2:  Tie 3 ASK using cords 7 – 10, 11 – 14, and 15 – 18.

Row 3:  Tie 4 ASK using cords 5 – 8, 9 – 12, 13 – 16, and 17 – 20.

Row 4:  Tie 5 ASK using cords 3 – 6, 7 – 10, 11 – 14, 15 – 18, and 19 – 22.

Row 5:  Tie one SK with cords 1 – 4.  Skip past cord 5.  Attach the bead for the Fancy Bunny's left eye by sliding it over cords 6 and 7. 

Skip past cord 8. Tie two SK with cords 9 – 12 and 13 – 16.  Skip past cord 17.  Attach the right eye bead to cords 18 and 19.

Skip past cord 20.  Tie one SK with cords 21 – 24.

Row 6: Attach cords 1 and 2 to the left side of the ring, with DHH.  Tie a SK with cords 3 – 5, using only one filler cord.

Skip past cords 6 and 7.  Tie a SK with cords 8 – 10 (one filler).  Tie the next SK with cords 11 – 14 (2 fillers). 

Tie a SK with cords 15 – 17 (one filler).  Skip past cords 18 and 19.

Tie a SK with cords 20 – 22 (one filler).  Attach cords 24 and 23 to the ring with DHH.

Row 7:  Bring all the cords inside the ring.  Tie the first SK in this row with 1 – 4.  Skip past cords 5 – 8. 

Tie the next two SK with cords 9 – 12 and 13 – 16. 

Skip past cords 17 – 20.  Tie the last SK with cords 21 – 24.

Row 8: Attach cords 1 and 2 to the ring with DHH.  Do the same with cords 23 and 24.  Using the remaining cords, tie the ASK using four strands per knot.  There will be a total of five knots.

Row 9:  Tie a row of 6 ASK using all the cords.

Rows 10 and 11:  First repeat row 8, then row 9.

Row 12:  Tie 5 ASK using cords 3 thru 22.

Row 13:  Tie 4 ASK using cords 5 – 8, 9 – 12, 13 – 16, and 17 – 20.

Row 14:  Tie 3 ASK using cords 7 – 10, 11 – 14, and 15 – 18.

Step 20:  Attach all the cords for the face to the bottom of the ring with DHH. 

Making the Fuzzy Cheeks

Step 23: Mentally number the cords 1 thru 12.  Follow these instructions to tie the rows of ASK to fill in the ring:

Row 1:  Tie a SK with cords 5 thru 8.

Row 2: Tie the ASK with cords 3 – 6 and 7 – 10.

Row 3: Use cords 1 – 4, 5 – 8, and 9 – 12 to make the ASK.

Row 4: Attach cords 1 and 2 as well as 11 and 12 to the ring, using DHH.  Tie 2 ASK with the remaining 8 cords.

Row 5:  Use all the cords to tie 3 ASK, after bringing them all back inside the ring.

Row 6:  Repeat row 4.

Row 7: Repeat row 5. 

Row 8:  Use cords 3 – 6 and 7 – 10 to tie the ASK.
 
Row 9: Tie one ASK with cords 5 thru 8.  Attach all the cords to the bottom of the ring, with DHH.

Step 24:  Repeat steps 22 and 23 to make the second cheek for your Fancy Bunny.

Step 25:  Cut the white cord into 6-inch lengths.  Attach them with Larks Head knots between the SK making up the cheeks.  Trim the cords as needed, and brush until the cheeks are soft and fluffy.

Use scrap cord to attach the cheeks to the lower part of the Fancy Bunny's face.  Make sure the knots you tie end up in the back.

Finishing Touches

Step 26:  Pass the 12-inch white cord through the oval bead, which is the nose of the Fancy Bunny.  Attach it to the face between the cheeks, by passing it through spaces in the face.  Tie a tight SK in the back to secure it.

Step 27:  Cut a few more 6-inch white cords and attach them to the Fancy Bunny’s forehead area.  Use Larks Head knots to attach them.  Trim and brush the ends until they are soft and fluffy.

Step 28:  Cut a 12-inch piece of scrap cord and direct it through spaces in the face just above the nose.  In the back of the Fancy Bunny, make an Overhand knot in each portion, so it goes around the lower part of the ear frames.  This will hold the ears upright.  Apply glue to the knots and trim off any excess.

Step 29:  Make a tongue from the red felt and place it between the cheeks. Apply glue to secure it.

Step 30:  Thread the chenille stems through the nose for the whiskers.
Decorate the fringe with a bow.  Bend the ears into shape, so the pink part is towards the back of the frame.  Use a piece of scrap cord to make a loop in the back, so you can hang your Fancy Bunny on a wall.