I made two little bunny dresses for my toddlers, and I’m still not over how cute they turned out. My little ones are completely obsessed with bunnies. They have bunny stuffed animals, bunny pajamas, you name it. For Easter, I wanted to make something special for them. I found a lovely pattern for a mouse dress and decided to adapt it. This project was so much fun, and the result was absolutely adorable. The girls squealed when they saw their new outfits. Seeing their faces light up made every stitch worth it. This guide will show you how to make your very own bunny dress. It’s a simple project, perfect for a quiet afternoon.
Gathering Your Sewing Supplies
Before you start, you’ll need a few things. Here is a list of what you’ll need for one dress. I doubled everything since I was making a pair.
- Grey Cord Fabric: About 1.5 meters, but this depends on the dress size.
- Contrasting Lining Fabric: Get the same amount as the cord fabric.
- Fabric Scraps: You’ll need small pieces of black and pink for the face and ears.
- Bondaweb: This is great for attaching the small face pieces.
- Pink Thread: This will be for the whiskers and other small details.
- Two Pink Buttons: These will go on the shoulders.
- Grey Wool: For making a fluffy pom-pom tail.
I started by printing and cutting out my dress pattern. Then, I cut two front pieces and two back pieces from both the grey cord and the lining fabric. I made sure the grain of the cord fabric ran down the length of the dress. The pattern has a slightly lower neckline at the front.
Making the Bunny Paws Pockets
Next up were the pockets, which double as the bunny’s paws. This part is so sweet. I cut two oval shapes from the cord and two from the lining fabric. Each piece was about 9cm across.
- Sew each pocket with the right sides of the fabric together.
- Use a 1cm seam allowance.
- Leave a small gap at the bottom so you can turn it right-side out.
- Once turned, I ironed them flat.
Then, I cut out paw shapes from the pink fabric scraps. I attached Bondaweb to the back of the paw shapes. I carefully pressed them onto the pocket pieces. Finally, I sewed the pockets onto the front of the dress. I placed them near the bottom, allowing for the hem turn-up.
Creating the Bunny’s Sweet Face
Now for the face! This is where the dress really starts to show its personality. I cut two small oval shapes from the black fabric for the eyes. Using Bondaweb again, I ironed them into place on the front of the dress.
For the nose, I used a scrap of pink material. I cut out a small nose shape, attached the Bondaweb, and ironed it on. The whiskers came next. I marked three lines on each side of the nose with tailor’s chalk. Then, I stitched over the lines with my sewing machine using the pink thread. It was surprisingly easy to do.
Adding the Floppy Bunny Ears
After the face was done, I moved on to the ears. I cut ear shapes from the pink fabric. I attached Bondaweb to the back of the fabric pieces. Then I ironed the ears into place. I positioned them right near the top edge of the dress front. This placement is important for how they look later. The whole process felt like bringing a little character to life on the fabric.
Assembling Your Bunny Dress
With all the decorations done, it was time to sew the dress together. I placed the front and back cord pieces side by side. I sewed them with the right sides of the fabric facing each other. I used a 1cm seam allowance.
I did the same for the lining pieces but sewed the opposite sides together. After pressing the seams open, I pinned both the main dress and the lining together, right sides facing. I sewed along the neck and armholes. I snipped the curved edges to help them lie flat. Then I turned the dress right-side out and gave it a good press. The final part of this step was sewing the remaining open sides together.
Finishing Touches for a Perfect Dress
We are almost there! Along the bottom of the dress, I turned the fabric up twice. This created a 1cm hem. I sewed it in place to keep the edge from fraying.
Next, I attached the buttons. I put the button on the back piece of the dress shoulder strap. The buttonhole went on the front strap. This setup helps the ears stand up nicely. It stops half the ear from getting lost in the shoulder seam. It’s a small detail that makes a big difference.
The final touch was the pom-pom tail. I tacked it onto the back of the dress, right around the bum line. And just like that, the project was complete. Creating these two little bunny dresses was such a joyful experience.
