Gingerbread Bakery Bunny is a soft knitted bunny toy wearing a gingerbread–inspired dress with a brown yoke and cream skirt, tiny brown Mary Jane shoes, a cream crossbody bakery bag, and a little gingerbread cookie in one paw.
Please note: I strive for accuracy in every pattern, but occasional errors can happen. Thank you for understanding and for enjoying my designs.
Materials
- Fingering or 4-ply wool or wool-blend yarn (tight gauge for toys)
- A: Light caramel / biscuit (bunny body, head, ears, arms, legs)
- B: Warm gingerbread brown (feet/shoes, dress yoke, skirt motif, cookie)
- C: Soft cream (dress skirt, bag)
- D: White or off-white scrap (icing details on cookie and dress motif)
- Set of US 2 (2.75 mm) double-pointed needles or long circular for magic loop
- Tapestry needle
- Stitch markers and waste yarn
- Polyester fiberfill
- 2 safety eyes, 6–8 mm black
- A little dark brown or black embroidery thread for nose and mouth
Work at a firm gauge so stuffing does not show through the fabric.
Abbreviations (US Terms)
- CO – cast on
- BO – bind off
- k – knit
- p – purl
- kfb – knit front and back (increase 1)
- m1 – make one (lifted or bar increase)
- k2tog – knit 2 together (right-leaning decrease)
- ssk – slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- rnd(s) – round(s)
- RS / WS – right side / wrong side
- pm / sm – place marker / slip marker
Unless stated, all pieces are worked in the round.
Gauge & Finished Size
- Approx. 28 sts x 36 rows = 4 in (10 cm) in stockinette in the round with US 2 needles.
- Finished bunny stands about 9–10 in (23–25 cm) tall when stuffed.
Adjust needle size if needed to obtain a firm fabric.
Construction Overview
- Bunny: Legs and body are worked in one piece from the feet upward. Head is shaped directly above the body. Arms and ears are knitted separately and sewn on.
- Shoes are integrated into the legs using the gingerbread brown yarn.
- Dress is a separate tube dress, worked in the round from hem to top, then slipped onto the bunny before arms are attached.
- Bag and cookie are small separate accessories that can be sewn or tacked in place.
Stuff firmly but keep the toy squeezable.
Bunny
Legs (make 2)
With B (brown), CO 8 sts. Distribute over needles for knitting in the round, join, and pm for beginning of rnd.
Feet
Rnd 1: kfb around – 16 sts
Rnd 2: (k1, kfb) around – 24 sts
Rnd 3–5: k around
Rnd 6: (k3, k2tog) around – 20 sts
Change to A (bunny color).
Rnd 7: k around
Rnd 8: (k3, kfb) around – 25 sts
Rnd 9–18: k around (straight leg tube, about 2¾–3 in / 7–7.5 cm)
Cut yarn for the first leg and place sts on waste yarn. Do not stuff yet. Work the second leg the same way but do not cut yarn; this will be your working leg.
Stuff the feet firmly and the lower part of the legs lightly.
Body
Hold both legs side by side so toes face the same direction.
With working yarn A still attached to the second leg:
Rnd 1 (join legs):
Knit across 25 sts of second leg, CO 4 sts using backward loop, knit across 25 sts of first leg from waste yarn, CO 4 sts.
You now have 58 sts around the hips. Pm for new beginning of rnd at the center back between the two CO sections.
Rnd 2–7: k around (straight lower body)
Waist and chest shaping
Rnd 8: (k7, k2tog) around – 52 sts
Rnd 9–11: k around
Rnd 12: (k6, k2tog) around – 46 sts
Rnd 13–15: k around
Rnd 16: (k5, k2tog) around – 40 sts
Rnd 17–18: k around
Begin stuffing the body as you work, firm at the base so she stands well.
Rnd 19: (k3, k2tog) around – 32 sts
Rnd 20: k around – this is the top of the chest and base of the neck.
Head
Rnd 21 (increase for head): (k3, m1) around – 40 sts
Rnd 22: (k4, m1) around – 48 sts
Rnd 23–32: k around (about 3 cm / 1¼ in of straight head)
Insert safety eyes between rnds 28–29, about 6 sts apart, centered over the front of the body. Begin stuffing the head firmly, adding more as you shape.
Head decreases
Rnd 33: (k4, k2tog) around – 40 sts
Rnd 34: k around
Rnd 35: (k3, k2tog) around – 32 sts
Rnd 36: k around
Rnd 37: (k2, k2tog) around – 24 sts
Rnd 38: (k1, k2tog) around – 16 sts
Rnd 39: (k2tog) around – 8 sts
Add any final stuffing needed to get a smooth, rounded head.
Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull tight to close, and secure inside.
Embroider a small triangular nose with dark thread centered between the eyes, just below them, then add a short vertical line and two curved sides for the smiling mouth.
Arms (make 2)
With A, CO 8 sts. Join in the round.
Rnd 1: kfb around – 16 sts
Rnd 2–4: k around
Rnd 5: (k2, k2tog) around – 12 sts
Rnd 6: k around
Lightly stuff the hand.
Rnd 7–16: k around for a slim arm (length roughly matching leg from ankle to mid-thigh).
Rnd 17: (k2tog) around – 6 sts
Cut yarn, draw through remaining sts, pull tight, and secure. You may add a tiny bit of stuffing into the lower arm, leaving the upper arm softer so it bends.
Make a second arm in the same way.
Ears (make 2)
Worked flat in A.
CO 8 sts.
Row 1 (WS): purl
Row 2 (RS): knit
Row 3: k1, kfb, k to last 2 sts, kfb, k1 – 10 sts
Row 4: purl
Row 5: k1, kfb, k to last 2 sts, kfb, k1 – 12 sts
Rows 6–16: work in stockinette (RS knit, WS purl)
Ear tip shaping
Row 17 (RS): k1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1 – 10 sts
Row 18: purl
Row 19: k1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1 – 8 sts
Row 20: purl
Row 21: k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1 – 6 sts
Row 22: purl
Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull tight, and secure. Fold the lower edge of the ear slightly into a shallow curve and stitch to hold that shape.
Make a second ear.
Clothing
Gingerbread Dress
The dress is worked in the round from hem to top. It pulls on from the feet before arms are attached.
With B (brown), CO 84 sts. Join in the round carefully and pm for beginning.
Rnd 1–4: k around in B (brown hem band)
Lower motif band
Carry C (cream) for contrast.
Rnd 5: k4 B, k1 C around
Rnd 6: k all sts in B
Rnd 7: repeat rnd 5
Rnd 8: k all sts in B
Drop C. Change to C (cream) for the main skirt.
Rnd 9–22: k around in C (smooth flared skirt)
Waist shaping
Rnd 23: (k5, k2tog) around – 72 sts
Rnd 24–26: k around
Rnd 27: (k4, k2tog) around – 60 sts
Rnd 28–30: k around
Change back to B (brown) for the bodice/yoke.
Rnd 31–34: k around in B
Yoke zigzag
Introduce D (white) or use C (cream) again if preferred.
Rnd 35: k3 B, k1 D around
Rnd 36: k all sts in B
Rnd 37: repeat rnd 35
Rnd 38: k all sts in B
Rnd 39–40: k around in B.
BO all sts loosely.
Weave in all dress ends neatly on the WS.
The finished dress should fit smoothly over the bunny’s body, with the brown yoke sitting just under the base of the neck and the cream skirt reaching just above the shoes. Set the dress aside until assembly.
Integrated Mary Jane Shoe Look
Because the feet are already worked in B, you only need to add a strap detail.
With B and a tapestry needle, use duplicate stitch across the instep of each foot:
- Make a small horizontal line of stitches from inner to outer side.
- Add a single vertical stitch at the outer edge to suggest a button.
This creates the appearance of classic Mary Jane shoes with a strap.
Accessories
Crossbody Bakery Bag
With C (cream), work flat.
CO 10 sts.
Rows 1–14: knit every row (garter stitch rectangle).
Fold the piece so cast-on edge meets row 10, leaving rows 11–14 as the flap.
Sew sides of rows 1–10 together using mattress stitch.
Flap shaping
Row 15 (RS): k2, k2tog, k2, ssk, k2 – 8 sts
Row 16: knit
Row 17: k1, k2tog, k2, ssk, k1 – 6 sts
Row 18: knit
BO all sts. Weave in ends.
Strap
With C, CO 3 sts and work i-cord for 9–10 in (23–25 cm). BO, then sew each end of the cord to the inner top corners of the bag opening.
The bag should hang diagonally across the bunny from one shoulder to the opposite hip.
Tiny Gingerbread Cookie
With B (brown), work flat.
CO 6 sts.
Row 1 (WS): purl
Row 2 (RS): kfb, k2, kfb, k2 – 8 sts
Row 3: purl
Row 4: k1, kfb, k2, kfb, k3 – 10 sts (forming the head and arms width)
Row 5: purl
Row 6: k2tog, k1, k2tog, k2, ssk, k1, ssk – 8 sts
Row 7: purl
Row 8: k1, k2tog, k2, ssk, k1 – 6 sts
Row 9: purl
Row 10: k2tog, k2, ssk – 4 sts
BO all sts. Weave in ends.
Lightly stuff if you want a plump cookie, or leave flat. Using D (white), embroider:
- Two small French-knot eyes
- A curved smile
- Three small dots down the torso for icing buttons
- Optional little lines at hands and feet for cuff icing.
Finishing & Assembly
- Stuffing check
Make sure head and body are smoothly stuffed, with extra firmness at the base so she stands. Adjust stuffing through the neck if needed before closing everything fully. - Attach ears
Pin ears on top of the head, fairly close together, standing upright as in the photo. Sew them down using A, slightly curving each ear so it tilts inward a little at the top. - Dress the bunny
Slide the gingerbread dress up from the feet, ease it over the widest part of the hips, and position the brown yoke so it sits just under the head. - Attach arms
With the dress already on, position each arm at the sides of the body, about level with the bottom edge of the brown yoke. Stitch the top of each arm firmly to the body through both arm and body fabric, taking care not to catch too many dress stitches so the dress can still move a little. - Add bag
Place the bag strap diagonally across the chest, from one shoulder to the opposite hip, matching the position from the photo. Stitch the strap lightly at the shoulder and a couple of points along the body so it stays in place. Let the bag rest against the side of the dress. - Attach cookie
Place the gingerbread cookie in one paw. Either sew the cookie directly to the hand or pass one small stitch through both the cookie edge and the bunny’s paw to secure it so it looks like she is holding it. - Final shaping
Gently roll the bunny between your hands to smooth any lumps. Check that the head, ears, and body stand straight, adjust the skirt so it hangs evenly all around, and tidy any loose yarn ends.
Your Gingerbread Bakery Bunny is ready to stand on a kitchen shelf or beside a plate of real cookies, with her tiny crossbody bag and smiling gingerbread cookie in hand.
