My family recently celebrated my son H’s first birthday. I can hardly believe that my bitty baby is a year old—and walking!—but I was warned that this first year would fly by. It seems like just yesterday we were celebrating baby’s first Easter, and here I am thinking about his second go-round.
Last year planning his basket was easy because, let’s face it, newborns have simple interests: milk, mommy and daddy, and ceiling fans. This year I’m dealing with a toddler who has actual opinions. His likes and dislikes are still not overly complicated, but I want to make sure that whatever the Easter bunny brings will make him smile. This year I think I’m going to take a cue from Deborah Bagley and her Zoo Crew eBook and weave up a little bunny for my little buddy.
If you’ve not heard of the Zoo Crew yet, you are in for a treat. They are a ragtag team of adorable animals designed by Deborah Bagley who just happen to star in their own eBook by the same name. One of the Zoo Crew happens to be Hare-iet Hoppington, a delightful rabbit—with a removable carrot—who would look perfect sitting in a bed of Easter grass. Even better, if you're an All-Access Subcriber, Zoo Crew is included wiht your subsription and you can download you copy here.
Now, normally this is something I would mull over for all of 30 seconds before realizing that hey! I’ve got a full-time job and a toddler! When I’m not working, I like to spend time with my family, which means things that involve time and concentration such as weaving are often put aside. These projects, however, are different. They’re made entirely from pin-loom squares, each of which take a grand total of 20 minutes (for me) to warp, weave, and finish. They’re also joined with simple whipstitching and double overcast stitches that are similarly quick. Oh, and there’s no cutting up your squares—every shape comes from clover rolling, folding, or cinching.
All of this means I can weave and sew this little bunny rabbit in my few moments of free time in between the demands of my busy life. I can weave a square while I watch H play at the park or when his Dad is giving him his daily bath. I can join squares absentmindedly while watching a late night movie. In a moment I can easily stop weaving, leave the loom alone, and then come back days later without having to think too hard about where I left off. It’s perfect for a working parent.
The eBook features 12 adorable projects for every level of weaver, including those who are completely new to the craft. All you need is a pin loom, some yarn, and you’re ready to have fun! Also, if you want to see how the handwoven bunny turned out, check out this post!_
Happy Weaving!
Christina
PS: Since this post was originally published back in 2018, Deborah designed a new duo of bunnies which are easier to weave than her original—although they are just as cute! You can find them in the Winter 2023 issue of Easy Weaving with Little Looms. If you're a subscriber, you can access the digital issue here.
*Deborah's Bunny Buddies from the Winter 2023 issue.
Originally posted February 28, 2018. Updated February 20, 2024.