How to Make a Soft Sculpture of a Bunny
Soft sculpture is a practical art form. Deriving from a 19th century German fabric method for cloth sculpture, soft sculpture has found a revitalized market in the craft industry. Popular soft sculptures include dolls and animals of all kinds. A bunny soft sculpture is a delightful sewing project.
Things You'll Need
- Seamless pantyhose, feet cut off
- Thread
- Long needle (soft sculpture, beading or quilting)
- Polyester fiberfill
- Straight pins
- Stuffing stick (dowel rod)
- Tweezers
Instructions
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1
Cut a 9-inch tube of pantyhose leg (body/head).
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2
Cut a second 9-inch tube of pantyhose leg. Cut this into four equal parts (ears and arms).
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3
Cut a third 9-inch section tube of pantyhose leg. Cut it in half. Cut a 1-inch wide by 2-inch long square from the top right corner of each half (legs).
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4
Sew the top of the 9-inch body/head section closed. Turn inside out, stuff, filling the leg but not tightly stuffed. Sew bottom of the tube closed.
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5
Squeeze to form an appropriate-sized neck in comparison with the stuffing of the head and lower body portion. Sew through and around the neck, pulling thread tight. Set aside.
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6
Sew three sides closed on each of the four pieces that you're using for the ears and arms, leaving an open bottom on each tube. Turn inside out.
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7
Stuff the four tubes. Turn edges inside the open bottoms. Pin. Sew closed. Set aside.
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8
Sew the two legs, leaving a 1-inch gap on each bottom. Use the tweezers to turn inside out. Stuff. Sew the 1-inch gap closed. These are the thigh/feet of each leg. Set aside.
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9
Choose two of the four little squares to be ears. Sew three straight lines vertically, using a straight stitch, in the center of each "ear," leaving 1/2 inch of stuffed pantyhose above and under the stitching.
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10
Create a well in the stuffing through the pantyhose with your finger on the two "ear spots". Pin ears into wells. Sew into place, using small, tight stitches.
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11
Use the two remaining little squares as arms. Sew four "finger"-type paw separations on one end of each arm. Sew the other end of the arms to the bunny "arm spots." Keep stitches under the arm against the body.
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12
Sew three paw separations in the narrow end of the thighs/feet. Sew back center of the thigh/feet (leg), attaching it by sewing to the side of the bunny "leg spots." Keep stitches under the legs.
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13
Squeeze a ball of stuffing inside pantyhose on the backside for the tail. Sew, with a running stitch, in a circle around the ball. Pull thread tight, forming a tail.
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14
Create the face by sewing five stitches in each eye spot. Form a small ball from stuffing beneath the pantyhose on the "nose spot." Sew a running stitch in a circle around the ball. Pull thread tight, securing stitches around nose. Sew a mouth by stitching a line beneath the nose.
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Tips & Warnings
A pom-pom may be substituted for a tail. Use a variety of pantyhose colors for different bunnies.
