1. Not sure which Easter pattern to pick?
   

Sit back and relax… this blog post has you covered ~>

You’ll see the most popular patterns for different age groups and fabrics, a review of the features of each FFF Easter pattern…PLUS cute example photos posted for this year (and a few old favorites) to help you create a toy that’s perfectly ‘on trend’…or just perfect for you!

 

Before diving into the trends for this year, take a glance at this chart of all the Easter patterns:

There’s a Funky Friends Factory Easter pattern for EVERY sewing level ~> including 3 types of bunnies, 2 chicks, a duckling and a lamb. The different body styles mean there’s a toy perfect for every age and purpose.

• Need a gift for a teen or older child? Try Egghead Easter Chick, this year’s “cool kid” of the bunch.
• For a baby gift, Baby Bunny is the fastest, most popular option.
• And bigger kids and and keepsake makers like the Easter Bunny Buddies.

Read on for lots more info to help you pick the best patterns for your Easter baskets…

 

 

1. Baby Bunny Pattern: the original Funky Friend!

Baby Bunny was the very first Funky Friend over 20 years ago! Yep, he started it all. Baby Bunny is the smallest of the 3 rabbits, sized just right for infants and new baby gifts. You can make this toy entirely baby-safe by using easy hand embroidery for the face or sewing on felt features. Fleece is the easiest fabric for Baby Bunny, and it’s been the top choice for makers who have been posting their finished toys this year!📦📫

Paula Blevins uses the Baby Bunny Pattern to make toys for donation to a local charity. Here’s Paula’s adorable grandson posing with some Baby Bunny toys before they hopped off to the charity. These bunnies are sewn from fleece fabric and have hand-embroidered eyes (a French knot is all you need). Paula used a felt triangle as a nose, but you can use embroidery floss, too.

 

Here’s another Baby Bunny posted this year by Rae Pajkos Waters, also made in fleece. This bunny has felt facial features with a simple 3-stitch smile.

 

 

This rainbow Baby Bunny was sewn in rose Cuddle by Penny Aasen. 

 

And this cheery Baby Bunny has been sewn in dimple minky fabric by Kathryn Robinson Anderson. She said she found it hard working with this slippery fabric but here he is with his hands lifted in joy that he is complete! 😍

Click HERE to purchase the Baby Bunny pattern.

 

2. Easter Bunny Buddies: best “all-arounder” (fabulous in any fabric)

The Easter Bunny Buddies seem to be the most popular bunny pattern for 2024. This bunny is a cuddly armful with floppy arms and legs. He’s 9″/22cm (seated), 15”/38cm (standing), and 22”/56cm (from toe to tips of extended ears/ears UP!). That’s a lot of space to show off cute fabric designs, and that’s how a lot of makers use the pattern.

Easter Bunny Buddies look awesome in any colour as you can see with this cute bucket of bunnies sewn by Teri Wolff!

 

Here’s one of my all-time favorite pics of the Easter Bunny Buddies getting some love. This one was sewn by Angie Elwood made from the little girl’s upcycled baby receiving blankets.

 

 

The Easter Bunny Buddies Pattern is a “fussy-cutting” dream come true. That means there are lots of spots to place special fabric details. The Easter Bunny Buddies have a “no seam” down the center tummy (somewhat like Ben the BEGINNER teddy bear pattern), so you can center a special piece of fabric or clothing right up front and center. Mary Shah used some Tula Pink “Besties” fabric to feature a bunny on a bunny tummy. There are more bunnies on the ears, hands, and feet. Way to go with the “fussy-cutting,” Mary!

 

Sometimes the perfect quilting cotton tells you exactly what toy it wants to become. Lesley Newall said she saved this fabric for years, then realized it would make a perfect “sunshine bunny.” The big footpads help show off the design.

 

Minky works for the Easter Bunny Buddies pattern, too. Here’s a bunny Becky Howard Ayers is making as part of a set for her grandkids. 

 

The Easter Bunny Buddies pattern has held the top spot for popularity in previous years. Here’s an Easter Bunny Buddy with Erica Woolmington’s grandkids. The baby and the bunny are about the same size! 

The Easter Bunny Buddies pattern is a fabulous choice for preserving baby clothes. Emma Boulton posted this Easter Bunny Buddy showing off some little girl clothes. I especially love the bunnies on the arm and ears.

Click HERE to purchase the Easter Bunny Buddies pattern.

 

 

3. Kawaii Kuties Bunny Pattern: a kid-friendly sewing project

Finally, here’s bunny pattern #3. This is the easiest of the three, so if you’d like a bunny pattern that you can use to teach a child to sew, the Kawaii Kuties bunny is a great choice. This pattern comes with a little diaper and bib, complete with carrot applique.

Here’s a cute Kawaii Kuties Bunny in its felt outfit, sewn by Jen Hales. This pattern does not use plastic eyes, so you can whip it up fast with supplies you have on hand. Not sure about hand sewing for the face? Fabric glue works great, and there are other kid-friendly options: you can use fabric markers, fabric paint, or HTV (heat transfer vinyl). 

 

Here are two more Kawaii Kuties Bunnies sewn by Marie P. These bunnies have apples on their bibs because the Kawaii Kuties can wear each other’s clothes (See the whole range listed under “Kawaii Kuties” in the alphabetical pattern listings at the top of this page under the SHOP section. There’s also a bear, cat, chick, dog, fox and raccoon).

 

Here’s the Kawaii Bunny Pattern in bright cottons by Geraldine Yeo, who said this pattern was “perfect for a beginner like [her].” 

💗 AND they are made in Tula Pink fabrics!💗

Click HERE to purchase the Kawaii Bunny Pattern.

 

4. Lamkins Lamb Pattern: sized right for tiny hands

If you’re a beginner I highly recommend sewing this toy in fleece for your first try, but if you’re adventurous and used to sewing toys with upcycled fabrics, you can do something fun like Alicia Stayer did and turn an old sweater into a sweet Lamkins Lamb!

You can also use Lamkins Lamb to make a clothing keepsake. I love the way Kell of Kell Memories are Made has added the clothing details (ribbons and ruffles ) from the baby clothes.

 

Lamkins is a smaller scale toy sized for babies. If you want an easier sewing experience, try a 20% increase for the Lamkins Lamb pattern like Cecelia Wiltsey did here.

Photo. 120% and 100% percent lambs.

 

Here’s Lamkins Lamb at his usual petite size with a baby, for size reference. Lamkins here was sewn in fleece by Shirls Smith for her great-grandson.

Click HERE to purchase the Lamkins Lamb pattern.

5. Egghead the Easter Chick Pattern: the “cool kid”

I mentioned Egghead the Easter Chick at the top of the post as a great choice for “cool” older kids and teens. Egghead has been around for years, but there’s been a recent pop culture surge of love this year for round, quirky plush toys. That’s part of why he’s the “top pick” of the Easter options for many makers this year. round body shape has become popular for pillows and home  Considering how many kids you know may want one, it’s a good thing Egghead is a quick pattern. If you’re a beginner, Egghead is a great option, especially in fleece.

Who could resist this cute little guy
with his cracked egg hat?

Babies love Egghead just as much as older kids (just don’t tell the teens) as you can see from this happy photo of a Egghead Easter Chick sewn by Carrie Anciaux.

 

Stephanie Wells posted some side photos to show off the round, chunky shape of the Egghead Easter Chick Pattern. She said Egghead makes her laugh! Just look at that back tail feather physique. She didn’t have felt for the eggshell hat, so this Egghead’s shell is made from a dish towel. He wears it well. The yellow material is a rose swirl minky. 

 

Kim Illarietti made some hip Egghead Easter Chicks that would surely please a picky teen. The yellow fabric is a flat minky and the rainbow fabric has a bit of fluffy pile to it. That’s a messy fabric, but worth the extra clean-up for a special kid.

Click HERE to purchase the Egghead Easter Chick pattern.

 

 

6. Dilby Duckling Pattern: aka “Mr. Personality”

Dilby Duckling is popular year-round, but he always gains some extra fans at Easter. Dilby has a cute little pout that gives him tons of character.

Here’s an old favorite to start us off. I think this is one of the grumpiest and most adorable ducks ever. This one was sewn by Rindy Schultz.

 

 

The 2024 batch of ducklings so far have shown up in natural colors (white, yellow, brown) more than past years. This little girl clearly loves her curly white Dilby Duck sewn for her by Pat Pruitt!!! 😄

 

Peggy Aronson’s classic yellow duck won lots of prizes at a local fair.

 

Sandie Vajgrt Oravec makes lots of reduced size toys, and this Easter she has hatched some ducklings at 60% of the original size. Sandie reports that she wouldn’t recommend sewing Dilby Duck at this small size for beginners, but she was able to sew them on a sewing machine.

Click HERE to purchase the Dilby Duck pattern.

 

 

5. Kawaii Kuties Chick Pattern: easy to mail and easy to love 

If you need a gift that’s fairly flat and easy to mail at the last minute, try the Kawaii  Kuties Chick. He fits exactly inside a 12.5 x 9.5 inch padded mailer envelope (that’s the USA priority mail padded envelope size). He’s so much more fun than a card, and just as easy to mail!

Here’s a Kawaii  Kuties Chick sewn by Fleece Menagerie. The tiny carrot applique belongs to the Kawaii Kuties bunny (see entry in this posts), but the Kawaii Kuties can wear each other’s clothes. The Chick’s bib features an apple. Outfits on the other Kawaii Kuties include a dress, overalls, and waistcoat.

Click HERE to purchase the Kawaii Chick Pattern

 

Well that should give you heaps of EGG-CELLENT inspiration for YOUR Easter toy sewing…. so all that’s left to say is…

Happy EASTER sewing everyone!

 

 

Till next time,

Pauline
xxx