Most lovable Rabbit ever
>> Wednesday, March 22, 2006
This rabbit belongs to my brother, Simon. Judging from his looks, the rabbit has pretty much been around since Simon was born in the late 60s. See how lovable he is? But he needed a little TLC plus I wanted him for a guest spot on needle book so Simon agreed that I could take him home with me.
Rabbit has also become popular with my four-year-old niece, so I was concerned that he be prepared for another generation of a child's affection. There's been some delay but he is finally ready to appear. First of all I stitched up a few gaps here and there and even darned a hole on his arm/paw. 
Darned paw:
Most importantly, I sewed up the big gap in his front which was gaping open and revealing a bit of stuffing. I used the invisible seam technique I learned from Stoller's Stitch 'n bitch Nation book.
Chest after repair:
Stitching up all the little gaps and holes led to an interesting discussion with Bradley over the mathematical properties of the "stitch in time, saves nine" adage. I collect old wooden spools of thread whenever I find them, and I now have tons of them, so I managed to find the perfect vintage tan coloured thread to match him.
Then I gave his pants a wash and as I write this they are in the dryer. These knitted pants were made by me, probably around the age of 7 or so. I can't remember, but I am sure I was pleased that they were met with approval and I don't think they've been taken off since then. Finally, to round off his treatment, I sewed up a little shirt to go with the pants and give him a little extra protection. And I put a pocket on the front because I know my niece will enjoy hiding things inside it.
So there you go, a spruced up Rabbit looking dapper and ready for anything.
14 comments:
How sweet -- old friends are the best. I especially love the pocket! What a thoughtful thing to add! All stuffed animal garments should have pockets, I say.
What a great gift of love, to so perfectly mend such a loved treasure...he came out beautifully.
this is *ever so sweet* and reminds me of a bunny that my twin brother wore out when he was wee too! i love that hole, ;) i bet it has a special smell wreeking of memories too...
Lovable, indeed! You've done a lovely job of him,and he does look rather dapper in his smart new clothes!
What a wonderful sequence of photos. It brings back sweet memories of one of my favourite books, The velveteen Rabbit. Lovely! Cheers, gracia
You've brought back memories of a bear called George - I knitted him a "campus cardigan" (you know, the sort with a large G on the back) and made sure he had a pocket on the front of it. When we travelled I always used to make sure his name and address was written on a piece of paper and safely tucked into his pocket in case he decided to go on a solo adventure...
Wow, you did such a great job with all the repairs! Old toys are the best, I'm glad this fella will be around for another generation. I have to say too that those knit pants are adorable! You made those when you were seven?! Impressive!
Nice job! It's a great perk of being crafty to be able to do things like this!
He is adorable - you did a good job with the repair work!
Wow! Darning! That is amazing. It's a skill everyone had in previous generations, and now we're more likely to toss things out. Will you show us how? :)
That rabbit looks very happy.
Did you know you and your brother's Rabbit are featured on Whip Up? You're both regular celebrities now.
I didn't notice - thanks Michelle for pointing it out!
This is an incredibly cute story Claire. Your darning is impeccable, and it looks like you put so much love into making rabbit all spiffed up. What a heartfelt project.
Claire, thanks for fixing my Rabbit up!
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