Easter is coming soon and I like to knit a cute bunny rabbit but not many interesting pattern available on line. This pattern looks difficult at first because of cable knitting, but it is really easy if you follow the written direction. No need to read charts. Just takes some concentration time.  PDF pattern is available here.

This is a cute bunny rabbit motif with cable and bubble stitches for a more 3 D effect.  The tail is made of a bubble stitch. You can use the motif as a basic dish cloth, adding it in a scarf, blanket, sweater, pocket or any project you like.

This pattern is knitted back and forth (not in the round), and written row by row for easy following.

The background is the purl stitch so the cable stitch stands out more. It is knitted over 18 stitches and 24 rows. You can adjust it by adding or reducing background rows and stitches. In my example above, I add a crocheted border and wet block it (wash with water and air dry) to make the fabric flat.

Material:

Yarn and needle size - Gauge depends on your project. Make a swatch to see the best yarn weight and needle size that fits your project. Since cable stitch produces a tighter fabric, a bigger size needle than recommended will make knitting easier. I use worsted weight yarn and 5 mm needle. The finished piece is about 4 inches wide by 5 inches high.

Cable needle - The cable needle should approximately matches your knitting needle size. It does not have to be exact size of your knitting needle. There are several different styles of cable needles on the market. It’s just personal preference. You can also use a smaller crochet hook as a cable needle to hold the yarn temporarily.  

Note on the cable stitch - There are left and right leaning cable stitches depending on the yarn left in front or back of fabric. If the pattern says Cable < slip 1 stitch to CN (cable needle), leave it to the back,.... >, it means place one stitch on the Cable Needle and place it in the back of fabric. The “back” means the backside of fabric when you come across the cable stitch, and the “front” means place the needle on the side near you (close to you). It is not the motif side (right side) or wrong side of the finished fabric.

Abbreviations:

K: knit

P: purl

CN or Cable: Cable stitch. Follow the written direction between < and > for the number of stitches slip to cable, and whether to place the cable in the front or back.

MB: Make a Bubble stitch. Follow the written direction between < and >. Bubble stitch includes increasing stitches and then decreasing stitches to the original stitches. I have 2 stitches increased to 8 stitches and decreased back to 2 stitches. This makes a raised round tail for Bunny Rabbit.

Kfb: knit front and back. Knit as usual but leave the stitch on the left needle, and then knit through the back leg of the same stitch. Slip to the right needle. One stitch increased.

K2tog: Knit 2 stitches together.

P2tog: Purl 2 stitches together.

St: Stitch.

Download pdf pattern by clicking here.

Pattern:

Background knitting:

Cast on 18 stitches (long tail cast on is fine, or any cast on method you like)

Background row 1: P to the end.

Background row 2: K to the end.

(repeat these 2 rows if you like more rows below the bunny motif)

Starting the bunny motif:

Row 1: P8, MB(make bubble) from the next 2 stitches <(Kfb) 2 times, turn, P4, (Kfb) 4 times, turn, (P2tog) times, turn, (K2tog) 2 times>, P8.

Row 2: K7, P4, K7.

Row 3: P6, Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the back, K2, K1 from CN>,

           Cable <slip 2 st to CN, leave it to the front, K1, K2 from CN>,

           P6.

Row 4: K5, Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the front, P2, P1 from CN>,

           P2, Cable <slip 2 st to CN, leave it to the back, P1, P2 from CN>,

           K5.

Row 5: P4, Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the back, K2, K1 from CN>,

           K4, Cable <slip 2 st to CN, leave it to the front, K1, K2 from CN>,

           P4.

Row 6: K4, Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the front, P2, P1 from CN>,

           P4, Cable <slip 2 st to CN, leave it to the back, P1, P2 from CN>,

           K4.

Row 7: P4, K10, P4.

Row 8: K4, Cable <slip 2 st to to CN, leave it to the back, K1, P2 from CN>,

           P4, Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the front, P2, K1 from CN>,

           K4.

Row 9: P5, Cable <slip 2 st to CN, leave it to the front, P1, K2 from CN>,

           K2, Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the back, K2, P1 from CN>,

           P5.

Row 10: K6, P6, K6.

Row 11: P6, Cable <slip 2 st to CN, leave it to the front, P1, K2 from CN>,

             Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the back, K2, P1 from CN>,

             P6.

Row 12: K6, Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the front, P2, P1 from CN>,

             Cable <slip 2 st to CN, leave it to the back, P1, P2 from CN>,

             K6.

Row 13: P5, Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the back, K2, K1 from CN>,

             K2, Cable <slip 2 st to CN, leave it to the front, K1, K2 from CN>,

             P5.

Row 14: K5, P8, K5.

Row 15: P5, Cable <slip 2 st to CN, leave it to the front, P1, K2 from CN>,

             K2, Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the back, K2, P1 from CN>,

             P5.

Row 16: K6, Cable <slip 2 st to CN, leave it to the back, K1, P2 from CN>,

             Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the front, P2, K1 from CN>,

             K6.

Starting bunny ears:

Row 17: P7, Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the front, P1, K1 from CN>,

             Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the back, K1, P1 from CN>,

             P7.

Row 18: K6, P2, K2, P2, K6.

Row 19: P5, Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the back, K2, P1 from CN>,

             P2, Cable <slip 2 st to CN, leave it to the front, P1, K2 from CN>,

             P5.

Row 20: K4, Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the front, P2, K1 from CN>,

             K4, Cable <slip 2 st to CN, leave it to the back, K1, P2 from CN>,

             K4.

Row 21: P4, K2, P6, K2, P4.

Row 22: K4, Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the front, P1, K1 from CN>,

             K6, Cable <slip 1 st to CN, leave it to the back, K1, P1 from CN>,

             K4.

End of motif, starting background knitting again:

Row 23: P to the end.

Row 24: K to the end.

(repeat these 2 rows if you like more rows above the bunny motif).

Bind off. Done.

Blocking

Cable stitch produces a tighter fabric. You can block it by iron steam over the fabric (not directly touching the fabric), or wash it and lay flat to air dry. This will make stitches more even. Crochet a border if you like to keep the fabric more flat.

You might also like the "Bubble stitch Bunny rabbit" pattern as shown in the picture below. I use the design in the back of a vest for my daughter. To purchase the BUBBLE STITCH BUNNY pattern, go to Craftsy.com and search "Picturehealer" or "Bubble stitch bunny" in the knitting pattern. Or just click here.

Download your free "Cabled stitch bunny pdf pattern" here.