Make a Rabbit Cuddle Cushion - Pattern Design Part 1

I have been making Cuddle Cushions for a number of people and recently were asked to make a rabbit as well. I figured more of you might be interested in this one and this blog is as a result of that. Imagine how cute this would be over Easter! I have once again photographed the steps for you, but the sheer number of steps forces me to publish it over three blogs. In this first blog we will draw up the pattern.
Click on the links to navigate easily between the three blogs in this series:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

I start by gluing together three A4 sheets of paper to create a large enough surface to design the pattern on.

The basic size of the face is a circle with a diameter of 30 cm. I therefore set my compass to radius 15 cm.

I start by describing a circle of radius 15 cm and diameter 30 cm.

Moving on to the mouth area, I set my compass to 6 cm.

I describe a circle with a diameter of 12 cm.

I center my ruler on the center of the circle and draw a line of 10 cm.

With my compass still set to radius 6 cm, I describe a second circle from the 10 cm point on the line. This results in the two circles overlapping.

I soften the overlap with connecting lines at the top and bottom.

I then proceed to cut out both the mouth and the face. Laying the mouth in place, I decide that it is too large for the face.

I measure 1,5 cm in on the constructed line and mark off a new center for a smaller circle. I do this on both ends of the line.

I now set my compass to radius 4,5 cm.

Centering the compass on the new center points, I describe two smaller circles that overlap.

I once more soften the connections before cutting the mouth out.

The new shape fits the face much better. I deliberately included these corrections in the blog as they are part and parcel of pattern design. A good pattern designer has no fear of correcting and adjusting patterns or pattern pieces.

Having a central shape in place allows me the advantage of taking measurements from the pattern, I use the dividers to estimate the size of the nose.

Having taken the measurements with the divider, I transfer it to a ruler to attach numbers to it. I round this measurement up to 4 cm.

I now set my compass to radius 2 cm.

I describe a circle of diameter 4 cm for the nose.

I follow the same steps to determine the width and length of the eyes, the teeth, etc.

I have determined that the teeth should measure (1,5 cm x 2) 3 cm x 3,5 cm. The two teeth are cut as one pattern piece.

As I progress I keep laying the pattern pieces in place and marking them clearly with cutting instructions.

I need two eyes each of 6 cm x 8 cm. I cut three, since I will use the third to design the detail of the eyes.

I fold one of the eyes in half and round the top.

I cut the rounded top on the fold. The other pattern pieces for the eye is cut from this template.

I use the third eye that I cut to design the color of the eye. I again cut an extra one to design the pupil from.

I design the pupil from the extra pattern piece. Doing this allows for a clearer idea of how the pattern will turn out.

I now have the basic face in place and only need to design the ears and arms still.

The arm is a sheet of A4 paper and it is as simple as writing the name of the pattern piece down, as well as the cutting instructions.

The hand is a circle of radius 4 cm.

Describe the circle, diameter 8 cm.

I draw a line down the center of an A4 sheet of paper for the ears. I then cut along the line dividing the paper in two.

I fold one of the halves in half again and draw the curve for the top of the ear. The curve is cut on the fold.

I now have all the required pattern pieces and can move on to laying out the fabric, which we will do in the next blog.

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