Mollie The Bunny - Free Toy Crochet Pattern For Kids in Paintbox Yarns Cotton Aran by Paintbox Yarns

Mollie The Bunny: Free Intermediate Crochet Toy Pattern by Paintbox Yarns

Mollie The Bunny is a free downloadable crochet pattern from Paintbox Yarns designed to create an adorable stuffed bunny toy standing approximately 12¼ inches (31cm) tall when complete. This charming amigurumi-style project is rated intermediate difficulty, making it a rewarding challenge for crocheters who are comfortable with the basics and ready to develop their three-dimensional toy-making skills. The finished bunny makes a wonderful handmade gift for children and is crafted entirely in Paintbox Yarns Cotton Aran, a soft and durable yarn well-suited to toy construction.

What You Will Make

The finished project is a freestanding stuffed bunny toy constructed from multiple crocheted sections that are assembled together. The design features a rounded body, head, ears, and limbs that are worked separately and then joined, giving Mollie her characteristic three-dimensional shape. At over 12 inches tall, she is a substantial and huggable toy with real presence. The color palette uses a combination of three shades to create detail and definition across the bunny's features and clothing or body sections.

Yarn and Materials

This pattern calls for Paintbox Yarns Cotton Aran in three specific colorways:

• Vanilla Cream (A) — 3 balls of 1¾oz/50g
• Slate Green (B) — 1 ball of 1¾oz/50g
• Vintage Pink (C) — 1 ball of 1¾oz/50g

Paintbox Yarns Cotton Aran is a 100% cotton yarn at aran weight, which provides excellent stitch definition and a firm fabric when crocheted at the recommended tension — ideal for stuffed toys that need to hold their shape and contain stuffing securely. Cotton is also a popular choice for children's toys due to its natural fiber content and washability.

In addition to yarn, you will need the following materials:

• US 7 (4.5mm) crochet hook
• ½in/12mm safety eyes — please note these are a choking hazard and not suitable for children under 36 months
• Toy stuffing to fill the body, head, and limbs
• Black yarn for embroidering the nose
• Scissors, yarn needle

Tension and Gauge

The pattern specifies a tension of 17 stitches and 19 rows to a 4in/10cm square using a US 7 (4.5mm) hook. Achieving the correct tension is particularly important for toy patterns, as it ensures the fabric is tight enough to contain the stuffing without gaps showing through, and that the finished toy reaches the intended size of approximately 12¼ inches tall.

Techniques and Construction Method

Mollie The Bunny is worked using the worked in the round technique, which is the foundation of most amigurumi and stuffed toy crochet. Working in rounds rather than rows creates seamless, tubular sections — perfect for constructing the rounded shapes needed for a bunny's body, head, and limbs. Each round begins with 1 chain stitch and ends with 1 slip stitch into the first chain, creating neat, closed rounds throughout.

The pattern also makes use of a magic ring (MR) to start each new section. The magic ring is an essential technique for working in the round, as it allows you to begin with a tightly closed center — eliminating the hole that can appear when starting with a simple chain ring. This is especially important for toy making, where a clean, closed start prevents stuffing from escaping.

Stitches Used

The primary stitches and techniques used throughout this pattern include:

• Single crochet (sc) — referred to in UK terms as double crochet (dc); the main stitch used throughout the construction of all sections
• Slip stitch (sl st) — used to close each round
• Chain (ch) — used at the start of each round and