Plush Buttercup the Bunny – Crochet Easy Bunny Plushie – Amigurumi Plush Rabbit Pattern

If you’ve been searching for a sweet, beginner-friendly crochet project that results in the most huggable little rabbit you’ve ever seen, you’ve found it. Meet Buttercup the Bunny — a soft, round, floppy-eared plush rabbit worked in easy amigurumi-style crochet. Whether you’re new to making stuffed animals or you’ve got a basket full of finished plushies and you’re ready for your next project, this pattern is designed to bring you joy from the very first stitch to the moment you tie off the last yarn tail.

Buttercup is the kind of crochet bunny that works beautifully as a nursery decoration, a baby shower gift, a child’s best toy friend, or even a desk companion for the crafter who made her. She’s round and squishy, with long floppy ears, a little embroidered nose, and a fluffy pompom tail. She sits upright on her own, which makes her endlessly photogenic.

Let’s get into everything you need to know to make your very own Buttercup.

Why Amigurumi?

Amigurumi is the Japanese art of crocheting or knitting small stuffed toys. The word itself combines the Japanese words “ami” (knitted or crocheted) and “nuigurumi” (stuffed doll). The style became globally popular in the early 2000s and has never slowed down — and for good reason. Amigurumi projects are typically worked in continuous rounds, which means no seams to sew up the sides of a piece. Everything stays clean and tidy, and the finished toy has a smooth, rounded shape that’s perfect for plushies like Buttercup.

One of the best things about amigurumi for newer crocheters is that the stitches are almost always simple. You work mostly in single crochets, with increases and decreases to shape each piece. If you can work a magic ring, single crochet, increase, and decrease, you have every technical skill you need for this pattern.

Materials You’ll Need

Before you cast on, gather your supplies. Here’s what you’ll need to make Buttercup the Bunny:

Yarn: Worsted weight yarn in your choice of color. Buttercup looks stunning in a soft cream or pale yellow, but she’s equally charming in blush pink, lavender, warm gray, or classic white. You’ll need approximately 150–200 yards for the main body and about 30–50 yards for the inner ears if you’d like a contrast color.

Hook: A 3.5mm (E/4) crochet hook. Using a slightly smaller hook than your yarn label recommends gives your fabric a tighter weave so the polyfill stuffing doesn’t peek through the stitches.

Safety eyes: Two 12mm black safety eyes, though you can embroider eyes instead if this bunny is for a baby under 3 years old.

Polyfill stuffing: You’ll need enough to stuff the body firmly and the head firmly, and to lightly stuff the ears. A small bag of standard polyester fiberfill is more than enough.

Embroidery floss: Black or dark brown for the nose and optional mouth details.

Yarn needle: A blunt tapestry needle for sewing pieces together and weaving in ends.

Stitch marker: To track the beginning of your rounds in continuous crochet.

Scissors: For trimming yarn tails.

Optional: A small piece of wire or pipe cleaner inside the ears if you want them to be poseable.

Gauge and Finished Size

Using worsted weight yarn and a 3.5mm hook, Buttercup’s finished size is approximately 7 inches tall when sitting (not counting ears). Her ears add another 3–4 inches. If you use a different yarn weight, your bunny will come out larger or smaller, which is totally fine — just know that safety eye sizing and stuffing amounts will change accordingly.

Abbreviations

Throughout this pattern, the following abbreviations are used:

MR – Magic ring
ch – Chain
sc – Single crochet
inc – Increase (2 single crochets in the same stitch)
dec – Invisible decrease (insert hook through front loops of next two stitches, yarn over, pull through both loops, yarn over, pull through remaining two loops)
sl st – Slip stitch
FO – Fasten off
st – Stitch
sts – Stitches
BLO – Back loop only

All rounds are worked in continuous spirals unless otherwise noted. Use a stitch marker to keep track of where each round begins.

Pattern Instructions

The Body

The body is worked from the bottom up.

Round 1: MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18 sts)
Round 4: Sc 2, inc repeat around. (24 sts)
Round 5: Sc 3, inc repeat around. (30 sts)
Round 6: Sc 4, inc repeat around. (36 sts)
Round 7: Sc 5, inc repeat around. (42 sts)
Rounds 8–14: Sc in each st around. (42 sts)
Round 15: Sc 5, dec repeat around. (36 sts)
Round 16: Sc 4, dec repeat around. (30 sts)
Round 17: Sc 3, dec repeat around. (24 sts)

At this point, begin stuffing the body firmly. You want the body to feel dense and hold its round shape without feeling lumpy. Stuff as you go.

Round 18: Sc 2, dec repeat around. (18 sts)
Round 19: Sc 1, dec repeat around. (12 sts)
Round 20: Dec around. (6 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Weave the tail through the front loops of the remaining 6 stitches and pull tight to close. Weave in end.

The Head

The head is worked the same way as the body but slightly larger.

Round 1: MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18 sts)
Round 4: Sc 2, inc repeat around. (24 sts)
Round 5: Sc 3, inc repeat around. (30 sts)
Round 6: Sc 4, inc repeat around. (36 sts)
Round 7: Sc 5, inc repeat around. (42 sts)
Round 8: Sc 6, inc repeat around. (48 sts)
Rounds 9–16: Sc in each st around. (48 sts)
Round 17: Sc 6, dec repeat around. (42 sts)
Round 18: Sc 5, dec repeat around. (36 sts)

Before closing further, attach safety eyes between rounds 12 and 13, spacing them approximately 10–12 stitches apart. If you’re embroidering eyes, you can do this at the finishing stage.

Round 19: Sc 4, dec repeat around. (30 sts)
Round 20: Sc 3, dec repeat around. (24 sts)

Stuff the head firmly now.

Round 21: Sc 2, dec repeat around. (18 sts)
Round 22: Sc 1, dec repeat around. (12 sts)
Round 23: Dec around. (6 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Close as before. Set head aside — you’ll sew it to the body after you’ve finished the ears.

The Ears (Make 2)

Buttercup’s ears are her most iconic feature. Each ear is made in two layers — an outer ear in main color and an inner ear in a contrast color (or the same color if you prefer a simpler look) — and then the layers are joined at the base.

Outer Ear:
Round 1: MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18 sts)
Rounds 4–16: Sc in each st around. (18 sts)
Round 17: Sc 1, dec repeat around. (12 sts)

Fasten off. Do not stuff.

Inner Ear:
With contrast color, repeat the outer ear pattern through Round 16. On Round 17, work the decrease round, then fasten off.

To join: Hold the inner and outer ear pieces with wrong sides facing each other. Using your main yarn, single crochet around the entire edge, joining the two pieces together. Leave the bottom open. Fasten off with a long tail for sewing to the head.

Repeat for the second ear.

The Arms (Make 2)

Round 1: MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rounds 3–10: Sc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 11: Sc 2, dec repeat around. (9 sts)

Lightly stuff the arms — they should be soft and floppy rather than firm.

Round 12: Sc 1, dec repeat around. (6 sts)

Fasten off with a long tail for sewing.

The Legs (Make 2)

The legs are worked from the bottom of the foot up.

Round 1: MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 sts)
Round 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Round 3: Sc 1, inc repeat around. (18 sts)
Rounds 4–6: Sc in each st around. (18 sts)
Round 7: Sc 1, dec three times, sc in remaining 12 sts. (15 sts)
Round 8: Sc 1, dec three times, sc in remaining 9 sts. (12 sts)
Rounds 9–14: Sc in each st around. (12 sts)

Stuff legs firmly in the foot area, then lightly toward the top.

Fasten off with a long tail for sewing.

The Tail

Using a fork or your fingers, wrap yarn around 30–40 times to create a fluffy pompom. Tie tightly in the center, trim to a round shape, and sew to the back of the body.

Assembly

This is where Buttercup comes to life, and it’s honestly one of the most satisfying parts of making amigurumi.

Start by positioning the head on top of the body. The flat bottoms of both pieces should be touching. Using your yarn needle and the long tail from the head, sew through both pieces using a whip stitch, working all the way around the neck. Pull the yarn snug as you go so the head sits securely and doesn’t wobble.

Next, position the ears on the top of the head. Buttercup looks her best when the ears are placed slightly toward the back of the head and angled just a little outward. Pin them in place and sew securely with the long tail from each ear.

Attach the arms to the sides of the body just below where the neck meets the body, at roughly round 2 or 3 of the body’s decreasing section. Sew them with a flat attachment so they hang naturally at Buttercup’s sides.

Attach the legs at the base of the body so that Buttercup can sit upright. Position them about one-third of the way in from either side. Sew securely.

Sew the pompom tail to the back of the body, centered and low.

Finally, embroider the nose. Using a length of embroidery floss threaded through your needle, create a small triangle or inverted “Y” shape just below and between the eyes. You can add a small curved mouth line beneath if you’d like Buttercup to look like she’s smiling — it’s an adorable touch.

Weave in all remaining yarn tails and give Buttercup a gentle squeeze to make sure all her limbs feel secure.

Tips for the Best Finished Bunny

The tighter your tension, the cleaner your amigurumi will look. If your stitches feel loose or you can see the stuffing through them, try going down a hook size.

When stuffing the head and body, aim for firm but not rock hard. You want the plush to have some give when squeezed, which makes it more satisfying to hold.

The invisible decrease (dec as listed in the abbreviations) makes a significant difference in how smooth your fabric looks. It avoids the little “holes” that appear when using a standard decrease. If you’ve never tried it before, take a minute to practice it on a swatch — it becomes second nature very quickly.

If Buttercup is going to be a gift for a baby or very young child, skip the safety eyes entirely and embroider the eyes in black floss instead. Safety eyes are secure for older children and adults, but embroidered features are always the safest choice for little ones.

Using a yarn with a slight halo or texture (like a soft chenille, velvet yarn, or a yarn blended with a bit of mohair) will give Buttercup a plush, velvety appearance that photographs beautifully. Standard acrylic worsted weight works perfectly too — it’s washable, durable, and comes in every color imaginable.

Yarn Suggestions

Some yarns that work beautifully for Buttercup include Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice for a smooth, classic look; Paintbox Yarns Simply DK for a slightly lighter weight version with beautiful color options; Bernat Blanket yarn for an extra soft and chunky interpretation (size up your hook to 5.5mm and adjust your stitch counts slightly); or any velvet-style yarn for a truly luxurious finish.

Whatever yarn you choose, make sure it’s washable — especially if this is a gift for a child. Babies and toddlers are notoriously hard on their toys, and a bunny that can go through the washing machine is a bunny that lasts for years.

Customizing Your Buttercup

One of the most wonderful things about this pattern is how easily it adapts to create entirely different personalities. Try making Buttercup with shorter, rounded ears for a more teddy bear-like bunny. Add a little embroidered flower crown on her head using a few simple lazy daisy stitches. Make her in rainbow ombre yarn for a festive, eye-catching version. Add little crocheted accessories — a tiny carrot, a miniature flower, or even a little knitted sweater — to make her completely unique.

You can also scale the entire pattern up by using bulky yarn and a 6mm hook to make a larger, 12-inch version, or scale it down with fingering weight yarn and a 2.25mm hook to make a tiny 3-inch pocket bunny.

Sharing Your Finished Buttercup

When you finish your bunny, please share her! Tag your photos on Instagram and Pinterest, and use a hashtag so other crafters can find her. There’s something so lovely about seeing the same pattern interpreted in dozens of different colors and yarns by makers all over the world. Every single Buttercup looks a little different, and every single one is perfect.

If you run into trouble with any step of the pattern, leave a comment or reach out — the crochet community is one of the most generous and helpful creative communities out there, and someone will always be glad to help you troubleshoot.

A Few Last Thoughts

There is something quietly magical about crocheting a stuffed animal. You start with a simple loop of yarn and a hook, and by the time you’re done, you have a creature with a personality — a little face, a little posture, something that didn’t exist before you made it. Buttercup the Bunny is a project