I-Cord Easter Bunny Wreath

For the Rope and String Speed Challenge, I couldn't decide whether to use string, rope, yarn or twine - so I combined it all! With Spring a remote inevitability, I thought I’d try my hand at wreath making to dress up our front door.

When I was a kid my grandmother would spoil us with chocolate Easter eggs at Easter time, complete with plastic bunny. I took inspiration from that memory to create this Easter bunny wreath. Above you can see my favourite Easter picture of my sister and me when we were kids. Get a load of the expression on my sister’s face! She looks like a puppet on a string, while I’m doing my best Carmen Miranda impression!

The rabbit was created by crocheting a 3-stitch tube (called an i-cord) and then feeding wire through the centre of it once the rabbit is bent into shape. Additional wire forms the circular wreath – this time covered in a simple 3-ply rope technique. It’s a fun little pick-me-up to tide me over until the snow melts and Spring has sprung!

Supplies

• Wire cutters
• Electrical wire stripper
• Cable ripper (for sheathed cable)
• Crochet hook (7.0 mm)
• 3-ply rope
• Mason twine
• Chunky chenille yarn; multi colour (I got mine at the dollar store; It’s 80% polyester / 20% acrylic)
• Super chunky yarn (grey); 90% acrylic / 10% wool
• Ribbon
• Green painters tape
• Transparent cellophane tape
• Needle nose pliers
• Fishing line / invisible wire
• Floral tape
• Pom pom (70% acrylic / 30% polyester)
• Magnetic wreath hanger
• Bunny template (print PDF attached)
• Chip clips or clamps
• Bandaids ((just in case)

Step 1: ​Prepare Template

Print out the pdf template attached and tape the four tiled sections together with transparent tape.

Harvest wire from a piece of Romex cable or electrical wire. Use the cable ripper to spit the sheath and pull out the white wire (that way it won’t show through the yarn). I used a thicker wire than the one shown below.

Step 2: ​Crochet I-Cord

Make a slip knot and chain 3. Insert hook into second chain and draw up a loop. Insert your hook into the 3rd chain and draw up a loop (3 stitches on hook). Drop loops 2 and 3 off the hook. Be sure to hold onto them: pinch them between your thumb and forefinger.

Chain 1. Put the second loop back onto your hook, yarn over and chain 1. Put the 3rd loop back on your hook, yarn over and chain 1.

Repeat the previous steps for every row. Keep crocheting until you have enough length to go around the entire perimeter of the bunny template. Keep the crochet hook in the work so you can add on if need be.

If you come up short, place a string marker on the i-cord (pink) and mark the template with a pencil. Then crochet additional rows until you reach the beginning again.

Measure the length of the i-cord and transfer that measurement to the electrical wire. Add on more than you think you will need to allow for for overlap. Cut wire.

Set aside the i-cord while you form the wire structure for the bunny.

Step 3: Bend Wire

Start where the pom pom tail will eventually go and bend the wire around the bunny template until you meet back to where you started. Overlap the wire and tie it together where the tail gets attached. Leave a few inches and cut the end.

Use the wire stripper to expose a few inches of the copper on both ends.

I forgot to wrap green tape around the ends of the copper. It can be sharp if you accidentally scrape against it as you’re removing the plastic sheathing from the wire. Keep some antibiotic ointment and bandaids handy (I didn’t get through this step unscathed)!

Step 4: ​Add the ICord

If you didn’t already, wrap green tape around one end of the wire and insert it into the i-cord. If you skip this step, it can catch on the yarn. Push the i-cord around the wire structure until the ends meets up to where you started.

Step 5: ​Fasten With Floral Tape

Push the i-cord temporarily away from the ends so they can be fastened with the floral tape. Overlap the exposed copper and secure with clamps to free up both hands. Wind the floral tape back and forth around the copper wire until securely fastened.

Cut the end of the yarn leaving a long length to weave the two edges together seamlessly and tie on the pom pom. Use the transparent tape to wrap the end of the yarn, like the end of a shoe lace. This will stiffen the end enough to thread it around the open stitches. Weave the end between the loops all the way around the tube and pull tight to close.

Knot yarn ends together.

Step 6: ​Attach Pom Pom

Tie yarn ends around the elastic of the pom pom and knot tightly a few times with an overhand knot.

Then wrap the elastic around the i-cord and the pom pom several times until it is fastened into position. Knot and weave the end of the yarn through the tube to hide it. Use the needle nose pliers to grab the end and pull it out as you go. Cut end.

Set the bunny aside while you work on the wreath.

Step 7: ​Wreath

Create a circle that’s 22″ in diameter out of another piece of electrical wire (cut extra to overlap in the middle).

Untangle rope before you start. Turn the end of the rope counter clockwise to open up the three plies and insert the wire into the space.

Allow the rope to wrap around the wire and push it to the right (or left if you are left-handed).

Continue until the wire is almost completely wrapped.

Step 8: ​Overlap at Centre

Push both ends of the rope away from the ends of the wire temporarily. Overlap the wire in the middle and clamp (I’m using two chip clips). Apply the floral tape around the two pieces of wire to secure.

Move the rope ends back again so they meet in the middle. Weave the rope ends together.

It helps to wrap green tape around the ends to prevent them from unravelling.

Bind the rope ends with the cotton twine. Form a loop with the end of the rope and cut away the excess for the next step.

Step 9: ​Tie an Eye Splice

Wrap some green tape around the rope several inches from the end. Unravel the 3-plies until you reach the edge of the green tape. Form an eye splice (watch this video from WhyKnot to see how).

Step 10: ​Wrap Twine and Form Circle

Use a piece of twine once again to hide the ends of the rope and cut ends. At this point, using a magnetic wreath hanger on our metal door, I hung the wreath to form the circle. If you have a large circular garbage can, it can help you as you shape the circle. I eyeballed mine without a form.

Step 11: ​Fasten Bunny to Rope

Use the fishing line to secure the bunny at three points (the two ears and foot). Double knot the line and trim ends.

Cut a piece of the super chunky yarn. Wrap it around rope hoop, knot at the back and tuck in the ends.

Wrap a piece of ribbon around the neck of the bunny to complete. Ideally you should use a piece long enough to tie a bow. I used a scrap I had lying around so didn’t have quite enough.

Step 12: ​Hang on Outside Door (and Vote)

I would put this on the outside our front door (but still inside the screen door). However, we’re experiencing freezing cold temperatures and I was too much of a wooss to brave the cold for an outdoor shot. Once the weather warms upt, I’ll relocate it outside! Hopefully that will be before Easter!

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