project // sew a softie magic rabbit

Ta-da! Become a magician with a needle and thread when you make this adorable felt rabbit and magic hat. But this isn't just about sewing a hat with a cute bunny. Nope! This is a real magic trick that you can use to entertain your famiy and friends.

I created this little project for this year's edition of Sew a Softie. If you've never heard of this before, Sew a Softie is a global initiative to inspire kids and grown-ups to sew together. The best way to see all of the free projects is by following along on Instagram, but there will be a full round-up coming soon to their site. This year's theme is Magic, and I couldn't be more excited. You see, my dad is an actual magician.

We're talking, has done many a birthday party, special event, and even big conventions. I've often been asked if I was ever his assistant and the answer is yes! When I was a kid I had a set of matching tails with a bow tie and everything so I could go and help him. What can I say? We're an unusual family.

Magic can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, but a magic rabbit and an actual magic trick is where my head went with this theme. So here we are! If you're ready to pull a rabbit out of a hat that you made yourself, let's get started!



You will need:

Felt (I used white, dark gray, and red)
Scissors
Acrylic Paint (I used black and pink)
Tiny Paintbrush or Toothpick
Sewing Clips or Pins
Embroidery Floss (I used black)
Embroidery Needle

Magic Rabbit Softie PDF Template



Use the templates to cut out one rabbit, one hat band, and three hats.

I used more classic magic colors, but you can use whatever you like! A dark color for the hat and a light color for the rabbit are a good idea because it will make it more obvious that the hat is "empty" when you perform the trick.

Want an easy way to cut felt pieces? Check out my video on using freezer paper!



Paint the face on the rabbit. You can use the template as a guide or create your own face design! Let the paint dry as you make the hat.

Painting on felt is a little unconventional, but as long as you carefully dab the paint on, it works great! If you've never done this before, practice on a scrap of felt first.



Place the hat band on one of the hat pieces. The ends are slanted, so make sure that it fits correctly. Use sewing clips or pins to hold it in place while you sew it.

Stitch the hat band with running stitch and three strands of embroidery floss. You don't need to stitch the ends because those will get stitched in the next step.



Layer the three hat pieces together and clip or pin the layers together. Make sure that the hat brim all lines up so the middle layer doesnt' stick out.



Sew around the hat with running stitch and three strands of embroidery floss. Stitch the extending ends of the brim, the sides and the bottom. Keep the top open so you can reach into the hat!



Now that you have your magic rabbit and hat, it's time to get ready to perform your magic trick!



The hat has two sections. The front section has the hat band, and that will stay empty. Before you start your magic trick, without anyone around, tuck the rabbit into the back section.

It helps to push the middle of the rabbit down into the back section with three or four fingers.



The rabbit should be snug down inside without the ears sticking out. But they should also be easy to grab!



The hat should look flat like there's nothing in there. Now it's ready to perform the trick!



Hold the hat with your hand inside the front section of the hat. Tilt it toward your audience to show that it's empty. By holding your fingers over the middle layer of hat, it will be hidden.

Close the top of the hat and start the magic! Some people like a magic wand and a magic word like Abracadabra, but my dad always wiggles his fingers and asks the audience for a magic word. Sometimes he uses magic words like "Happy Birthday!" or "Razzle McDazzle!" You can have a lot of fun with this part!



Now, reach into the back section of the hat and grab the ears. Slowly pull out the rabbit.



Because it's taller than the hat, this part is really impressive!



Your family and friends will be amazed and amused by your new magic and sewing skills!

The rabbit is a single layer of felt so that the magic trick works. Having it flat in a flat hat means you can't really tell that it's in there. If you want this to be a toy instead of a trick, try this:

Cut out two bunny pieces and sew them together with some stuffing inside. For this, you only need to cut two hat pieces so it's a pocket for the bunny instead of a secret compartment. It's still cute even without the magic!



Want to see me perform this little trick? I have a video on Instagram so you can see it in action!