Easter snuck up on me this year! Dave and I take a very minimal route with holiday gifting. Easter baskets usually include swimsuits, chocolate eggs, dollar-section bubbles and chapstick, and maybe a water gun or other little summer toy. This year I was working on a quick baby gift and felt inspired by this rug to make a simple soft bunny rattle. It turned out so cute, I made another right after to add to Plum’s basket this year. I thought I’d share a quick DIY for any of you needing a last minute Easter addition, or for a simple and darling baby gift anytime.
The technique I use for this little rattle could be used to make a soft rattle of any animal, or really any shape at all! Also, you might be surprised by where I get my rattles. Read on for the full tutorial.For this simple soft bunny rattle you will need:
1/3 yard (or two 12″ x 12″ squares) of soft sherpa fabric, fleece, or really any fabric you’d like
Stuffing
A rattle
Make a bunny shape by tracing from your computer, or making a bunch of circles and ovals as I did here. Exaggerate the ears if you want them to stick way up. Trace your pattern onto the wrong side of the fabric with an erasable pen–or a sharpie if it won’t bleed.
Put your two pieces of fabric with right sides together, and pin a few places within the shape. SEW around the shape, leaving about 2″ open for turning. This helps you keep everything aligned, and makes the stitching much easier! (Try using this technique with other fun shapes!)
Cut around the shape. Clip into any corners of the shape for a neater turn.
Use a turning tool (or chopstick, pen, or other long device) to turn the bunny soft-side out. 
Stuff up into the ears first, then start filling out the body, tail, and into the little legs. I left my bunny pretty soft for baby snuggling, but you could fill it tighter, too.
I buy these little IKEA toy cat rattles, and cut out the rattles! I’ve noticed that there are some available on Amazon, too. But I am at IKEA regularly, and they are inexpensive. (Eliot saw me cut this one out and asked me to please stitch the kitty back up and give it to him! Little sweetheart!)
Once the rattle is inside the bunny, work a little more stuffing around it, then just stitch up the opening! I added a velvet grosgrain ribbon as a finishing touch. Make sure if you are giving it as a baby gift that you stitch the ribbon down in place, too. 
I love the simplicity, softness, and sweetness of this little bunny rattle. The ears will be perfect for baby hands to grab and I can already see Plum wandering the house with her bunny in hand.
