Knitting Tutorial: Hound Dog Patchwork Flower Garden Dress Doll – Free Knitting Pattern.

This cheerful hound dog doll is worked as a soft knitted toy with a cream face, brown floppy ears, a rounded muzzle, patchwork flower garden dress, green button sandals, a tiny woven-look basket, a mushroom charm, and a small golden crown topped with a red strawberry. The finished doll is designed to look sweet, handmade, and storybook-ready.

 

Please note: I strive for accuracy in every pattern, but occasional errors can happen. Thank you for understanding and for enjoying my designs.

Finished Size

• Finished doll height: about 11 in / 28 cm from sandal soles to top of strawberry crown.
• Head width: about 3.5 in / 9 cm across the cheeks after stuffing.
• Dress width at hem: about 5.25 in / 13.5 cm across when laid flat.
• Ear length: about 3.25 in / 8.5 cm from top join to rounded tip.
• Basket size: about 1.5 in / 4 cm wide, with a raised handle.
• Mushroom charm: about 1.5 in / 4 cm tall.

Skill Level

This pattern is written for an adventurous beginner who already knows how to knit, purl, increase, decrease, cast on, bind off, and sew small pieces together. The doll uses simple shaping, small circular knitting, color blocking, embroidery, and careful assembly to create the detailed hound dog shown in the picture.

Materials

• Sport weight or light DK yarn in cream, warm brown, dark brown, black, turquoise, bright blue, sky blue, moss green, yellow, red, golden yellow, soft beige, white, and small flower colors.
• US 2 / 2.75 mm double-pointed needles or circular needle for magic loop.
• US 3 / 3.25 mm needles for the dress hem and basket texture if your knitting is tight.
• Polyester fiberfill stuffing.
• Two 8 mm brown safety eyes or sewn yarn eyes.
• Four tiny tan buttons for dress straps and sandals.
• Black embroidery floss or black yarn for nose, mouth line, and paw lines.
• White embroidery thread for eye highlights and mushroom spots.
• Tapestry needle, stitch markers, pins, scissors, and row counter.

Gauge

• Doll gauge: 7 stitches and 10 rounds = 1 in / 2.5 cm in stockinette stitch, knitted firmly.
• Dress gauge: 6.5 stitches and 9 rows = 1 in / 2.5 cm in stockinette stitch.
• Important: the toy fabric should be tight enough that stuffing does not show through.

Abbreviations

• CO: cast on.
• BO: bind off.
• k: knit.
• p: purl.
• st or sts: stitch or stitches.
• rnd: round.
• RS: right side.
• WS: wrong side.
• kfb: knit into the front and back of the same stitch.
• m1: make 1 stitch by lifting the strand between stitches and knitting through the back loop.
• k2tog: knit 2 stitches together.
• ssk: slip 1 knitwise, slip 1 knitwise, knit slipped stitches together through back loops.
• sl1: slip 1 stitch purlwise.
• st st: stockinette stitch.
• garter stitch: knit every row when working flat.

Construction Notes

The doll is built from separate knitted pieces so the final shape matches the pictured hound dog. The head is round and cream with warm brown side patches. The muzzle is an oval cream piece sewn forward onto the lower face. The body is smaller than the head and hidden under the patchwork dress.

The arms and legs are slim tubes. The arms begin in cream for the paws, change to brown sleeves, and sit slightly downward at the sides. The legs are cream tubes with green knitted sandals. The ears are long, floppy brown pieces with soft ribbed texture and rounded ends.

The dress is worked as a separate A-line garment with turquoise edging, patchwork color blocks, straps, buttons, and embroidered flowers. The small crown, strawberry, mushroom, and basket are made as individual miniature knitted accessories, then sewn or tied into place after the doll is fully stuffed.

📌Thank you for reading the article

Head

Work the head in the round with cream yarn. Use firm tension and stuff gradually. The head should be wider than the body, softly rounded, and slightly flattened at the bottom where it joins the neck.

1. With cream yarn, CO 8 sts. Divide over needles and join in the round.
2. Rnd 1: k all sts.
3. Rnd 2: kfb in every st around. You now have 16 sts.
4. Rnd 3: k all sts.
5. Rnd 4: repeat k1, kfb around. You now have 24 sts.
6. Rnd 5: k all sts.
7. Rnd 6: repeat k2, kfb around. You now have 32 sts.
8. Rnd 7: k all sts.
9. Rnd 8: repeat k3, kfb around. You now have 40 sts.
10. Rnd 9: k all sts.
11. Rnd 10: repeat k4, kfb around. You now have 48 sts.
12. Rnds 11-20: k all sts for 10 rounds.
13. Rnd 21: repeat k6, k2tog around. You now have 42 sts.
14. Rnd 22: k all sts.
15. Rnd 23: repeat k5, k2tog around. You now have 36 sts.
16. Rnd 24: k all sts.
17. Place safety eyes between Rnds 16 and 17, 10 sts apart. Do not close the backs until the brown eye patches are positioned, if using patches under the eyes.
18. Rnd 25: repeat k4, k2tog around. You now have 30 sts.
19. Rnd 26: k all sts.
20. Begin stuffing the head firmly, shaping the cheeks round and the lower face slightly forward.
21. Rnd 27: repeat k3, k2tog around. You now have 24 sts.
22. Rnd 28: repeat k2, k2tog around. You now have 18 sts.
23. Rnd 29: repeat k1, k2tog around. You now have 12 sts.
24. Rnd 30: k2tog around. You now have 6 sts.
25. Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull closed, and weave in securely.

Brown Face Patches

The pictured hound has warm brown patches around both eyes, shaped like soft vertical ovals. These patches sit under the eyes and reach toward the ears, giving the face its gentle hound expression.

1. Make 2. With warm brown yarn, CO 5 sts.
2. Row 1, WS: p all sts.
3. Row 2, RS: k1, kfb, k1, kfb, k1. You now have 7 sts.
4. Row 3: p all sts.
5. Row 4: k1, kfb, k3, kfb, k1. You now have 9 sts.
6. Rows 5-10: work in st st, beginning with a purl row.
7. Row 11: p all sts.
8. Row 12: k1, ssk, k3, k2tog, k1. You now have 7 sts.
9. Row 13: p all sts.
10. Row 14: k1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1. You now have 5 sts.
11. BO all sts, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Pin one patch around each eye. The inner edges should sit close to the cream center of the face, and the outer edges should tuck partly under the ears. Sew with small whipstitches, keeping the fabric flat but not stretched.

Muzzle

The muzzle is a raised oval in cream yarn. It is sewn onto the lower front of the head and stuffed lightly before closing the final seam. This piece creates the rounded snout seen in the image.

1. With cream yarn, CO 8 sts. Work flat.
2. Row 1, WS: p all sts.
3. Row 2, RS: kfb, k6, kfb. You now have 10 sts.
4. Row 3: p all sts.
5. Row 4: kfb, k8, kfb. You now have 12 sts.
6. Rows 5-12: work in st st, beginning with a purl row.
7. Row 13: p all sts.
8. Row 14: ssk, k8, k2tog. You now have 10 sts.
9. Row 15: p all sts.
10. Row 16: ssk, k6, k2tog. You now have 8 sts.
11. BO all sts, leaving a long sewing tail.

Center the muzzle below the eyes, with the top edge just under the eye line and the lower edge reaching the bottom curve of the face. Sew around three quarters of the edge, add a small amount of stuffing, then close the remaining seam.

Nose and Mouth

1. With black yarn, embroider a rounded triangle nose over the upper center of the muzzle. Make it about 0.6 in / 1.5 cm wide.
2. Satin stitch across the nose until the shape looks full and smooth.
3. Bring the yarn down from the nose center and stitch one straight vertical line about 0.5 in / 1.2 cm.
4. Stitch two short curved mouth lines, one slanting down to the left and one slanting down to the right.
5. Add one tiny white stitch on each eye to create the bright highlights shown in the photo.

Ears

The ears are long, brown, floppy, and rounded. They hang from both sides of the head and frame the face. A slip-stitch edge helps the ears lie flat while the center texture gives them soft hound-dog character.

1. Make 2. With warm brown yarn, CO 9 sts.
2. Row 1, WS: sl1, p7, k1.
3. Row 2, RS: sl1, k7, k1.
4. Row 3: sl1, p7, k1.
5. Row 4: sl1, kfb, k5, kfb, k1. You now have 11 sts.
6. Row 5: sl1, p9, k1.
7. Row 6: sl1, k9, k1.
8. Row 7: sl1, p9, k1.
9. Row 8: sl1, kfb, k7, kfb, k1. You now have 13 sts.
10. Rows 9-30: repeat Row 9 and Row 10 as follows: Row 9, sl1, p11, k1. Row 10, sl1, k11, k1.
11. Row 31: sl1, p11, k1.
12. Row 32: sl1, ssk, k7, k2tog, k1. You now have 11 sts.
13. Row 33: sl1, p9, k1.
14. Row 34: sl1, ssk, k5, k2tog, k1. You now have 9 sts.
15. Row 35: sl1, p7, k1.
16. Row 36: sl1, ssk, k3, k2tog, k1. You now have 7 sts.
17. Row 37: sl1, p5, k1.
18. Row 38: sl1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1. You now have 5 sts.
19. BO all sts, leaving a long tail.

📌Thank you for reading the article

Sew the ears to the sides of the head between Rnds 13 and 18. Angle the top edge slightly backward, then let each ear fall naturally beside the face. The ears should reach just below the shoulder line when the head is attached.

Body

The body is simple because most of it is covered by the dress. It should be firm enough to hold the head and arms but not bulky. Use cream for the neck area and brown for the upper torso if you want color to peek under the straps.

1. With warm brown yarn, CO 18 sts. Join in the round.
2. Rnd 1: k all sts.
3. Rnd 2: repeat k2, kfb around. You now have 24 sts.
4. Rnd 3: k all sts.
5. Rnd 4: repeat k3, kfb around. You now have 30 sts.
6. Rnds 5-15: k all sts.
7. Rnd 16: repeat k3, k2tog around. You now have 24 sts.
8. Rnd 17: k all sts.
9. Change to cream yarn for the neck.
10. Rnd 18: repeat k2, k2tog around. You now have 18 sts.
11. Rnds 19-22: k all sts.
12. BO all sts. Stuff the body firmly, keeping the base slightly oval.

Sew the head to the cream neck section using several passes of yarn. The head should sit upright and slightly forward, like the hound is looking at the viewer. Add extra stitches at the back of the neck for support.

Legs

The legs are cream and straight, showing below the dress. They are placed close together with a narrow dark gap between them, matching the photo. Make two identical legs.

1. With cream yarn, CO 12 sts. Join in the round.
2. Rnds 1-22: k all sts.
3. Rnd 23: repeat k2, k2tog around. You now have 9 sts.
4. Stuff the leg lightly but firmly.
5. Rnd 24: k all sts.
6. Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull closed, and weave in.

Sew both legs to the lower body with the closed ends pointing downward. Place them about 0.4 in / 1 cm apart. The top of each leg should tuck under the dress so the dress appears to hang naturally over them.

Arms

The arms have cream paws, brown upper sections, and simple black paw lines. They are sewn to the shoulders so they hang along the dress, with the right arm able to hold the tiny basket.

1. Make 2. With cream yarn, CO 10 sts. Join in the round.
2. Rnds 1-7: k all sts.
3. Change to warm brown yarn.
4. Rnds 8-22: k all sts.
5. Rnd 23: repeat k3, k2tog twice. You now have 8 sts.
6. Stuff the arm lightly, leaving the top somewhat flat for sewing.
7. Rnd 24: k2tog around. You now have 4 sts.
8. Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull closed, and weave in.

Flatten the top of each arm. Sew one arm to each side of the upper body, directly below the head and under the dress straps. Use black yarn to embroider two tiny vertical paw lines on each cream paw.

Patchwork Flower Garden Dress

The dress is the visual center of this doll. It has a turquoise hem, A-line shape, colorful patchwork squares, a blue bodice, shoulder straps, and small embroidered flowers. The dress is knitted flat from the hem upward and seamed at the back.

Dress Color Layout

• Hem: turquoise garter stitch border.
• Lower row of patches: blue, dark green, yellow, turquoise, and sky blue sections.
• Middle row of patches: yellow, turquoise, moss green, and blue sections.
• Bodice: deep blue and turquoise with small floral embroidery.
• Straps: turquoise, each finished with a tiny tan button.

Dress Skirt

1. With turquoise yarn, CO 66 sts using US 3 / 3.25 mm needles.
2. Rows 1-6: k all sts for a thick garter hem.
3. Change to US 2 / 2.75 mm needles.
4. Row 7, RS: using patch colors, work 11 sts blue, 11 sts dark green, 11 sts yellow, 11 sts turquoise, 11 sts moss green, 11 sts blue.
5. Row 8, WS: p each color section, twisting yarns at the joins to avoid holes.
6. Rows 9-18: continue in st st, keeping the same 6 color blocks.
7. Row 19, RS decrease row: within each 11-st block, work k4, k2tog, k5. You now have 60 sts.
8. Row 20: p all sts, keeping colors established.
9. Rows 21-30: change patch layout to 10 sts yellow, 10 sts turquoise, 10 sts moss green, 10 sts sky blue, 10 sts green, 10 sts blue.
10. Row 31, RS decrease row: within each 10-st block, work k3, k2tog, k5. You now have 54 sts.
11. Row 32: p all sts.
12. Rows 33-40: work 9 sts blue, 9 sts turquoise, 9 sts moss green, 9 sts yellow, 9 sts sky blue, 9 sts turquoise.
13. Row 41, RS decrease row: repeat k7, k2tog across. You now have 48 sts.
14. Row 42: p all sts.

Bodice

1. Row 43, RS: change to deep blue for 24 sts and turquoise for 24 sts.
2. Row 44, WS: p across, keeping the color split centered.
3. Rows 45-52: continue in st st with the same split.
4. Row 53, RS: k4, k2tog, repeat across to last 6 sts, k4, k2tog. You now have 40 sts.
5. Row 54: p all sts.
6. Rows 55-58: work in turquoise across all sts.
7. Row 59: k all sts.
8. Row 60: k all sts to create a garter ridge at the neckline.
9. BO all sts loosely.

📌Thank you for reading the article

Back Seam and Fit

Wrap the dress around the doll with the seam at the center back. The hem should fall just above the ankles and flare outward. Sew the back seam from the hem to the waist, leaving the upper back slightly open so the dress can slide over the body.

Shoulder Straps

1. Make 2. With turquoise yarn, CO 5 sts.
2. Rows 1-16: k all sts.
3. BO all sts, leaving a tail.
4. Sew one end of each strap to the back bodice.
5. Bring each strap over the shoulder and sew to the front bodice.
6. Attach one tiny tan button at the front of each strap.

Flower Embroidery on the Dress

The dress has little garden motifs scattered across the patchwork blocks. Use simple straight stitches and French-knot-style knots. Keep each flower small so the patchwork remains visible and balanced.

• On the yellow lower-left patch, embroider one red flower with five short petal stitches and one blue flower with five short petal stitches. Add two green stem stitches.
• On the dark green lower patch, embroider one white flower and one pink flower. Each flower uses five petal stitches around a yellow center.
• On the turquoise bodice side, embroider one yellow flower, one red bud, and a curved green stem.
• On the sky blue lower-right patch, embroider one pink flower, one yellow flower, and two blue French-knot-style dots.
• Use green yarn to stitch tiny leaves beside the flowers. Each leaf is one diagonal stitch worked outward from the stem.

Green Button Sandals

The sandals are knitted separately and sewn over the lower cream legs. They have green soles, pale trim, front straps, and tiny tan side buttons, just like the picture.

Sandal Soles

1. Make 2. With moss green yarn, CO 8 sts.
2. Row 1: k all sts.
3. Row 2: kfb, k6, kfb. You now have 10 sts.
4. Rows 3-8: k all sts.
5. Row 9: kfb, k8, kfb. You now have 12 sts.
6. Rows 10-16: k all sts.
7. Row 17: ssk, k8, k2tog. You now have 10 sts.
8. Row 18: k all sts.
9. Row 19: ssk, k6, k2tog. You now have 8 sts.
10. BO all sts.

Front Sandal Straps

1. Make 2. With moss green yarn, CO 18 sts.
2. Rows 1-4: k all sts.
3. BO all sts.
4. With cream yarn, embroider a narrow horizontal line across the top edge of each strap.
5. Sew each strap across the front of a foot, leaving the cream toes visible.

Toe Lines and Buttons

• Use black yarn to embroider three short vertical toe lines on each cream foot.
• Sew one tiny tan button to the outer side of each sandal strap.
• Add a short green ankle band by wrapping yarn around the leg twice and stitching it in place at the back.

Tiny Crown

The crown is golden yellow and sits slightly tilted on the top of the head. It has a ribbed base and small points around the top edge. Work it flat, then seam it into a ring.

1. With golden yellow yarn, CO 28 sts.
2. Rows 1-4: k all sts.
3. Row 5: k all sts.
4. Row 6: p all sts.
5. Row 7: repeat k2tog, yo, k2 across to create a decorative ridge. If one stitch remains, k1.
6. Row 8: p all sts.
7. Row 9: k all sts.
8. Row 10: p all sts.
9. Row 11 crown points: repeat k1, BO 2, k1 across as evenly as possible, creating little points and dips.
10. Fasten off and sew the short edges together.

Place the crown on the top center of the head, slightly toward the viewer’s left. Sew the lower edge down with small stitches. Leave the points free so they stand up like the crown in the image.

Strawberry on the Crown

The red strawberry sits inside the crown and has small green leaves on top. Make it tiny, rounded, and bright, so it looks like a playful berry jewel.

1. With red yarn, CO 6 sts. Join in the round.
2. Rnd 1: k all sts.
3. Rnd 2: kfb in every st around. You now have 12 sts.
4. Rnds 3-6: k all sts.
5. Rnd 7: repeat k2, k2tog around. You now have 9 sts.
6. Stuff very lightly.
7. Rnd 8: repeat k1, k2tog around. You now have 6 sts.
8. Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull closed.
9. With green yarn, make 4 tiny leaf stitches on top by sewing lazy-daisy loops around the berry crown.
10. With white yarn, add 3 tiny seed stitches on the red berry.

📌Thank you for reading the article

Sew the strawberry securely into the center of the golden crown. The berry should rise above the crown points but remain small enough to look balanced on the dog’s head.

Mushroom Charm

The mushroom charm is a small separate accessory with a cream stem and red cap. It may be sewn near the doll for display or attached lightly to the hand or basket.

Mushroom Stem

1. With cream yarn, CO 8 sts. Join in the round.
2. Rnds 1-10: k all sts.
3. Rnd 11: k2tog around. You now have 4 sts.
4. Stuff lightly, pull yarn through remaining sts, and close.

Mushroom Cap

1. With red yarn, CO 18 sts. Work flat.
2. Rows 1-2: k all sts.
3. Row 3: p all sts.
4. Row 4: repeat k1, k2tog across. You now have 12 sts.
5. Row 5: p all sts.
6. Row 6: k2tog across. You now have 6 sts.
7. Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull tight, and seam the back.
8. Sew cap to stem. Add white seed stitches on the cap.

Mini Basket

The basket in the image is small, soft beige, and round with a curved handle. This knitted version uses seed stitch to imitate a woven surface.

Basket Base and Sides

1. With soft beige yarn, CO 8 sts. Join in the round.
2. Rnd 1: k all sts.
3. Rnd 2: kfb in every st around. You now have 16 sts.
4. Rnd 3: repeat k1, kfb around. You now have 24 sts.
5. Rnd 4: p all sts to create a turning ridge.
6. Rnds 5-13: work seed stitch in the round: repeat k1, p1 on one round, then repeat p1, k1 on the next round.
7. Rnd 14: k all sts.
8. Rnd 15: p all sts.
9. BO all sts loosely.

Basket Handle

1. With soft beige yarn, CO 4 sts.
2. Rows 1-26: k all sts.
3. BO all sts, leaving a long tail.
4. Curve the strip into a handle and sew each end to opposite sides of the basket.

Lightly stuff the basket only if you want it to stay open. Sew the basket to the dog’s right paw or attach it with a removable thread loop so it hangs from the hand as shown.

Tail

The tail is optional because the dress hides most of the back, but adding one helps the toy feel complete. Keep it small and curved so it does not disturb the dress shape.

1. With warm brown yarn, CO 6 sts. Join in the round.
2. Rnds 1-10: k all sts.
3. Rnd 11: k2tog around. You now have 3 sts.
4. Cut yarn, pull through remaining sts, and close.
5. Do not stuff heavily. Sew to the back body before dressing the doll.

Final Assembly and Facial Detailing

1. Sew the head firmly to the body, checking that the face points forward.
2. Attach the ears to the sides of the head and let them hang downward.
3. Sew the arms under the shoulders, with the paws resting near the dress sides.
4. Sew the legs to the lower body, then attach the sandals over the feet.
5. Slide the dress onto the doll and close the back seam neatly.
6. Add the turquoise shoulder straps and tan buttons.
7. Sew the crown and strawberry to the top of the head.
8. Attach or place the basket and mushroom accessories.
9. Shape the muzzle with your fingers so it sits forward and round.
10. Add final black paw lines, mouth stitches, and white eye highlights.

Care Notes

Spot clean the doll with cool water and mild soap. Avoid soaking if you used safety eyes, buttons, or delicate embroidery. Press gently with a towel and reshape the head, ears, dress, and accessories while damp. Let the doll air dry completely before storing or displaying.

Quick Checklist Before You Finish

• The head is round, cream, and larger than the body.
• Brown patches sit neatly around both eyes.
• The cream muzzle is raised, oval, and centered.
• Long brown ears hang evenly beside the face.
• The patchwork dress has a turquoise hem and flower embroidery.
• The sandals are green with cream toe lines and tiny buttons.
• The golden crown sits on top with a red strawberry center.
• The basket and mushroom are small, soft, and balanced with the doll.

📌Thank you for reading the article

Detailed Cleaning and Preservation Guidelines

Keep the doll away from direct sunlight for long periods, especially because the red strawberry, yellow crown, and turquoise dress colors may fade over time. Store it in a dry place with enough space around the ears and crown so they are not flattened.

For long-term display, gently dust the doll with a soft cloth or clean makeup brush. Do not pull the embroidered flowers or button details. If the dress hem curls after handling, smooth it with damp fingers and let it dry flat.

If gifting the doll to a young child, replace small buttons and safety eyes with embroidered details. Check all seams twice, especially around the crown, strawberry, basket handle, ears, and sandals. A few extra hidden stitches can make the finished keepsake stronger and safer.