Knitting Tutorial: Summer Poodle in Blue Daisy Dress with Straw Hat and Basket – Free Knitting Pattern.

This cheerful summer poodle is knitted with a rounded tan face, long curly poodle ears, a fluffy topknot, glossy black eyes, a blue daisy dress, yellow sandals, a straw-style shoulder basket, sunglasses, a sun hat with a blue tie, a tiny lemonade drink, and a watermelon slice. The finished doll is soft, detailed, and designed to look like the sweet handmade figure shown in the image.

 

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

Pattern Overview

This knitted poodle is worked as a soft toy with separate pieces sewn together. The head and body are shaped with increases and decreases, while the poodle curls are made with loop stitch and small knitted bobbles. The blue dress is knitted separately and fitted over the body before the arms are attached.

The toy uses firm gauge so the stuffing does not show. For a clean finish, knit the pieces tightly, stuff gradually, and sew with matching yarn. The dress, sandals, flowers, basket, hat, and accessories are small but important because they create the full summer look from the photo.

Finished Size

• Finished height: about 11 in from feet to top of curls.
• Head width: about 3.75 in after stuffing.
• Body height: about 4.25 in before dress.
• Dress length: about 3.75 in from shoulder to hem.
• Hat diameter: about 4.5 in.
• Basket size: about 1.5 in wide by 1.4 in tall.

Materials

• Worsted weight yarn in warm tan for face, body, arms, legs, and feet.
• Boucle or textured worsted yarn in light caramel for curly ears and topknot.
• Worsted or DK yarn in sky blue for the dress and hat ribbon.
• Small amounts of white and yellow yarn for daisies.
• Small amount of yellow yarn for sandals and sun hat.
• Small amount of black yarn for nose, mouth, sunglasses lenses, and facial embroidery.
• Small amount of beige or raffia-colored yarn for the shoulder basket and strap.
• Small amount of red and green yarn for the watermelon slice.
• Small amount of pale yellow yarn for the lemonade glass straw and drink.
• US size 3 knitting needles, or size needed for tight toy gauge.
• US size 2 needles for tiny accessories and flowers.
• Set of US size 3 double-pointed needles, optional for I-cords.
• Two 10 mm black safety eyes or glossy black beads.
• Fiberfill stuffing.
• Tapestry needle.
• Stitch markers.
• Scrap yarn or stitch holders.
• Small piece of clear plastic straw or firm pale yarn for the lemonade straw, optional.

Gauge

• Toy gauge: 24 sts and 34 rows equal 4 in in stockinette stitch, knitted firmly.
• Dress gauge: 25 sts and 32 rows equal 4 in in stockinette stitch.
• Accessory gauge: exact gauge is less important, but stitches should be firm and neat.

Abbreviations

• CO: cast on.
• BO: bind off.
• k: knit.
• p: purl.
• st or sts: stitch or stitches.
• RS: right side.
• WS: wrong side.
• kfb: knit into front and back of the same stitch.
• k2tog: knit 2 stitches together.
• ssk: slip 1 knitwise, slip 1 knitwise, knit slipped stitches together through back loops.
• p2tog: purl 2 stitches together.
• m1: make 1 stitch by lifting the bar between stitches and knitting through the back loop.
• sl1: slip 1 stitch.
• rep: repeat.
• St st: stockinette stitch, knit on RS rows and purl on WS rows.
• Loop st: knit 1, but before taking the stitch off the left needle, bring yarn forward around your thumb to make a loop about 0.5 in long, then knit the stitch again and slip it off.

Important Pattern Notes

The poodle is knitted mostly flat and seamed. Leave long yarn tails on each piece for sewing. When the instructions say to stuff firmly, add small pinches of fiberfill instead of one large piece. This keeps the rounded head, muzzle, arms, and legs smooth.

For the curly poodle texture, the ears and topknot use loop stitch. If you do not have boucle yarn, use regular yarn and work the loops slightly longer. After assembly, gently trim uneven loops only where necessary, keeping the fluffy outline full and rounded.

The dress is made in a blue mottled look. Work the dress in sky blue and duplicate stitch small white speckles after knitting, or hold one strand of blue with a very fine pale blue strand for a soft handmade texture. The daisies are added last.

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Head

Use warm tan yarn and US size 3 needles. Knit the head flat, then seam the back. The face should be round and slightly longer at the lower muzzle area, matching the gentle poodle expression in the image.

1. CO 12 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl all sts.
3. Row 2 RS: kfb in every st. 24 sts.
4. Row 3: purl.
5. Row 4: k1, kfb, rep to end. 36 sts.
6. Row 5: purl.
7. Row 6: k2, kfb, rep to end. 48 sts.
8. Row 7: purl.
9. Row 8: k3, kfb, rep to end. 60 sts.
10. Rows 9 to 23: work in St st, beginning with a purl row.
11. Row 24: k14, place marker, k32 for front face, place marker, k14.
12. Rows 25 to 31: work even in St st.
13. Row 32: k8, k2tog, k40, ssk, k8. 58 sts.
14. Row 33: purl.
15. Row 34: k7, k2tog, k40, ssk, k7. 56 sts.
16. Row 35: purl.
17. Row 36: k6, k2tog, k40, ssk, k6. 54 sts.
18. Row 37: purl.
19. Row 38: k5, k2tog, k40, ssk, k5. 52 sts.
20. Row 39: purl.
21. Row 40: k4, k2tog, k40, ssk, k4. 50 sts.
22. Row 41: purl.
23. Row 42: k3, k2tog, k40, ssk, k3. 48 sts.
24. Row 43: purl.
25. Row 44: k2, k2tog, k40, ssk, k2. 46 sts.
26. Row 45: purl.
27. Row 46: k1, k2tog, k40, ssk, k1. 44 sts.
28. Row 47: purl.
29. Row 48: k2tog across. 22 sts.
30. Row 49: p2tog across. 11 sts.
31. Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull snug, and seam the back of the head halfway. Stuff firmly, keeping the face smooth. Finish closing the back seam.

Muzzle Patch

The muzzle is knitted separately in tan and sewn to the lower front of the head. This creates the soft oval snout seen beneath the shiny eyes.

1. CO 8 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl.
3. Row 2 RS: kfb, k6, kfb. 10 sts.
4. Row 3: purl.
5. Row 4: kfb, k8, kfb. 12 sts.
6. Rows 5 to 9: work in St st.
7. Row 10: ssk, k8, k2tog. 10 sts.
8. Row 11: purl.
9. Row 12: ssk, k6, k2tog. 8 sts.
10. Row 13: purl.
11. Row 14: ssk, k4, k2tog. 6 sts.
12. BO all sts, leaving a long tail.

Lightly stuff the muzzle before sewing. Place it on the lower center of the face, beginning about 8 rows below the eye line and ending close to the neck. Sew around the edge with small invisible stitches.

Nose and Mouth

1. With black yarn, embroider an oval nose centered at the top of the muzzle, about 0.7 in wide and 0.45 in tall.
2. Satin stitch horizontally until the nose is smooth and full.
3. Bring black yarn down from the center bottom of the nose for 0.45 in.
4. Make a small split line into a gentle upside-down Y shape.
5. Do not over-tighten the mouth stitches. The expression should stay soft and slightly thoughtful.

Eyes

Place the eyes before the head is completely closed, or sew glossy black beads after stuffing. Position them 7 sts apart, slightly above the top of the muzzle. Add one tiny white yarn stitch at the lower outside edge of each eye to copy the shiny highlight in the image.

Body

The body is simple and compact because the blue dress covers most of it. Use tan yarn. The upper body should be narrower at the neck and wider at the lower belly so the dress sits naturally.

1. CO 18 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl.
3. Row 2 RS: kfb in every st. 36 sts.
4. Row 3: purl.
5. Row 4: k5, kfb, rep to end. 42 sts.
6. Rows 5 to 13: work in St st.
7. Row 14: k6, kfb, rep to end. 48 sts.
8. Rows 15 to 25: work in St st.
9. Row 26: k6, k2tog, rep to end. 42 sts.
10. Row 27: purl.
11. Row 28: k5, k2tog, rep to end. 36 sts.
12. Row 29: purl.
13. Row 30: k4, k2tog, rep to end. 30 sts.
14. Row 31: purl.
15. Row 32: k3, k2tog, rep to end. 24 sts.
16. Rows 33 to 37: work in St st for the neck.
17. BO all sts, leaving a long tail.

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Seam the back of the body. Stuff firmly, keeping the bottom rounded and the neck narrow. Sew the neck edge to the underside of the head, tilting the head very slightly forward for the sweet seated-doll look.

Legs

Make two legs in tan yarn. The visible legs are straight, short, and placed close together under the dress. Each foot is slightly rounded so the yellow sandals can wrap across the top.

1. CO 14 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 4: work in k1, p1 rib.
3. Rows 5 to 24: work in St st.
4. Row 25 RS: kfb, k12, kfb. 16 sts.
5. Row 26 WS: purl.
6. Row 27: kfb, k14, kfb. 18 sts.
7. Rows 28 to 32: work in St st.
8. Row 33: k2tog, k14, ssk. 16 sts.
9. Row 34: purl.
10. Row 35: k2tog, k12, ssk. 14 sts.
11. Row 36: purl.
12. Row 37: k2tog across. 7 sts.
13. Cut yarn and draw through remaining sts.

Seam each leg from the foot to the top. Stuff the feet firmly and the upper legs moderately. Sew the legs to the lower front of the body, spaced about 0.4 in apart, with the feet pointing forward.

Arms

Make two arms in tan yarn. The arms are long, rounded, and hang beside the blue dress. They should curve slightly inward toward the basket on one side.

1. CO 12 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl.
3. Row 2 RS: kfb in every st. 24 sts.
4. Rows 3 to 8: work in St st.
5. Row 9: k2tog, k20, ssk. 22 sts.
6. Row 10: purl.
7. Row 11: k2tog, k18, ssk. 20 sts.
8. Rows 12 to 30: work in St st.
9. Row 31: k3, k2tog, rep to end. 16 sts.
10. Row 32: purl.
11. Row 33: k2, k2tog, rep to end. 12 sts.
12. BO all sts.

Seam each arm, stuffing the lower paw more firmly than the top. Sew the arms at the shoulder line after the dress is on the body. The left arm should rest naturally beside the dress. The right arm should angle slightly toward the basket.

Long Curly Poodle Ears

The ears are one of the most important visual details. They are long, fluffy, rounded at the bottom, and hang from the sides of the head. Use light caramel boucle yarn, or tan yarn worked in loop stitch.

Make Two Ears

1. CO 10 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl.
3. Row 2 RS: kfb in every st. 20 sts.
4. Row 3: purl.
5. Row 4: k1, loop st in next st, rep to end.
6. Row 5: purl.
7. Row 6: loop st in each st.
8. Row 7: purl.
9. Rows 8 to 25: rep Rows 4 to 7 four times, keeping loops on the RS.
10. Row 26: k2tog, k16, ssk. 18 sts.
11. Row 27: purl.
12. Row 28: k2tog, k14, ssk. 16 sts.
13. Row 29: purl.
14. Row 30: k2tog, k12, ssk. 14 sts.
15. Row 31: purl.
16. Row 32: k2tog across. 7 sts.
17. Cut yarn, draw through remaining sts, and pull closed.

Fold each ear slightly lengthwise and seam only the lower back edge, leaving the top edge flat for sewing. Attach the ears from just above eye level down to the lower side of the head. Let the ears hang forward softly, framing the face.

Curly Topknot

The topknot forms the rounded fluffy cap across the top of the head. It should look full, bouncy, and slightly uneven like poodle curls.

1. Using caramel textured yarn, CO 22 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl.
3. Row 2 RS: loop st in every st.
4. Row 3: purl.
5. Row 4: k1, loop st in next st, rep to end.
6. Row 5: purl.
7. Rows 6 to 13: rep Rows 2 to 5 twice.
8. Row 14: k2tog across. 11 sts.
9. Row 15: p2tog five times, p1. 6 sts.
10. Cut yarn and draw through remaining sts.

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Sew the topknot across the crown from one ear top to the other. Shape it as a fluffy half-circle sitting above the forehead. Use a few extra yarn loops or small French-knot style stitches to fill gaps near the sunglasses.

Blue Daisy Dress

The dress has a fitted sleeveless bodice, a gathered waist, and a flared skirt. It is knitted in blue and decorated with white and yellow daisies. The skirt should spread outward like a soft summer sundress.

Dress Bodice

1. Using sky blue yarn, CO 42 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl.
3. Row 2 RS: k2, p2 rib to last 2 sts, k2.
4. Row 3: p2, k2 rib to last 2 sts, p2.
5. Rows 4 to 7: continue rib as established.
6. Row 8 RS: knit all sts.
7. Row 9 WS: purl all sts.
8. Row 10: k6, BO 6 sts for first armhole, k18, BO 6 sts for second armhole, k6. You now have three sections.
9. Row 11: p6, CO 4 sts over armhole gap, p18, CO 4 sts over second gap, p6. 38 sts.
10. Rows 12 to 17: work in St st.
11. Row 18: k4, k2tog, rep to last 2 sts, k2. 32 sts.
12. Row 19: purl.
13. Row 20: k2, p2 rib across.
14. Rows 21 to 23: continue rib for neckline.
15. BO loosely in rib.

Seam the back of the bodice only halfway from the lower edge upward. Leave the upper back open enough to slide the dress over the body. After dressing the doll, close the remaining back seam with small stitches.

Flared Skirt

1. With RS facing the lower edge of the bodice, pick up and knit 42 sts around the waist.
2. Row 1 WS: purl.
3. Row 2 RS: kfb in every st. 84 sts.
4. Row 3: purl.
5. Row 4: k6, m1, rep to end. 98 sts.
6. Rows 5 to 12: work in St st.
7. Row 13 WS: purl.
8. Row 14 RS: k7, m1, rep to end. 112 sts.
9. Rows 15 to 28: work in St st.
10. Row 29 WS: purl.
11. Row 30 RS: k all sts.
12. Row 31 WS: knit all sts to make a garter ridge hem.
13. Row 32 RS: knit all sts.
14. Row 33 WS: knit all sts.
15. BO loosely knitwise.

Steam lightly from a distance or damp-block the skirt edge so it flares. Do not flatten the dress completely. The hem should curve around the poodle’s legs and sit just above the feet, like the photo.

White Speckles on the Dress

The dress in the image has a soft blue-and-white summer texture. Add short white duplicate stitches between the daisies. Keep them scattered, not lined up perfectly.

• Work 28 to 34 tiny white duplicate stitches over single knit stitches.
• Place more speckles on the skirt than the bodice.
• Keep the center front clear enough for the larger daisy flowers.
• Use short yarn tails and secure them on the inside of the dress.

Knitted Daisy Flowers for Dress

Make 12 small daisies for the dress. Use white yarn for petals and yellow yarn for centers. Place 3 on the bodice and 9 on the skirt, just like a scattered daisy print.

Small Daisy Petal

1. With white yarn and US size 2 needles, CO 3 sts.
2. Row 1: knit.
3. Row 2: purl.
4. Row 3: sl1, k2tog, pass slipped st over. 1 st.
5. Fasten off.

Make 5 petals for each daisy. Arrange the petals in a circle and sew them together at the center. With yellow yarn, make 3 small straight stitches or one small knot in the center.

Daisy Placement

• Place one daisy near the upper right bodice.
• Place one daisy near the upper left bodice.
• Place one daisy at the center chest.
• Place three daisies across the upper skirt.
• Place three daisies around the middle skirt.
• Place three daisies near the lower skirt, keeping them above the hem ridge.

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Yellow Sandals

The sandals are yellow with a rounded sole, a front strap, an ankle strap, and a tiny white daisy on each foot. They sit over the tan knitted feet.

Sandal Soles

1. Make two. With yellow yarn, CO 8 sts.
2. Row 1: knit.
3. Row 2: kfb, k6, kfb. 10 sts.
4. Rows 3 to 8: knit all sts.
5. Row 9: k2tog, k6, ssk. 8 sts.
6. Row 10: knit.
7. BO all sts.

Sew one sole under each foot, keeping the rounded end at the toe. The sole should show as a yellow outline around the front of the foot.

Toe Straps

1. For each foot, CO 4 sts with yellow yarn.
2. Knit 16 rows in garter stitch.
3. BO, leaving a tail.
4. Wrap the strap across the top front of the foot and sew both ends to the sole edge.

Ankle Straps

1. For each foot, CO 3 sts.
2. Knit 22 rows in garter stitch.
3. BO and sew around the ankle just above the foot.

Add a tiny white daisy to the outer side of each sandal. Make each daisy with 5 short white straight stitches and one yellow center stitch.

Straw Shoulder Basket

The basket is small, tan, textured, and worn from the poodle’s shoulder with a diagonal strap. The basket body uses linen stitch to imitate woven straw.

Basket Body

1. With beige yarn, CO 18 sts.
2. Row 1 RS: k1, sl1 wyif, rep to end.
3. Row 2 WS: p1, sl1 wyib, rep to end.
4. Rows 3 to 18: rep Rows 1 and 2.
5. BO all sts.

Fold the rectangle in half with RS outward. Sew the side seams. Pinch the lower corners inward and sew across each corner to make a shallow flat base. The finished basket should look boxy and slightly open at the top.

Basket Rim

1. CO 32 sts with beige yarn.
2. Knit 3 rows.
3. BO.

Sew the rim around the top of the basket. Let the rim sit slightly proud of the basket body so it looks like a woven lip.

Basket Handles and Shoulder Strap

1. For the small basket handle, make a 3-st I-cord for 18 rows. Sew each end to the top sides of the basket.
2. For the shoulder strap, make a 3-st I-cord about 9 in long.
3. Sew one strap end near the left shoulder area of the dress and the other end to the basket side.
4. Place the strap diagonally across the chest from the poodle’s left shoulder to the right hip.

Straw Sun Hat

The hat sits beside the poodle in the image, but it may also be placed on the head. It is round, yellow, and has a blue tie around the crown with a small bow.

Hat Crown

1. With yellow yarn, CO 12 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl.
3. Row 2 RS: kfb in every st. 24 sts.
4. Row 3: purl.
5. Row 4: k1, kfb, rep to end. 36 sts.
6. Row 5: purl.
7. Row 6: k2, kfb, rep to end. 48 sts.
8. Rows 7 to 15: work in St st.
9. Row 16: k4, k2tog, rep to end. 40 sts.
10. Row 17: purl.
11. BO loosely.

Seam the crown and stuff it very lightly, only enough to hold the dome shape. Do not make it heavy.

Hat Brim

1. With yellow yarn, CO 72 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 4: knit all sts.
3. Row 5 RS: k8, m1, rep to end. 81 sts.
4. Rows 6 to 9: knit all sts.
5. Row 10: k9, m1, rep to end. 90 sts.
6. Rows 11 to 14: knit all sts.
7. BO loosely.

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Sew the crown to the center of the brim. Shape the brim with your fingers so it curves softly downward at the sides, matching the floppy summer hat in the image.

Blue Hat Ribbon and Bow

1. With blue yarn, CO 3 sts.
2. Knit 42 rows for the ribbon band.
3. BO and sew around the base of the crown.
4. For each bow loop, CO 3 sts and knit 10 rows. Make two.
5. For each bow tail, CO 3 sts and knit 8 rows. Make two.
6. Sew the loops and tails together at the front of the hat. Wrap blue yarn around the center 4 times and secure at the back.

Sunglasses on Top of the Head

The sunglasses are small, round, and sit on top of the curly hair. They have black lenses and yellow rims.

Lenses

1. Make two. With black yarn, CO 6 sts.
2. Row 1: purl.
3. Row 2: kfb, k4, kfb. 8 sts.
4. Row 3: purl.
5. Row 4: kfb, k6, kfb. 10 sts.
6. Rows 5 to 7: work in St st.
7. Row 8: k2tog, k6, ssk. 8 sts.
8. Row 9: purl.
9. Row 10: k2tog, k4, ssk. 6 sts.
10. BO.

Yellow Rims and Bridge

1. Make a 2-st I-cord in yellow for 14 rows for each lens rim. Sew around each black lens.
2. Make a 2-st I-cord in yellow for 5 rows for the bridge.
3. Sew the bridge between the two lenses.
4. Attach the sunglasses lightly to the topknot so they rest across the forehead curls.

Blue Side Flower on Hair

The poodle has a small pale blue flower tucked near one side of the curls. This flower adds a soft summer detail near the sunglasses.

1. Make 5 petals with pale blue yarn. For each petal, CO 3 sts, knit 2 rows, then sl1, k2tog, pass slipped st over.
2. Sew the 5 petals in a circle.
3. Add a yellow center with 3 small stitches.
4. Sew the flower to the viewer’s left side of the topknot, just above the ear.

Lemonade Glass Prop

The small lemonade drink is a cute side accessory. It is knitted as a tiny pale yellow cylinder with a rounded top and a little straw.

1. With pale yellow yarn, CO 10 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 8: work in St st.
3. Row 9: k2tog across. 5 sts.
4. Cut yarn, draw through remaining sts, and seam the side.
5. Stuff very lightly or insert a small rolled yarn scrap.
6. For the straw, make a 2-st I-cord for 8 rows in yellow or use a firm strand of yarn twisted tightly.
7. Sew the straw to the top at a slight angle.

Watermelon Slice Prop

The watermelon slice is a tiny triangular accent with red fruit, green rind, white stripe, and black seeds.

1. With red yarn, CO 12 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl.
3. Row 2 RS: k2tog, k8, ssk. 10 sts.
4. Row 3: purl.
5. Row 4: k2tog, k6, ssk. 8 sts.
6. Row 5: purl.
7. Row 6: k2tog, k4, ssk. 6 sts.
8. Row 7: purl.
9. Row 8: k2tog, k2, ssk. 4 sts.
10. Row 9: purl.
11. Row 10: k2tog twice. 2 sts.
12. Row 11: p2tog. 1 st.
13. Fasten off.
14. Pick up 12 sts along the wide base with white yarn and knit 1 row. Change to green and knit 3 rows. BO.
15. Embroider 4 tiny black seed stitches on the red section.

Knitted Daisy Embellishments for Hair and Sandals

Use the same daisy style throughout the project so the details look coordinated. The dress daisies are slightly larger, while the sandal and hair daisies are smaller.

• Large dress daisy: 5 petals, each 3 sts wide and 3 rows tall.
• Small sandal daisy: 5 straight stitches around one yellow knot.
• Hair flower: 5 pale blue petals with a yellow center.
• Placement tip: sew flowers after all main assembly is complete so they stay visible and balanced.

Making the Poodle Curls Look Full

After sewing the ears and topknot, use a tapestry needle to pull a few loops outward. The curls should frame the face but not cover the eyes. The top curls should rise above the forehead, and the long ears should be rounded at the lower ends.

• Add 8 to 12 extra loop stitches by embroidering small yarn loops into thin areas.
• Keep the curls shorter near the eyes so the face remains clear.
• Let the ear curls be fuller near the bottom for the poodle shape.
• Do not brush boucle yarn aggressively, because it can become fuzzy instead of curly.

Dress Fitting and Shape

Slide the dress onto the body before sewing the arms permanently. Pull the skirt gently over the hips and let the bodice sit close to the chest. The skirt should flare from the waist and cover the tops of the legs, while the tan legs and yellow sandals remain visible.

1. Place the dress on the body with the back seam centered.
2. Close the back seam with matching blue yarn.
3. Tack the shoulder points to the body with two tiny stitches on each side.
4. Arrange the skirt evenly around the waist.
5. Sew the arms over the dress shoulder edges to hide any joins.

Assembly Order

1. Knit and stuff the head.
2. Knit and sew the muzzle to the face.
3. Add eyes, nose, mouth, and eye highlights.
4. Knit, stuff, and seam the body.
5. Sew the head to the body.
6. Knit and attach the legs.
7. Place the dress on the body and close the back.
8. Knit and attach the arms over the dress shoulders.
9. Knit and sew the curly ears to both sides of the head.
10. Add the topknot and shape the curls.
11. Add the sunglasses on top of the curls.
12. Sew the blue flower near the topknot.
13. Add the basket strap diagonally across the body.
14. Sew or place the basket at the poodle’s side.
15. Add sandals and sandal daisies.
16. Finish with the straw hat, lemonade glass, and watermelon slice.

Final Assembly and Facial Detailing

Check the head angle before final sewing. The poodle should face forward with a calm, sweet expression. If the head tilts too far back, add a few stitches between the lower muzzle and upper chest to bring the face forward.

Use black yarn to deepen the nose after the muzzle is attached. Add the vertical mouth line last so it stays centered. The eyes should be glossy, rounded, and evenly placed. The small white highlights make the face look bright and handmade.

For the final look, place the sunglasses on top of the curls, the pale blue flower on one side, the straw basket at the hip, and the yellow hat nearby or gently on the head. The accessories should feel light and summery.

Care Notes

• Spot clean with cool water and mild soap.
• Do not machine wash if safety eyes, beads, or small accessories are attached.
• Press water out gently with a towel. Do not wring.
• Let the doll air dry flat.
• Reshape the ears, dress hem, and hat brim while damp.

Quick Checklist Before You Finish

• The poodle has a round tan face and oval muzzle.
• The long ears are curly, full, and hang beside the face.
• The topknot is fluffy and supports the sunglasses.
• The blue dress has a fitted bodice and flared skirt.
• White daisies and small white speckles are scattered across the dress.
• The yellow sandals have toe straps, ankle straps, and small daisies.
• The basket hangs from a diagonal shoulder strap.
• The straw hat has a blue ribbon and bow.
• The lemonade glass and watermelon slice are included as tiny summer props.

Detailed Cleaning and Preservation Guidelines

Store the poodle away from direct sunlight to protect the blue dress, yellow hat, and tan yarn from fading. Keep the doll in a dry place and avoid crushing the ears or topknot under heavier items.

To freshen the curls, lift them gently with your fingers. Do not comb the loop stitches. If a daisy loosens, secure it with matching sewing yarn through the back of the dress or accessory.

For long-term display, support the poodle from behind so the legs do not carry all the weight. Keep the small lemonade glass, watermelon slice, and hat together in a shallow box when not displayed.