Knitting Tutorial: Boston Terrier Gardener in Green Cable Vest with Acorn Pouch and Harvest Basket – Free Knitting Pattern.

This knitted Boston Terrier gardener is worked as a soft seated toy with a large expressive head, tall pointed ears, a white muzzle, dark eye patches, a green cable vest, tweedy brown lower body, an acorn pouch, a slouchy green garden cap with tiny flowers, and a small harvest basket filled with colorful knitted vegetables.

 

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 pattern creates a seated Boston Terrier with the same rounded puppy proportions shown in the image. The head is oversized, the body is compact, the arms are slim and white, and the legs sit forward with brown feet. The face uses knitted color patches, a raised muzzle, embroidered mouth shaping, and glossy safety eyes.

The gardener outfit is made separately so the finished toy has clear clothing layers. The green vest has front panels, cable columns, ribbed edges, tiny buttons, and a slightly open neckline. The brown shoulder pouch crosses the chest and hangs at the right hip. The basket and cap are separate accessories.

Finished Size

• Finished toy height: about 9.5 in / 24 cm seated, measured from bottom to ear tips.
• Head width: about 4.5 in / 11.5 cm after stuffing.
• Body height: about 4 in / 10 cm from neck to seated base.
• Ear height: about 2.5 in / 6.5 cm each.
• Basket width: about 2 in / 5 cm.
• Green cap width: about 3.5 in / 9 cm across the brim.

Skill Level

This is an intermediate knitting pattern because it combines small toy shaping, color placement, seaming, simple cables, embroidery, and accessory making. A confident beginner can complete it by working slowly and checking stitch counts after every increase or decrease row.

Yarn and Materials

• Yarn weight: DK weight yarn for the dog and accessories.
• Main brown: warm Boston Terrier brown for head, back body patches, ears, and feet.
• Cream white: face stripe, muzzle, neck, arms, chest, and small markings.
• Dark brown or black: eye patches, nose, facial shading, and tiny outlines.
• Moss green: cable vest and garden cap.
• Chestnut brown: acorn pouch, strap, acorn prop, and shoe details.
• Oatmeal beige: harvest basket.
• Scrap yarn: orange, red, cream, pink, leafy green, and pale yellow for vegetables and flowers.
• Needles: US 2 / 2.75 mm double-pointed needles or circular needles for small circumference knitting.
• Optional smaller needles: US 1 / 2.25 mm for straps, basket handle, and tight accessories.
• Safety eyes: two 8 mm brown or dark glossy eyes.
• Buttons: three tiny tan buttons, about 6 mm wide, for the vest.
• Stuffing: washable polyester fiberfill.
• Other tools: tapestry needle, stitch markers, cable needle, pins, scissors, and embroidery needle.

Gauge

• Toy fabric gauge: 7 sts and 10 rows = 1 in / 2.5 cm in stockinette stitch.
• Vest gauge: 7.5 sts and 10 rows = 1 in / 2.5 cm after light blocking.
• Important: use a firm gauge so stuffing does not show through the knitted fabric.

Abbreviations

• CO: cast on.
• BO: bind off.
• k: knit.
• p: purl.
• st / sts: stitch / stitches.
• RS: right side.
• WS: wrong side.
• kfb: knit into front and back of next stitch.
• pfb: purl into front and back of next 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.
• St st: stockinette stitch, knit on RS and purl on WS when worked flat.
• Rev St st: reverse stockinette stitch, purl on RS and knit on WS.
• C4F: slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold in front, k2, k2 from cable needle.
• C4B: slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold in back, k2, k2 from cable needle.
• MC: main color.

Construction Notes

The dog is worked in separate knitted pieces and seamed. This gives better control over the Boston Terrier markings. The head is shaped from the lower neck upward, then the face stripe and dark eye patches are added with intarsia-style flat pieces and careful stitching.

Keep all seams neat and slightly firm. Toy pieces should be stuffed gradually, not all at once. The head needs the most structure because the tall ears and raised muzzle depend on a firm but smooth shape.

• Use mattress stitch for visible body seams.
• Use whip stitch for hidden accessory seams.
• Stuff the head firmly, the muzzle softly, and the arms lightly.
• Pin every feature before sewing so the expression stays symmetrical.
• The dog sits with legs angled forward at about 35 degrees from the body base.

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Main Head

The head is round and slightly wider at the cheeks, with a narrow lower neck. Work this piece flat in main brown, leaving the front face area ready for the white stripe, black patches, and muzzle.

Head Back and Sides

1. With main brown yarn, CO 10 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl all sts.
3. Row 2 RS: kfb in every st. 20 sts.
4. Row 3: purl all sts.
5. Row 4: k1, kfb across to last st, k1. 38 sts.
6. Row 5: purl all sts.
7. Row 6: k4, kfb, k6, kfb, k8, kfb, k6, kfb, k4. 42 sts.
8. Rows 7 to 15: work in St st, beginning with a WS purl row.
9. Row 16: k6, kfb, k8, kfb, k10, kfb, k8, kfb, k6. 46 sts.
10. Rows 17 to 25: work in St st.
11. Row 26: k6, ssk, k10, k2tog, k6, ssk, k10, k2tog, k6. 42 sts.
12. Row 27: purl all sts.
13. Row 28: k5, ssk, k8, k2tog, k6, ssk, k8, k2tog, k5. 38 sts.
14. Row 29: purl all sts.
15. Row 30: k4, ssk, k7, k2tog, k4, ssk, k7, k2tog, k4. 34 sts.
16. Row 31: purl all sts.
17. Row 32: k3, ssk, k6, k2tog, k4, ssk, k6, k2tog, k3. 30 sts.
18. Row 33: purl all sts.
19. Row 34: k2, ssk, k5, k2tog, k4, ssk, k5, k2tog, k2. 26 sts.
20. Row 35: purl all sts.
21. BO, leaving a 16 in yarn tail for seaming.

White Center Face Stripe

The Boston Terrier has a wide white stripe that begins between the ears, travels down the forehead, widens slightly between the eyes, and blends into the muzzle. This knitted strip is sewn on top of the brown head for a clean raised look.

1. With cream white yarn, CO 8 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 4: work in St st.
3. Row 5 RS: k1, kfb, k4, kfb, k1. 10 sts.
4. Rows 6 to 12: work in St st.
5. Row 13: k1, ssk, k4, k2tog, k1. 8 sts.
6. Rows 14 to 20: work in St st.
7. Row 21: k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1. 6 sts.
8. Rows 22 to 24: work in St st.
9. BO, leaving a long tail.

Place the narrow end at the top center of the head between the ears. The wider portion should sit between the eyes. The lower end should tuck under the upper edge of the muzzle.

Dark Eye Patches

The image shows dark Boston Terrier patches around both eyes, with the dog’s left patch slightly larger and wrapping down the cheek. Make two separate patches so they can curve around the safety eyes.

Left Eye Patch

1. With dark brown or black yarn, CO 7 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl all sts.
3. Row 2 RS: kfb, k5, kfb. 9 sts.
4. Row 3: purl all sts.
5. Row 4: kfb, k7, kfb. 11 sts.
6. Rows 5 to 9: work in St st.
7. Row 10: ssk, k7, k2tog. 9 sts.
8. Row 11: purl all sts.
9. Row 12: ssk, k5, k2tog. 7 sts.
10. BO loosely.

Right Eye Patch

1. With dark brown or black yarn, CO 6 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl all sts.
3. Row 2 RS: kfb, k4, kfb. 8 sts.
4. Rows 3 to 8: work in St st.
5. Row 9 WS: purl all sts.
6. Row 10 RS: ssk, k4, k2tog. 6 sts.
7. BO loosely.

Pin the patches so each eye sits inside the upper middle of its patch. The left patch should reach closer to the muzzle, while the right patch stays rounder and slightly higher.

Muzzle and Nose

The muzzle is cream white, rounded, and raised. It has two soft cheek lobes with a small black oval nose centered on top. The mouth is embroidered in dark thread with a short vertical line and two tiny curved lines.

White Muzzle

1. With cream white yarn, CO 12 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl all sts.
3. Row 2 RS: kfb, k10, kfb. 14 sts.
4. Row 3: purl all sts.
5. Row 4: kfb, k12, kfb. 16 sts.
6. Rows 5 to 9: work in St st.
7. Row 10: ssk, k12, k2tog. 14 sts.
8. Row 11: purl all sts.
9. Row 12: ssk, k10, k2tog. 12 sts.
10. Row 13: purl all sts.
11. BO, leaving a 14 in tail.

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Run a gathering thread around the edge, add a small amount of stuffing, and pull into a soft oval. Do not overstuff. The muzzle should sit forward, but the cheeks should remain squishy and gentle.

Black Nose

1. With black yarn and smaller needles, CO 5 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl all sts.
3. Row 2 RS: kfb, k3, kfb. 7 sts.
4. Row 3: purl all sts.
5. Row 4: ssk, k3, k2tog. 5 sts.
6. Row 5: purl all sts.
7. BO.

Sew the nose horizontally across the top center of the muzzle. Shape it into a soft triangle-oval by pulling the side corners slightly downward.

Tall Boston Terrier Ears

The ears are very important to the image. They are tall, pointed, wide at the base, and stand upright. Each ear has a brown outer layer and a slightly smaller lighter inner ear.

Outer Ear, Make 2

1. With main brown yarn, CO 16 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl all sts.
3. Rows 2 to 8: work in St st.
4. Row 9 WS: purl all sts.
5. Row 10 RS: ssk, k12, k2tog. 14 sts.
6. Rows 11 to 13: work in St st.
7. Row 14: ssk, k10, k2tog. 12 sts.
8. Rows 15 to 17: work in St st.
9. Row 18: ssk, k8, k2tog. 10 sts.
10. Row 19: purl all sts.
11. Row 20: ssk, k6, k2tog. 8 sts.
12. Row 21: purl all sts.
13. Row 22: ssk, k4, k2tog. 6 sts.
14. Row 23: purl all sts.
15. Row 24: ssk, k2, k2tog. 4 sts.
16. Row 25: purl all sts.
17. Row 26: ssk, k2tog. 2 sts.
18. Row 27: p2tog. 1 st.
19. Fasten off.

Inner Ear, Make 2

1. With taupe brown or lighter brown yarn, CO 12 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl all sts.
3. Rows 2 to 6: work in St st.
4. Row 7 WS: purl all sts.
5. Row 8 RS: ssk, k8, k2tog. 10 sts.
6. Rows 9 to 11: work in St st.
7. Row 12: ssk, k6, k2tog. 8 sts.
8. Row 13: purl all sts.
9. Row 14: ssk, k4, k2tog. 6 sts.
10. Row 15: purl all sts.
11. Row 16: ssk, k2, k2tog. 4 sts.
12. Row 17: purl all sts.
13. Row 18: ssk, k2tog. 2 sts.
14. Row 19: p2tog. 1 st.
15. Fasten off.

Sew each inner ear to an outer ear, centered and 2 rows above the lower edge. Fold the ear very slightly lengthwise and stitch the lower 0.5 in together to create a firm standing base.

Body

The body is short and rounded with a cream upper chest and a mottled brown lower section. The vest covers much of the front, but the lower belly and seated side areas remain visible like tweedy brown trousers.

Upper Body and Belly

1. With cream white yarn, CO 16 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl all sts.
3. Row 2 RS: kfb in every st. 32 sts.
4. Rows 3 to 7: work in St st.
5. Change to mottled brown yarn.
6. Row 8 RS: k4, kfb, k6, kfb, k8, kfb, k6, kfb, k4. 36 sts.
7. Rows 9 to 17: work in St st.
8. Row 18: k5, ssk, k7, k2tog, k4, ssk, k7, k2tog, k5. 32 sts.
9. Row 19: purl all sts.
10. Row 20: k4, ssk, k6, k2tog, k4, ssk, k6, k2tog, k4. 28 sts.
11. Row 21: purl all sts.
12. Row 22: k3, ssk, k5, k2tog, k4, ssk, k5, k2tog, k3. 24 sts.
13. Row 23: purl all sts.
14. BO, leaving a long tail.

Seam the back edges together. Gather the lower edge slightly to form a seated base. Stuff firmly at the center and more softly near the sides so the toy sits naturally on a flat surface.

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Back Brown Patch

1. With main brown yarn, CO 18 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 14: work in St st.
3. Row 15 RS: ssk, k14, k2tog. 16 sts.
4. Row 16 WS: purl all sts.
5. Row 17: ssk, k12, k2tog. 14 sts.
6. BO.

Sew the patch to the back of the body so it peeks around the vest sides. This creates the darker Boston Terrier back coloring visible behind the clothing.

Legs and Feet

The seated legs are short and slightly chunky. The upper legs are mottled brown, while the feet are chestnut brown and point forward. The feet should rest near the cap and acorn pouch area, just like the image.

Leg, Make 2

1. With mottled brown yarn, CO 14 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl all sts.
3. Row 2 RS: kfb, k12, kfb. 16 sts.
4. Rows 3 to 13: work in St st.
5. Row 14: ssk, k12, k2tog. 14 sts.
6. Row 15: purl all sts.
7. Change to chestnut brown yarn for the foot.
8. Row 16 RS: kfb, k12, kfb. 16 sts.
9. Rows 17 to 22: work in St st.
10. Row 23 WS: purl all sts.
11. Row 24 RS: ssk, k12, k2tog. 14 sts.
12. Row 25: purl all sts.
13. Row 26: ssk, k10, k2tog. 12 sts.
14. BO.

Fold each leg lengthwise and seam the side. Stuff the upper leg lightly and the foot more firmly. Sew the feet closed with a rounded toe shape. Add two short dark brown stitches at the front of each foot for paw definition.

Arms

The arms are cream white, slim, and hang down at the sides of the green vest. They are slightly tapered at the wrist and rounded at the paw.

Arm, Make 2

1. With cream white yarn, CO 12 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl all sts.
3. Row 2 RS: kfb, k10, kfb. 14 sts.
4. Rows 3 to 18: work in St st.
5. Row 19 WS: purl all sts.
6. Row 20 RS: ssk, k10, k2tog. 12 sts.
7. Row 21: purl all sts.
8. Row 22: ssk, k8, k2tog. 10 sts.
9. Row 23: purl all sts.
10. BO.

Fold each arm lengthwise with RS facing out, seam from wrist to shoulder, and stuff lightly. Gather the paw end into a soft oval. Sew the arms to the upper body just below the neck, angled downward and slightly forward.

Green Cable Vest

The vest is moss green with ribbed edges, front opening, three tan buttons, and cable texture. It should sit open enough to show the white chest at the top and close enough to frame the round body.

Vest Back

1. With moss green yarn, CO 28 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: p2, k2 across to last 4 sts, p2, k2.
3. Row 2 RS: k2, p2 across to last 4 sts, k2, p2.
4. Rows 3 to 4: repeat Rows 1 and 2 for lower rib.
5. Row 5 WS: purl all sts.
6. Row 6 RS: k4, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k4, p2, k4.
7. Row 7 WS: p4, k2, p4, k2, p4, k2, p4, k2, p4.
8. Row 8 RS: k4, p2, C4F, p2, k4, p2, C4B, p2, k4.
9. Rows 9 to 13: work sts as they appear.
10. Row 14 RS: k4, p2, C4F, p2, k4, p2, C4B, p2, k4.
11. Rows 15 to 21: work sts as they appear.
12. Row 22 RS: k2, ssk, work pattern to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. 26 sts.
13. Rows 23 to 27: work sts as they appear.
14. Row 28 RS: k2, ssk, work pattern to last 4 sts, k2tog, k2. 24 sts.
15. Rows 29 to 32: work sts as they appear.
16. BO in pattern.

Left Front Vest Panel

1. With moss green yarn, CO 16 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 4: work k2, p2 rib.
3. Row 5 WS: purl all sts.
4. Row 6 RS: k3, p2, C4F, p2, k5.
5. Row 7 WS: work sts as they appear.
6. Rows 8 to 13: continue cable column, crossing C4F again on Row 12.
7. Row 14 RS: k3, p2, C4F, p2, k5.
8. Rows 15 to 19: work sts as they appear.
9. Row 20 RS armhole edge: ssk, work to end. 15 sts.
10. Row 21 WS: work sts as they appear.
11. Row 22 RS neckline edge: work to last 2 sts, k2tog. 14 sts.
12. Row 23 WS: work sts as they appear.
13. Row 24 RS: ssk, work to last 2 sts, k2tog. 12 sts.
14. Rows 25 to 30: work sts as they appear.
15. BO in pattern.

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Right Front Vest Panel

1. With moss green yarn, CO 16 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 4: work k2, p2 rib.
3. Row 5 WS: purl all sts.
4. Row 6 RS: k5, p2, C4B, p2, k3.
5. Row 7 WS: work sts as they appear.
6. Rows 8 to 13: continue cable column, crossing C4B again on Row 12.
7. Row 14 RS: k5, p2, C4B, p2, k3.
8. Rows 15 to 19: work sts as they appear.
9. Row 20 RS armhole edge: work to last 2 sts, k2tog. 15 sts.
10. Row 21 WS: work sts as they appear.
11. Row 22 RS neckline edge: ssk, work to end. 14 sts.
12. Row 23 WS: work sts as they appear.
13. Row 24 RS: ssk, work to last 2 sts, k2tog. 12 sts.
14. Rows 25 to 30: work sts as they appear.
15. BO in pattern.

Vest Bands

1. For each front band, pick up and knit 22 sts along the front edge.
2. Rows 1 to 3: work k1, p1 rib.
3. BO loosely.
4. For the neck band, pick up and knit 34 sts around the neckline.
5. Rows 1 to 2: work k1, p1 rib.
6. BO loosely.

Sew the shoulder seams and side seams, leaving armholes open. Place the vest on the dog before sewing buttons. Sew three tan buttons down the dog’s right front panel, spaced evenly from upper chest to lower belly.

Garden Cap with Flower Cluster

The soft green cap sits low beside the dog in the image, like a slouchy gardener beret. It has a rounded top, a small brown stem, and a cluster of tiny cream, peach, and pale green knitted flowers on the side.

Green Cap

1. With moss green yarn, CO 48 sts and join to work in the round.
2. Round 1: k all sts.
3. Round 2: p all sts for a turning ridge.
4. Rounds 3 to 8: k all sts.
5. Round 9: k6, k2tog around. 42 sts.
6. Round 10: k all sts.
7. Round 11: k5, k2tog around. 36 sts.
8. Round 12: k all sts.
9. Round 13: k4, k2tog around. 30 sts.
10. Round 14: k all sts.
11. Round 15: k3, k2tog around. 24 sts.
12. Round 16: k all sts.
13. Round 17: k2, k2tog around. 18 sts.
14. Round 18: k1, k2tog around. 12 sts.
15. Round 19: k2tog around. 6 sts.
16. Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull closed, and secure.

Small Brown Cap Stem

1. With chestnut brown yarn, CO 5 sts.
2. Work 5 rows in garter stitch.
3. BO, roll into a tiny stem, and sew to the top center of the cap.

Flowers for Cap

1. For a cream flower, CO 20 sts.
2. Row 1: k all sts.
3. Row 2: k2tog across. 10 sts.
4. Cut yarn and thread through all sts. Pull tightly to curl into a flower.
5. Repeat once in peach yarn and once in pale green yarn.
6. Sew flowers to the lower side of the cap, slightly overlapping.
7. Embroider two small green leaves beside the flower cluster with straight stitches.

Acorn Pouch

The acorn pouch is chestnut brown and hangs across the vest on a narrow strap. It has a flap, tiny buckle details, and vertical stitch lines that match the image.

Pouch Body

1. With chestnut brown yarn, CO 18 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 4: work garter stitch.
3. Rows 5 to 16: work in St st.
4. Row 17 RS: k2, p2, k10, p2, k2 to create vertical ridges.
5. Row 18 WS: p2, k2, p10, k2, p2.
6. Rows 19 to 22: repeat Rows 17 and 18 twice.
7. BO.

Pouch Flap

1. With chestnut brown yarn, CO 18 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 5: work in St st.
3. Row 6 RS: ssk, k14, k2tog. 16 sts.
4. Row 7 WS: purl all sts.
5. Row 8 RS: ssk, k12, k2tog. 14 sts.
6. BO.

Fold the pouch body upward so the lower 8 rows form the front. Seam the sides. Sew the flap to the back top edge and let it fold forward. Use dark brown embroidery to make two buckle loops on the lower front. Add two tiny tan stitches above the flap as button tabs.

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Crossbody Strap

1. With chestnut brown yarn and smaller needles, CO 4 sts.
2. Work garter stitch for 13 in / 33 cm.
3. BO firmly.
4. Sew one end to the upper left corner of the pouch and the other end to the upper right corner.

Place the strap over the dog’s left shoulder and across the green vest. The pouch should rest on the dog’s right side, slightly overlapping the lower vest and brown leg.

Separate Knitted Acorn Prop

The small acorn sits near the dog’s feet. It is rounded brown with a textured cap and a small curved stem.

Acorn Nut

1. With warm brown yarn, CO 18 sts and join in the round.
2. Rounds 1 to 4: k all sts.
3. Round 5: k4, k2tog around. 15 sts.
4. Round 6: k all sts.
5. Round 7: k3, k2tog around. 12 sts.
6. Round 8: k all sts.
7. Round 9: k2, k2tog around. 9 sts.
8. Stuff lightly.
9. Round 10: k1, k2tog around. 6 sts.
10. Cut yarn, thread through sts, pull closed.

Acorn Cap

1. With chestnut brown yarn, CO 20 sts and join in the round.
2. Rounds 1 to 3: p all sts for bumpy texture.
3. Round 4: k2, k2tog around. 15 sts.
4. Round 5: p all sts.
5. BO.

Sew the cap to the wider top of the acorn. Add a 4-stitch i-cord stem or a twisted yarn stem about 0.5 in long. Add two tiny pink knots beside the acorn if you want to match the small decorative buds in the image.

Harvest Basket

The basket is oatmeal beige with a rounded base, short sides, and a curved handle. It holds small knitted garden produce in orange, red, cream, and green.

Basket Base and Sides

1. With oatmeal beige yarn, CO 8 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: purl all sts.
3. Row 2 RS: kfb in every st. 16 sts.
4. Row 3: purl all sts.
5. Row 4: k1, kfb across to last st, k1. 30 sts.
6. Rows 5 to 6: work garter stitch.
7. Rows 7 to 14: work in Rev St st to create basket texture.
8. Rows 15 to 16: work garter stitch.
9. BO loosely.

Seam the back edge to form a shallow cup. Gather the bottom slightly, flatten into an oval, and add a little stuffing only if needed to hold the basket shape.

Basket Handle

1. With oatmeal beige yarn, CO 4 sts.
2. Work garter stitch for 6 in / 15 cm.
3. BO.
4. Sew each end inside the basket rim, opposite each other.

Orange Pumpkin

1. With orange yarn, CO 12 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 10: work k1, p1 rib.
3. BO, seam side edge, gather top and bottom.
4. Wrap yarn around the pumpkin vertically 4 times to make ridges.
5. Add a tiny green stem with 3 straight stitches.

Red Berry or Radish

1. With red yarn, CO 10 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 6: work in St st.
3. Row 7: k2tog across. 5 sts.
4. Cut yarn, gather, seam, and stuff lightly.
5. Add two green leaf stitches at the top.

Cream Turnip

1. With cream yarn, CO 10 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 5: work in St st.
3. Row 6: ssk, k6, k2tog. 8 sts.
4. Row 7: purl all sts.
5. BO, seam into a small oval.
6. Add green leaves at the top and a pink stitch at the base.

Leafy Greens

1. With green yarn, CO 6 sts.
2. Row 1: k all sts.
3. Row 2: kfb, k4, kfb. 8 sts.
4. Row 3: k all sts.
5. Row 4: ssk, k4, k2tog. 6 sts.
6. BO.
7. Make 3 leaves and sew them inside the basket rim.

Facial Embroidery

The expression should be gentle and alert. The eyes are large and glossy, set wide apart inside the dark patches. The muzzle has a small serious mouth line, which gives the dog the thoughtful gardener look seen in the image.

1. Place the safety eyes between Rows 15 and 16 of the head, about 12 sts apart.
2. Insert each eye through the dark patch and the head fabric before securing the washer.
3. Sew the white face stripe first, then the dark patches, then attach eyes.
4. Sew the muzzle centered below the eyes, with the top edge touching the lower end of the white stripe.
5. Sew the black nose to the upper center of the muzzle.
6. With black embroidery yarn, stitch one vertical line down from the nose, about 0.35 in long.
7. Add two tiny curved mouth stitches, one to the left and one to the right.
8. Add a single dark stitch at each lower muzzle side to deepen the cheek shape.

Tail

The tail is mostly hidden behind the seated body, but a tiny brown curve helps complete the dog shape.

1. With main brown yarn, CO 6 sts.
2. Work 8 rows in garter stitch.
3. BO.
4. Roll slightly and sew into a short curved nub.
5. Attach to the back lower body, angled slightly to the dog’s left.

Making the Tweedy Lower Body Effect

The lower body in the image looks textured and rustic. To copy this without complicated colorwork, hold one strand of mottled brown yarn or alternate small duplicate stitches in tan and dark brown after knitting.

• Work 8 to 12 tiny duplicate stitches on the belly and upper legs.
• Use dark brown for shadow stitches near the side seams.
• Use tan stitches at the center front so the lower body looks softly mixed.
• Keep the duplicate stitches random, not lined up, for a natural tweed effect.

Assembly Order

1. Seam and stuff the head first, shaping the cheeks with your hands as you stuff.
2. Sew the white center stripe to the front of the head.
3. Sew the dark eye patches in place and install the safety eyes.
4. Attach the stuffed muzzle, nose, and mouth embroidery.
5. Sew the inner ears to the outer ears, then attach both ears to the top of the head.
6. Seam, stuff, and shape the body.
7. Sew the head to the body with the chin slightly lowered.
8. Attach the arms at the upper body, letting them hang along the vest sides.
9. Attach legs to the lower body, angled forward for a seated pose.
10. Place the green cable vest on the body and secure lightly at the shoulders and underarms.
11. Add the crossbody strap and pouch over the vest.
12. Place the cap, acorn, and basket around the finished dog as separate display pieces.

Exact Placement Guide

• Ears: sew to the top of the head between Rows 20 and 25, about 1 in apart at the base.
• Ear angle: tilt each ear outward about 10 degrees while keeping the tips upright.
• Eyes: set between the stripe and dark patches, slightly above the muzzle line.
• Muzzle: center across the lower face, covering the lower third of the head front.
• Head angle: sew the head forward so the dog looks directly outward.
• Arms: attach just below the shoulder line, with paws reaching the lower vest edge.
• Legs: attach to the seated base, angled forward and outward slightly.
• Pouch: strap crosses from the dog’s left shoulder to right hip.
• Cap: display beside the left foot, flower cluster facing forward.
• Basket: place beside the right foot with handle standing upright.

Final Assembly and Facial Detailing

Check the face before making the final knots. The Boston Terrier should have a strong white center stripe, dark eye patches, a rounded white muzzle, and upright ears. A few small adjustments in eye placement or muzzle stuffing can change the expression greatly.

• Tighten the lower head seam if the chin looks too loose.
• Add a tiny stitch under each eye to pull the face inward slightly.
• Brush the ears gently upward with your fingers so they stand tall.
• Secure all accessory knots inside seams or behind the body.

Care Notes

This knitted toy is best used as a decorative handmade item. If it will be handled often, sew every accessory securely and avoid loose buttons for very young children. Replace safety eyes with embroidered eyes if making the toy for a baby or toddler.

• Spot clean with cool water and mild soap.
• Do not machine wash if the vest has wooden buttons.
• Lay flat to dry on a towel.
• Reshape ears, muzzle, and basket while damp.

Quick Checklist Before You Finish

• The head is larger than the body and smoothly stuffed.
• The ears are tall, pointed, and slightly angled outward.
• The white stripe runs from forehead to muzzle.
• The dark eye patches frame both glossy eyes.
• The green vest has visible cable columns and three buttons.
• The pouch crosses the chest and rests at the right hip.
• The cap has a stem and flower cluster.
• The basket contains orange, red, cream, and green harvest pieces.
• The legs sit forward so the toy rests naturally.

Detailed Cleaning and Preservation Guidelines

Store the Boston Terrier gardener away from direct sunlight to protect the brown, green, and cream yarn colors. Keep the cap, acorn, and basket together in a small fabric bag when not displayed so the tiny pieces do not get lost.

• Use a lint roller gently on the vest and body if dust appears.
• Refresh the toy by steaming lightly from a distance, never pressing the iron onto the fabric.
• Support the ears while drying so they keep their upright shape.
• Keep the toy in a dry place to protect the stuffing and buttons.