Knitting Tutorial: Strawberry Puppy in Yellow Overalls – Free Knitting Pattern.

This sweet knitted puppy is dressed for a sunny garden picnic with floppy brown ears, a creamy white face blaze, glossy eyes, a blue-and-white striped shirt, yellow overalls, red shoes, a blue strawberry shoulder bag, and tiny flower clips on the head. The set also includes the matching yellow sunhat, small watering can, and potted garden flower shown beside the doll.

 

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 and Construction Style

The finished puppy measures about 11 inches tall when worked with DK weight yarn and 2.75 mm needles. The body is knitted in the round for a smooth toy shape, while the ears, clothing panels, bag, hat brim, flowers, and small garden props use a mix of flat knitting and short circular knitting.

The photo shows a soft, plump doll with a large rounded head, medium body, short arms, short seated legs, long floppy ears, and layered clothing. This pattern keeps those proportions by making the head wider than the torso, the ears nearly as long as the face, and the overalls roomy around the thighs.

Materials

• DK weight yarn in warm ivory, medium chestnut brown, sky blue, white, lemon yellow, red, black, light green, leaf green, soft pink, cream, tan, terracotta, and dark brown.
• 2.75 mm double-pointed needles or a long circular needle for magic loop.
• 2.5 mm needles for small accessories and firmer details.
• Two 10 mm brown safety eyes or glossy black-brown toy eyes.
• Small amount of washable toy stuffing.
• Four tiny tan buttons, about 6 to 8 mm wide, for overall straps and shoes.
• Tapestry needle, stitch markers, removable stitch holders, pins, and scissors.
• Optional narrow yellow ribbon for the sunhat bow, as seen in the photo.

Gauge

Work at a firm toy gauge so the stuffing does not show. In stockinette stitch with DK yarn and 2.75 mm needles, aim for about 7 stitches and 10 rounds per inch. Exact gauge is less important than fabric density, but a firm fabric helps the head, ears, overalls, and bag hold the same rounded shape as the image.

Abbreviations

• K: knit.
• P: purl.
• Kfb: knit into the front and back of the same stitch, increasing 1 stitch.
• K2tog: knit 2 stitches together, decreasing 1 stitch.
• SSK: slip 1 knitwise, slip 1 knitwise, knit slipped stitches together through the back loops.
• M1L: make 1 left increase.
• M1R: make 1 right increase.
• St st: stockinette stitch; knit on right-side rows and purl on wrong-side rows when working flat.
• BO: bind off.
• CO: cast on.
• Rnd: round.
• RS: right side.
• WS: wrong side.

Helpful Notes Before You Begin

• Stuff every body part gradually. Do not overstuff the ears, bag, hat, or flowers because the photo has soft, flexible knitted details.
• Use mattress stitch for side seams and invisible horizontal stitches for attaching patches and accessories.
• Keep color changes neat on the striped shirt. Carry the unused yarn loosely inside the piece when working in the round.
• The strawberry motifs are easiest with duplicate stitch after knitting, but intarsia placement is also included for confident knitters.
• For a beginner-friendly finish, knit the puppy body first, then add all clothing and accessories as separate pieces.

Puppy Body Base

Torso and Seat

Use warm ivory yarn for the base body. The torso will mostly be covered by the striped shirt and yellow overalls, but ivory should show at the hands, neck, feet, and lower muzzle area. Work in the round with a marker at the back.

1. CO 12 stitches. Join in the round, being careful not to twist.
2. Rnd 1: K all stitches.
3. Rnd 2: Kfb in every stitch. You now have 24 stitches.
4. Rnd 3: K all stitches.
5. Rnd 4: [K1, kfb] 12 times. You now have 36 stitches.
6. Rnd 5: K all stitches.
7. Rnd 6: [K2, kfb] 12 times. You now have 48 stitches.
8. Rnds 7 to 18: K all stitches for a rounded lower body.
9. Rnd 19: [K6, k2tog] 6 times. You now have 42 stitches.
10. Rnds 20 to 25: K all stitches.
11. Rnd 26: [K5, k2tog] 6 times. You now have 36 stitches.
12. Rnds 27 to 31: K all stitches.
13. Rnd 32: [K4, k2tog] 6 times. You now have 30 stitches.
14. Rnds 33 to 36: K all stitches to create the chest and neck base.
15. BO loosely, leaving a long tail for sewing the head later.

Stuff the torso firmly at the bottom and slightly softer near the neck. Shape the lower body into a gentle seated oval. The photo shows the puppy sitting upright on a bench, so the base should be stable rather than narrow.

Legs, Worked Twice

The legs are short, rounded, and angled forward under the yellow overall shorts. Begin each leg in warm ivory for the paw, then add a small red shoe later. Work both legs the same.

1. With ivory, CO 10 stitches and join in the round.
2. Rnd 1: K all stitches.
3. Rnd 2: Kfb in every stitch. You now have 20 stitches.
4. Rnd 3: K all stitches.
5. Rnd 4: [K3, kfb] 5 times. You now have 25 stitches.
6. Rnds 5 to 10: K all stitches.
7. Rnd 11: [K3, k2tog] 5 times. You now have 20 stitches.
8. Rnds 12 to 18: K all stitches for the lower leg.
9. Rnd 19: [K2, k2tog] 5 times. You now have 15 stitches.
10. Rnds 20 to 22: K all stitches.
11. BO, leaving a long sewing tail.

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Stuff each leg lightly so it bends naturally. Sew the legs to the lower front of the torso with the feet pointing forward. Place them close together with a narrow gap, matching the seated pose in the image.

Arms, Worked Twice

The arms are ivory at the hands, then covered by the blue striped sleeves. Knit the base arms first. The sleeves will be added separately for a clean layered look.

1. With ivory, CO 8 stitches and join in the round.
2. Rnd 1: K all stitches.
3. Rnd 2: Kfb in every stitch. You now have 16 stitches.
4. Rnds 3 to 8: K all stitches for the rounded paw hand.
5. Rnd 9: [K2, k2tog] 4 times. You now have 12 stitches.
6. Rnds 10 to 24: K all stitches for the arm.
7. BO, leaving a tail.

Stuff the hands firmly and the upper arms lightly. Sew the arms to the sides of the torso at Rnds 29 to 31 of the body. Angle them slightly downward so the hands rest near the overall shorts.

Large Puppy Head

The head in the photo is larger than the torso, with brown side areas, a white central blaze, white cheeks, and a rounded muzzle. To make the color placement clean and beginner-friendly, knit the head in brown, then sew shaped white patches on top.

Brown Head Base

1. With chestnut brown yarn, CO 12 stitches and join in the round.
2. Rnd 1: K all stitches.
3. Rnd 2: Kfb in every stitch. You now have 24 stitches.
4. Rnd 3: K all stitches.
5. Rnd 4: [K1, kfb] 12 times. You now have 36 stitches.
6. Rnd 5: K all stitches.
7. Rnd 6: [K2, kfb] 12 times. You now have 48 stitches.
8. Rnd 7: K all stitches.
9. Rnd 8: [K3, kfb] 12 times. You now have 60 stitches.
10. Rnds 9 to 24: K all stitches.
11. Rnd 25: [K8, k2tog] 6 times. You now have 54 stitches.
12. Rnd 26: K all stitches.
13. Rnd 27: [K7, k2tog] 6 times. You now have 48 stitches.
14. Rnd 28: K all stitches.
15. Rnd 29: [K6, k2tog] 6 times. You now have 42 stitches.
16. Rnd 30: [K5, k2tog] 6 times. You now have 36 stitches.
17. Begin stuffing. Keep the forehead round and full.
18. Rnd 31: [K4, k2tog] 6 times. You now have 30 stitches.
19. Rnd 32: [K3, k2tog] 6 times. You now have 24 stitches.
20. Rnd 33: [K2, k2tog] 6 times. You now have 18 stitches.
21. Rnd 34: [K1, k2tog] 6 times. You now have 12 stitches.
22. Cut yarn, thread through remaining stitches, pull closed, and secure.

White Face Blaze

The face blaze begins wide at the top forehead, narrows beside the eyes, and widens into the muzzle area. Knit it flat in ivory and sew it to the head after the eyes are placed.

1. With ivory, CO 8 stitches.
2. Row 1: K all stitches.
3. Row 2: P all stitches.
4. Row 3: K1, kfb, K4, kfb, K1. You now have 10 stitches.
5. Row 4: P all stitches.
6. Row 5: K1, kfb, K6, kfb, K1. You now have 12 stitches.
7. Rows 6 to 10: Work in St st.
8. Row 11: K1, ssk, K6, k2tog, K1. You now have 10 stitches.
9. Row 12: P all stitches.
10. Row 13: K1, ssk, K4, k2tog, K1. You now have 8 stitches.
11. Rows 14 to 18: Work in St st.
12. Row 19: K1, kfb, K4, kfb, K1. You now have 10 stitches.
13. Row 20: P all stitches.
14. Row 21: K1, kfb, K6, kfb, K1. You now have 12 stitches.
15. Rows 22 to 28: Work in St st.
16. Row 29: K1, ssk, K6, k2tog, K1. You now have 10 stitches.
17. Row 30: P all stitches.
18. Row 31: K1, ssk, K4, k2tog, K1. You now have 8 stitches.
19. BO.

Pin the blaze from the top center of the head down to the muzzle area. The lower end should sit between the eyes and above the embroidered mouth. Sew with small ivory stitches around the edge.

Rounded Muzzle Pad

1. With ivory, CO 8 stitches.
2. Row 1: K all stitches.
3. Row 2: P all stitches.
4. Row 3: Kfb, K6, kfb. You now have 10 stitches.
5. Row 4: P all stitches.
6. Row 5: Kfb, K8, kfb. You now have 12 stitches.
7. Rows 6 to 12: Work in St st.
8. Row 13: SSK, K8, k2tog. You now have 10 stitches.
9. Row 14: P all stitches.
10. Row 15: SSK, K6, k2tog. You now have 8 stitches.
11. BO.

Lightly stuff the muzzle pad before the final stitches are closed. Sew it over the lower part of the blaze so it becomes raised and soft. The bottom of the muzzle should curve into two small cheek bumps, as seen in the photo.

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Eyes, Nose, and Mouth

• Place the safety eyes between Head Rnds 18 and 19, about 11 stitches apart, with the white blaze centered between them.
• Knit the nose with black yarn by CO 8 stitches, working 4 rows in St st, then gathering around the edge to form a small oval.
• Sew the black oval nose at the top center of the muzzle.
• With black yarn, embroider one straight line down from the nose for 4 stitches.
• From the bottom of that line, embroider two soft curved smile lines, one curving left and one curving right.
• Add two very short brown eyebrow stitches above the eyes to match the gentle expression in the picture.

Long Floppy Ears

The ears are long, chestnut brown, softly tapered, and hang down on both sides of the head. They are mostly flat with rounded ends and a slight inward curve.

Outer Ear, Make Two

1. With chestnut brown yarn and 2.75 mm needles, CO 14 stitches.
2. Rows 1 to 4: Work in St st.
3. Row 5: K1, kfb, K10, kfb, K1. You now have 16 stitches.
4. Rows 6 to 10: Work in St st.
5. Row 11: K1, kfb, K12, kfb, K1. You now have 18 stitches.
6. Rows 12 to 34: Work in St st.
7. Row 35: K1, ssk, K12, k2tog, K1. You now have 16 stitches.
8. Row 36: P all stitches.
9. Row 37: K1, ssk, K10, k2tog, K1. You now have 14 stitches.
10. Row 38: P all stitches.
11. Row 39: K1, ssk, K8, k2tog, K1. You now have 12 stitches.
12. Row 40: P all stitches.
13. Row 41: K1, ssk, K6, k2tog, K1. You now have 10 stitches.
14. Row 42: P all stitches.
15. Row 43: K1, ssk, K4, k2tog, K1. You now have 8 stitches.
16. BO.

Ear Inner Lining, Make Two

1. With the same brown yarn, CO 12 stitches.
2. Rows 1 to 28: Work in St st.
3. Row 29: K1, ssk, K6, k2tog, K1. You now have 10 stitches.
4. Row 30: P all stitches.
5. Row 31: K1, ssk, K4, k2tog, K1. You now have 8 stitches.
6. BO.

Place one inner lining behind one outer ear with wrong sides together. Sew around the edge. Do not stuff heavily. Attach the ears to the head from Rnds 12 to 17, just outside the eyes. Let them hang long and forward, with the tips ending near the puppy’s shoulders.

Blue and White Striped Shirt

The shirt is snug, with blue cuffs, blue neckline, and thin white stripes across the body and sleeves. It peeks above the yellow overalls and shows clearly at the arms.

Shirt Body

1. With sky blue yarn, CO 42 stitches and join in the round.
2. Rnds 1 to 3: K1, P1 rib around for the lower shirt edge.
3. Rnd 4: Change to white and K all stitches.
4. Rnd 5: Change to sky blue and K all stitches.
5. Rnd 6: Sky blue, K all stitches.
6. Repeat Rnds 4 to 6 five more times for the striped body.
7. Next rnd: With sky blue, [K5, k2tog] 6 times. You now have 36 stitches.
8. Next 2 rnds: K all stitches in sky blue for the neckline band.
9. BO loosely.

Slip the shirt body over the torso before attaching the head permanently, or seam it at the back if the head is already attached. The upper blue band should sit just under the chin.

Striped Sleeves, Make Two

1. With sky blue, CO 18 stitches and join in the round.
2. Rnds 1 to 3: K1, P1 rib around.
3. Rnd 4: With white, K all stitches.
4. Rnd 5: With sky blue, K all stitches.
5. Rnd 6: With sky blue, K all stitches.
6. Repeat Rnds 4 to 6 four more times.
7. Next rnd: With sky blue, [K4, k2tog] 3 times. You now have 15 stitches.
8. BO loosely.

Slide each sleeve over an arm before sewing the arm to the body, or open the sleeve seam and close it around the arm. The ivory paw should remain visible below the blue cuff.

Strawberry Band on Shirt

The photo shows red strawberries across the chest above the yellow bib. Add three strawberries centered on the front shirt with duplicate stitch after the shirt is attached.

• Each strawberry covers 7 stitches wide and 6 rows tall.
• Use red for the berry body in a heart-like oval: 3 red stitches on the top row, 5 red stitches on the next 3 rows, then 3 red stitches, then 1 red stitch at the bottom point.
• Use light green for a 3-stitch leafy cap at the top of each berry.
• Use white yarn to add 4 tiny seed stitches on each berry.
• Place the center strawberry directly under the face. Place the left and right strawberries 8 stitches away from the center berry.

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Yellow Overalls

The yellow overalls are the most important outfit piece. They have roomy shorts, a high front bib, shoulder straps with buttons, rolled cuffs, and a soft garden-toy look. Knit them separately and dress the puppy after the body is complete.

Overall Shorts

1. With lemon yellow yarn, CO 48 stitches and join in the round.
2. Rnds 1 to 5: K2, P2 rib around for the lower waist edge that sits at the puppy’s hips.
3. Rnds 6 to 16: K all stitches.
4. Divide for legs: place first 24 stitches on one needle and second 24 stitches on another needle.
5. First leg opening Rnd 1: Join to work only the first 24 stitches in the round and K all stitches.
6. Rnds 2 to 8: K all stitches.
7. Rnds 9 to 12: K1, P1 rib around for the rolled cuff.
8. BO loosely.
9. Return to the second 24 stitches and repeat the same leg opening instructions.

Sew the tiny gap at the crotch closed with matching yellow yarn. The shorts should look puffy and rounded, not tight. Place the cuffs low enough to show the red shoes and ivory paw tops.

Front Bib

1. With lemon yellow yarn, pick up and knit 18 stitches across the center front waist of the shorts.
2. Row 1: P all stitches.
3. Row 2: K all stitches.
4. Rows 3 to 16: Continue in St st.
5. Row 17: K1, ssk, K12, k2tog, K1. You now have 16 stitches.
6. Row 18: P all stitches.
7. Row 19: K1, ssk, K10, k2tog, K1. You now have 14 stitches.
8. Rows 20 to 22: Work in St st.
9. Rows 23 to 25: K all stitches for a garter top edge.
10. BO.

Back Bib

1. Pick up and knit 14 stitches across the center back waist.
2. Rows 1 to 14: Work in St st.
3. Rows 15 to 17: K all stitches for a garter edge.
4. BO.

Overall Straps

1. With lemon yellow yarn, CO 5 stitches.
2. Rows 1 to 38: K every row to create a garter strap.
3. BO. Make a second strap the same way.

Sew one end of each strap to the back bib. Cross them lightly over the shoulders or keep them straight, depending on fit. Bring the front ends to the top corners of the front bib. Sew a tiny tan button on each front strap end, matching the photo.

Overall Side Buttons

• Sew one tiny tan button on each side of the waistband where the bib meets the shorts.
• Use yellow yarn to make two small securing stitches under each button.
• Do not pull the buttons too tight; the overalls should keep a soft handmade shape.

Red Shoes With Ivory Paw Toes

The shoes are bright red with a rounded open front. The ivory paw toes show through the opening, and each shoe has a small tan button near the outside edge.

Shoe Base, Make Two

1. With red yarn, CO 10 stitches and join in the round.
2. Rnd 1: K all stitches.
3. Rnd 2: Kfb in every stitch. You now have 20 stitches.
4. Rnds 3 to 5: K all stitches.
5. Rnd 6: K6, BO 8 stitches for the open toe, K6. You now have 12 live stitches.
6. Row 7: Turn, P12.
7. Row 8: K12.
8. Rows 9 to 12: Continue in St st.
9. Row 13: K1, ssk, K6, k2tog, K1. You now have 10 stitches.
10. BO.

Sew the back heel seam. Slide the shoe over the ivory paw with the opening centered on top. Add three vertical ivory stitches on the visible paw toe to suggest soft puppy toes.

Shoe Strap, Make Two

1. With red yarn, CO 4 stitches.
2. Rows 1 to 12: K every row.
3. BO.

Sew one strap across the top of each shoe. Add a small tan button to the outer side of each strap. The buttons should face outward, as in the photo.

Blue Strawberry Shoulder Bag

The bag is sky blue, hangs diagonally across the body, and rests in front of the yellow overalls. A single red strawberry decorates the front flap.

Bag Body

1. With sky blue yarn, CO 18 stitches.
2. Rows 1 to 4: K every row for a firm bottom edge.
3. Rows 5 to 22: Work in St st.
4. Row 23: K1, ssk, K12, k2tog, K1. You now have 16 stitches.
5. Row 24: P all stitches.
6. Row 25: K1, ssk, K10, k2tog, K1. You now have 14 stitches.
7. Row 26: P all stitches.
8. Rows 27 to 30: K every row for the flap edge.
9. BO.

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Bag Back

1. With sky blue yarn, CO 18 stitches.
2. Rows 1 to 22: Work in St st.
3. Rows 23 to 26: K every row.
4. BO.

Sew the front and back together around the sides and bottom. Leave the top edge lightly open. Do not stuff the bag; press it flat and soft.

Bag Strap

1. With sky blue yarn, CO 5 stitches.
2. Rows 1 to 86: K every row.
3. BO.

Sew one strap end to the upper left side of the bag and the other to the upper right side. Place the strap over one shoulder so it crosses the puppy’s chest diagonally and the bag sits near the lower front of the overalls.

Large Strawberry on Bag

• Use red duplicate stitch to make a berry 8 stitches wide and 8 rows tall on the center front of the bag.
• Make the top row 4 red stitches, the next 4 rows 6 red stitches, the next row 4 red stitches, and the bottom row 2 red stitches.
• Add a light green leafy cap with 5 small stitches at the top.
• Add 5 white seed stitches, spaced unevenly for a natural strawberry look.

Flower Clips on the Puppy’s Head

The image shows two small knitted flowers near the ears: one red flower on the left side and one cream flower on the right side. Each has a yellow center and a small green leaf.

Five-Petal Flower, Make Two

1. With red yarn for one flower and cream yarn for the second flower, CO 30 stitches.
2. Row 1: [K1, P1] across.
3. Row 2: [K2tog] across. You now have 15 stitches.
4. Row 3: [K2tog] 7 times, K1. You now have 8 stitches.
5. Cut yarn, thread through stitches, pull tightly, and coil into a five-petal flower.

Flower Center and Leaf

• For each center, use yellow yarn and CO 6 stitches. Knit 2 rows, then gather into a tiny circle and sew to the middle.
• For each leaf, use green yarn and CO 5 stitches. Row 1: K all. Row 2: P all. Row 3: SSK, K1, k2tog. Row 4: P3. Row 5: Slip 1, k2tog, pass slipped stitch over. Fasten off.
• Sew one leaf under each flower. Attach the red flower near the puppy’s left ear and the cream flower near the puppy’s right ear.

Yellow Sunhat With Ribbon

The yellow sunhat sits beside the puppy in the photo. It has a rounded crown, soft brim, and ribbon bow. Knit it as a separate accessory.

Hat Crown

1. With lemon yellow yarn, CO 8 stitches and join in the round.
2. Rnd 1: Kfb in every stitch. You now have 16 stitches.
3. Rnd 2: K all stitches.
4. Rnd 3: [K1, kfb] 8 times. You now have 24 stitches.
5. Rnd 4: K all stitches.
6. Rnd 5: [K2, kfb] 8 times. You now have 32 stitches.
7. Rnd 6: K all stitches.
8. Rnd 7: [K3, kfb] 8 times. You now have 40 stitches.
9. Rnds 8 to 18: K all stitches.

Hat Brim

1. Rnd 19: [K4, kfb] 8 times. You now have 48 stitches.
2. Rnd 20: K all stitches.
3. Rnd 21: [K5, kfb] 8 times. You now have 56 stitches.
4. Rnd 22: K all stitches.
5. Rnd 23: [K6, kfb] 8 times. You now have 64 stitches.
6. Rnds 24 to 28: K all stitches.
7. BO loosely.

Gently steam or hand-shape the brim so it lies flat with a soft downward curve. Tie a narrow yellow ribbon around the crown and finish with a bow on the front-left side.

Small Garden Watering Can

The watering can in the image is a small cream knitted prop with blue stripes. It sits to the side of the puppy and adds to the garden picnic theme.

Can Body

1. With cream yarn, CO 24 stitches and join in the round.
2. Rnds 1 to 4: K all stitches.
3. Rnds 5 and 6: Change to sky blue and K all stitches for the stripe.
4. Rnds 7 to 12: Change back to cream and K all stitches.
5. Rnd 13: [K4, k2tog] 4 times. You now have 20 stitches.
6. Rnd 14: K all stitches.
7. Rnd 15: [K3, k2tog] 4 times. You now have 16 stitches.
8. Rnd 16: K all stitches.
9. BO.

Can Base and Top Rim

• For the base, with cream yarn, CO 8 stitches. Row 1: Kfb across to 16 stitches. Rows 2 to 5: Work in St st. Row 6: [K2tog] across to 8 stitches. Gather and sew to the bottom.
• For the top rim, pick up 16 stitches around the opening and knit 3 rounds. BO loosely.
• Stuff the can very lightly so it keeps a small cylinder shape.

Handle and Spout

1. For the handle, with cream yarn, CO 5 stitches. Knit every row for 24 rows. BO and sew as a curved handle on the side.
2. For the spout, with cream yarn, CO 8 stitches and work 10 rows in St st. Roll into a narrow tube, seam, and sew to the opposite side at a slight upward angle.

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Potted Pink Flower

The potted flower has a terracotta knitted pot, dark soil, green leaves, a tall stem, and a pink daisy-style bloom with a yellow center. Keep the pot small so it looks like the prop beside the puppy, not a second main doll.

Terracotta Pot

1. With terracotta yarn, CO 24 stitches and join in the round.
2. Rnds 1 to 4: K1, P1 rib around for the pot lip.
3. Rnds 5 to 14: K all stitches.
4. Rnd 15: [K4, k2tog] 4 times. You now have 20 stitches.
5. Rnd 16: [K3, k2tog] 4 times. You now have 16 stitches.
6. Rnd 17: [K2, k2tog] 4 times. You now have 12 stitches.
7. Cut yarn, thread through stitches, pull closed, and secure.

Soil Disc

1. With dark brown yarn, CO 8 stitches.
2. Row 1: Kfb across. You now have 16 stitches.
3. Row 2: P all stitches.
4. Row 3: [K1, kfb] across. You now have 24 stitches.
5. Row 4: P all stitches.
6. BO and sew the disc into the pot opening.

Flower Stem, Leaves, and Bloom

• For the stem, with leaf green yarn, CO 4 stitches and knit every row for 26 rows. Roll slightly and sew the edge closed, or use it as a flat sturdy stem.
• Make two leaves using the same leaf pattern from the flower clips. Sew them opposite each other near the middle of the stem.
• For the pink bloom, use soft pink yarn and follow the five-petal flower instructions. Make the center with yellow yarn.
• Sew the bloom to the top of the stem and sew the lower stem firmly into the dark soil disc.

Attaching the Head to the Body

Place the head on top of the torso with the face looking slightly downward and forward. The image has a gentle puppy expression, so avoid tilting the head too far back. Use the long body tail and sew around the neck twice for strength.

• First round of sewing: attach the head securely to the torso neck opening.
• Second round of sewing: add small shaping stitches from the back of the head to the upper back so the head does not wobble.
• Check that the ears hang evenly and the muzzle remains centered over the bib.

Dressing the Puppy

1. Pull the striped shirt over the torso and smooth it under the arms.
2. Dress the puppy in the yellow overall shorts, placing the front bib over the strawberry shirt band.
3. Fasten the straps over the shoulders and sew the button areas in place.
4. Slide the red shoes onto the ivory paws and secure with a few hidden red stitches.
5. Place the blue shoulder bag over one shoulder so it crosses the chest and rests on the front overalls.
6. Arrange the ears forward, then sew the flower clips near the upper ear roots.

Final Assembly and Facial Detailing

Review the face after all clothing is attached. Add tiny extra stitches only where needed: one stitch to deepen the smile, one stitch to round the nose, or one stitch to pull the muzzle into a softer cheek curve.

• Use black yarn for the nose and mouth only.
• Use brown yarn for two short eyebrow marks above the eyes.
• Use ivory yarn to smooth the edge of the blaze if any brown stitches show through.
• Brush no yarn fibers over the eyes; the photo has clear shiny eyes.

Care Notes

Hand wash gently in cool water only if needed. Press out water with a towel and reshape the head, ears, overalls, and bag while damp. Let the toy dry flat in a shaded, airy place.

• Do not machine dry.
• Do not wring the ears or bag strap.
• Remove the sunhat, watering can, and potted flower before cleaning the puppy.
• If the toy is for a young child, embroider the eyes instead of using safety eyes and avoid small buttons.

Quick Checklist Before You Finish

• Large rounded head is securely attached to the smaller torso.
• White blaze is centered between the eyes and continues into the muzzle.
• Long brown ears hang evenly on both sides.
• Blue striped shirt shows above the yellow bib and at both sleeves.
• Three small strawberries are visible on the shirt front.
• Yellow overalls have a front bib, straps, cuffs, and tan buttons.
• Blue bag crosses the body and has one large strawberry motif.
• Red shoes show ivory paw toes and small side buttons.
• Head flowers, sunhat, watering can, and potted flower are complete.

Detailed Cleaning and Preservation Guidelines

Store the knitted puppy away from direct sunlight to protect the yellow, blue, and red colors. Keep the accessories beside the doll rather than tightly packed on top of it, so the hat brim, flower stem, and bag strap do not bend permanently.

For long-term display, lightly support the seated body from behind. If dust appears, use a soft dry cloth or a clean makeup brush. Avoid strong detergents, bleach, heat, and rough scrubbing. Small embroidered strawberries and facial stitches last longer when handled gently.