Knitting Tutorial: Little Raccoon Gardener Doll – Free Knitting Pattern

This little knitted raccoon gardener doll has an oversized gray raccoon head, glossy safety eyes, a white muzzle, dark eye mask, striped green-and-brown sweater, blue overalls, red shoes, and a tiny brown crossbody satchel. The scene also includes a mustard pom-pom hat, a soft beige watering can, and small knitted acorns for a cozy garden-table display.

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 Notes

This pattern is written in US English knitting terms and is designed to create a seated raccoon doll measuring about 9 inches tall from the shoe soles to the ear tips. The head is intentionally large and rounded, the body is small and softly pear-shaped, and the legs hang forward like the doll in the photo.

The doll is worked mostly in the round using stockinette stitch. Small details are knitted flat or in the round, then sewn on. The sweater stripes are worked directly into the body and arms. The overalls are knitted as separate blue pieces and stitched over the sweater so the bib, straps, and shorts look layered.

Use a tight gauge so stuffing does not show through the fabric. If your stitches look loose, go down one needle size. The exact look depends on firm stuffing, careful shaping, and neat placement of the face pieces.

Materials

• Yarn weight: DK or light worsted yarn.
• Gray: main raccoon head, ears, hands, and tail.
• White: face blaze, muzzle, tail stripe, shoe flowers, and tiny eye highlights if embroidered.
• Charcoal or dark gray: eye mask, lower arms, and tail stripes.
• Blue: overalls.
• Green: sweater stripes and collar.
• Brown: sweater stripes, satchel, acorn caps, and strap.
• Red: shoes.
• Beige: shoe soles, watering can, and acorn bodies.
• Mustard yellow: hat.
• Black: small amount for nose and mouth embroidery.
• Needles: US 3, 3.25 mm double-pointed needles or circular needle for magic loop.
• Extra needle: US 2, 2.75 mm for small accessories if you want firmer fabric.
• Safety eyes: two black 12 mm safety eyes.
• Buttons: two tiny tan buttons for overall straps and one tiny button for the satchel flap.
• Stuffing: polyester fiberfill.
• Other tools: tapestry needle, stitch markers, pins, scissors, removable marker, and row counter.

Gauge

Gauge: 26 stitches and 34 rounds equal 4 inches in stockinette stitch on US 3 needles. Gauge is less important than fabric density, but the sample size is based on this gauge. Knit firmly and evenly.

If your doll is larger, the proportions will still work as long as you use the same yarn and needles for every piece. If the head becomes too floppy, add extra stuffing around the lower back of the head and sew it securely to the body.

Abbreviations

• BO: bind off.
• CO: cast on.
• DPNs: double-pointed needles.
• k: knit.
• k2tog: knit 2 stitches together.
• kfb: knit into the front and back of the same stitch.
• p: purl.
• p2tog: purl 2 stitches together.
• pm: place marker.
• rnd: round.
• RS: right side.
• ssk: slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip 1 stitch knitwise, knit slipped stitches together through the back loops.
• st or sts: stitch or stitches.
• WS: wrong side.
• yo: yarn over.

Helpful Tips Before You Begin

The raccoon is shaped from the center outward. Start with the legs and body, then make the head, ears, arms, tail, overalls, shoes, and accessories. Pin every part before sewing. A few millimeters of adjustment can change the expression.

The photo shows a sweet, rounded face with large eyes, dark mask patches, a white forehead stripe, and a small white muzzle. Keep the face low on the head. The safety eyes sit slightly wider than the muzzle, giving the doll a gentle baby-animal look.

For clean color changes in the round, twist the new yarn under the old yarn at the back of the work. Do not pull too tightly. The sweater stripes should look soft and even, not puckered.

Body Base With Striped Sweater

The body is pear-shaped, narrow at the neck, wider at the belly, and slightly flattened where the legs attach. Work from the bottom upward in the round. The lower body will later be covered by blue overalls, but the striped sweater should still show at the upper chest and sleeves.

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Body

1. With brown yarn, CO 12 sts. Divide evenly over DPNs and join in the round. Place marker for beginning of round.
2. Rnd 1: k all sts.
3. Rnd 2: kfb in every st around. You now have 24 sts.
4. Rnd 3: k all sts.
5. Rnd 4: repeat k1, kfb around. You now have 36 sts.
6. Rnd 5: k all sts.
7. Rnd 6: repeat k5, kfb around. You now have 42 sts.
8. Rnd 7: change to green, k all sts.
9. Rnd 8: k all sts.
10. Rnd 9: change to brown, k all sts.
11. Rnd 10: k all sts.
12. Rnd 11: change to green, k all sts.
13. Rnd 12: k all sts.
14. Rnd 13: change to brown, k all sts.
15. Rnd 14: k all sts.
16. Rnd 15: repeat k5, k2tog around. You now have 36 sts.
17. Rnd 16: change to green, k all sts.
18. Rnd 17: k all sts.
19. Rnd 18: change to brown, k all sts.
20. Rnd 19: k all sts.
21. Rnd 20: repeat k4, k2tog around. You now have 30 sts.
22. Rnd 21: change to green, k all sts.
23. Rnd 22: k all sts.
24. Rnd 23: change to brown, k all sts.
25. Rnd 24: repeat k3, k2tog around. You now have 24 sts.
26. Rnd 25: change to green, k all sts.
27. Rnd 26: repeat k2, k2tog around. You now have 18 sts.
28. Rnd 27: k all sts.
29. Rnd 28: BO loosely, leaving a 16 inch tail for sewing.

Stuff the body firmly, keeping the base slightly rounded and the neck opening smaller. The widest part should sit below the arms, giving the same plump belly seen under the blue overalls in the image.

Legs

The legs are short, rounded, and designed to hang over the edge of a table or shelf. Make two. The upper leg is blue because it becomes part of the overalls. The shoe is red with a beige sole and a white flower decoration.

Legs and Feet

1. With red yarn, CO 8 sts and join in the round.
2. Rnd 1: kfb in every st around. You now have 16 sts.
3. Rnd 2: k all sts.
4. Rnd 3: repeat k3, kfb around. You now have 20 sts.
5. Rnd 4: k all sts.
6. Rnd 5: change to beige, k all sts for the sole edge.
7. Rnd 6: change back to red, k all sts.
8. Rnd 7: k6, k2tog four times, k6. You now have 16 sts.
9. Rnd 8: k5, k2tog three times, k5. You now have 13 sts.
10. Rnd 9: k all sts.
11. Rnd 10: change to gray, k all sts for the sock cuff line.
12. Rnd 11: change to blue, k all sts.
13. Rnds 12 to 23: k all sts in blue.
14. Rnd 24: repeat k1, k2tog around, ending k1. You now have 9 sts.
15. Stuff the shoe and lower leg lightly. Do not overstuff the upper leg.
16. Rnd 25: k2tog around, ending k1. You now have 5 sts.
17. Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull closed, and weave in end.

Flatten the top of each leg slightly. Sew the legs to the lower front of the body with the shoes pointing forward. Place them about 1 inch apart so the doll sits like the raccoon in the photo.

White Shoe Flowers

1. With white yarn and US 2 needles, CO 5 sts.
2. Row 1: k all sts.
3. Row 2: p all sts.
4. Cut yarn, thread through all 5 sts, pull tight, and secure into a tiny petal cluster.
5. Make four tiny clusters for each shoe or embroider four small lazy-daisy petals directly onto each red shoe.
6. Use a small yellow or beige stitch in the center if desired.

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Head

The head is the largest feature of the doll. It is round, slightly taller than wide, and about the same visual height as the body and legs together. The shaping creates a soft cheek area for the mask and muzzle.

Main Gray Head

1. With gray yarn, CO 8 sts. Join in the round.
2. Rnd 1: kfb in every st around. You now have 16 sts.
3. Rnd 2: k all sts.
4. Rnd 3: repeat k1, kfb around. You now have 24 sts.
5. Rnd 4: k all sts.
6. Rnd 5: repeat k2, kfb around. You now have 32 sts.
7. Rnd 6: k all sts.
8. Rnd 7: repeat k3, kfb around. You now have 40 sts.
9. Rnd 8: k all sts.
10. Rnd 9: repeat k4, kfb around. You now have 48 sts.
11. Rnd 10: k all sts.
12. Rnd 11: repeat k5, kfb around. You now have 56 sts.
13. Rnds 12 to 24: k all sts.
14. Rnd 25: repeat k5, k2tog around. You now have 48 sts.
15. Rnd 26: k all sts.
16. Rnd 27: repeat k4, k2tog around. You now have 40 sts.
17. Rnd 28: k all sts.
18. Rnd 29: repeat k3, k2tog around. You now have 32 sts.
19. Pause and add the safety eyes later after the mask patches are positioned. Keep the head opening accessible.
20. Rnd 30: repeat k2, k2tog around. You now have 24 sts.
21. Stuff the head firmly, especially the cheeks and crown.
22. Rnd 31: repeat k1, k2tog around. You now have 16 sts.
23. Rnd 32: k2tog around. You now have 8 sts.
24. Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull closed, and weave in the end.

The face front is between Rnds 13 and 25. The eye line should sit around Rnd 18 or 19. The bottom of the muzzle should end near Rnd 24. Shape the head by rolling it gently between your palms before sewing.

White Forehead Stripe and Muzzle

The image shows a white stripe dipping between the ears and down toward the center of the face. The white muzzle is oval and raised, with a small black nose near the top center. These pieces are knitted separately and sewn on for dimension.

White Forehead Stripe

1. With white yarn, CO 5 sts.
2. Row 1: k all sts.
3. Row 2: p all sts.
4. Row 3: k1, kfb, k1, kfb, k1. You now have 7 sts.
5. Row 4: p all sts.
6. Rows 5 to 8: work in stockinette stitch.
7. Row 9: k2tog, k3, ssk. You now have 5 sts.
8. Row 10: p all sts.
9. Row 11: k2tog, k1, ssk. You now have 3 sts.
10. Row 12: p all sts.
11. BO all sts, leaving a long sewing tail.

Pin the stripe at the upper front of the head. The wider end sits just below the crown, while the narrow end points toward the space between the eyes. Sew with small invisible stitches.

White Muzzle

1. With white yarn, CO 8 sts.
2. Row 1: k all sts.
3. Row 2: p all sts.
4. Row 3: kfb, k6, kfb. You now have 10 sts.
5. Row 4: p all sts.
6. Row 5: kfb, k8, kfb. You now have 12 sts.
7. Rows 6 to 10: work in stockinette stitch.
8. Row 11: k2tog, k8, ssk. You now have 10 sts.
9. Row 12: p all sts.
10. Row 13: k2tog, k6, ssk. You now have 8 sts.
11. Row 14: p all sts.
12. BO all sts, leaving a long tail.

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Lightly stuff the muzzle before closing the final side seam to the head. Place it low on the face, centered under the eyes. The top of the muzzle should slightly overlap the lower edge of the eye mask pieces.

Dark Eye Mask Patches

The raccoon mask is charcoal and sits around both eyes. The patches are wide near the cheeks and narrow toward the center forehead. Make one left patch and one right patch. They mirror each other, so place them carefully before attaching the safety eyes.

Left Mask Patch

1. With charcoal yarn, CO 6 sts.
2. Row 1: k all sts.
3. Row 2: p all sts.
4. Row 3: kfb, k5. You now have 7 sts.
5. Row 4: p all sts.
6. Row 5: kfb, k6. You now have 8 sts.
7. Rows 6 to 9: work in stockinette stitch.
8. Row 10: p2tog, p6. You now have 7 sts.
9. Row 11: k5, ssk. You now have 6 sts.
10. Row 12: p all sts.
11. BO all sts, leaving a long sewing tail.

Right Mask Patch

1. With charcoal yarn, CO 6 sts.
2. Row 1: k all sts.
3. Row 2: p all sts.
4. Row 3: k5, kfb. You now have 7 sts.
5. Row 4: p all sts.
6. Row 5: k6, kfb. You now have 8 sts.
7. Rows 6 to 9: work in stockinette stitch.
8. Row 10: p6, p2tog. You now have 7 sts.
9. Row 11: ssk, k5. You now have 6 sts.
10. Row 12: p all sts.
11. BO all sts, leaving a long sewing tail.

Pin the patches so the inner edges sit close to the white forehead stripe. Insert each safety eye through the center of a mask patch and through the head fabric, around Rnd 18. Place the eyes about 1.5 inches apart. Secure the washers only after checking symmetry.

Nose and Mouth

The nose is small, glossy-looking, and heart-shaped. You can use black yarn embroidery, felt, or a small safety nose. Embroidery gives the softest handmade finish and matches the knitted style.

1. Thread black yarn on a tapestry needle.
2. Make three horizontal satin stitches across the upper center of the muzzle.
3. Add two shorter satin stitches below to form a rounded triangle.
4. Bring the yarn down from the nose and make one straight vertical stitch.
5. Add a tiny split stitch at the bottom for the small mouth line.
6. Weave the end inside the head and trim carefully.

Ears

The ears are round triangular shapes with gray outer sections and soft inner definition. They sit high and wide on the head, tilted slightly outward. Make two gray outer ears and two smaller light inner ear patches if desired.

Outer Ears

1. With gray yarn, CO 8 sts.
2. Row 1: k all sts.
3. Row 2: p all sts.
4. Row 3: kfb, k6, kfb. You now have 10 sts.
5. Row 4: p all sts.
6. Row 5: kfb, k8, kfb. You now have 12 sts.
7. Rows 6 to 9: work in stockinette stitch.
8. Row 10: p2tog, p8, p2tog. You now have 10 sts.
9. Row 11: k2tog, k6, ssk. You now have 8 sts.
10. Row 12: p2tog, p4, p2tog. You now have 6 sts.
11. Row 13: k2tog, k2, ssk. You now have 4 sts.
12. Row 14: p2tog twice. You now have 2 sts.
13. BO, leaving a long tail.
14. Make a second ear the same way.

Inner Ear Detail

1. With lighter gray yarn, CO 6 sts.
2. Row 1: k all sts.
3. Row 2: p all sts.
4. Row 3: kfb, k4, kfb. You now have 8 sts.
5. Rows 4 to 5: work in stockinette stitch.
6. Row 6: p2tog, p4, p2tog. You now have 6 sts.
7. Row 7: k2tog, k2, ssk. You now have 4 sts.
8. BO, leaving a tail.

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Sew one inner ear patch to each outer ear. Fold the bottom edge of each ear slightly inward and stitch it to create a shallow cup. Attach ears between head Rnds 7 and 14, with the inner edges about 2.5 inches apart.

Arms

The arms are slim and hang at the sides. The upper arms show the green-and-brown sweater stripes, while the hands are dark gray, like little raccoon paws. Make two.

1. With charcoal yarn, CO 8 sts and join in the round.
2. Rnd 1: k all sts.
3. Rnd 2: repeat k1, kfb around. You now have 12 sts.
4. Rnds 3 to 5: k all sts in charcoal.
5. Rnd 6: change to green, k all sts.
6. Rnd 7: k all sts.
7. Rnd 8: change to brown, k all sts.
8. Rnd 9: k all sts.
9. Rnd 10: change to green, k all sts.
10. Rnd 11: k all sts.
11. Rnd 12: change to brown, k all sts.
12. Rnd 13: k all sts.
13. Rnd 14: change to green, k all sts.
14. Rnd 15: k all sts.
15. Rnd 16: repeat k2tog around. You now have 6 sts.
16. Stuff very lightly. The arms should stay soft and flexible.
17. Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull closed, and weave in end.

Attach the arms to the upper body at shoulder level, just under the head. Angle them downward so the paws rest near the bib of the overalls. Keep the seam at the inner side of each arm.

Tail

The raccoon tail is short, rounded, and striped. In the photo it peeks from the side behind the overalls. Work the tail in gray, charcoal, and white stripes, then sew it to the back right or back center of the body.

1. With gray yarn, CO 10 sts and join in the round.
2. Rnd 1: k all sts.
3. Rnd 2: repeat k1, kfb around. You now have 15 sts.
4. Rnds 3 to 4: k all sts in gray.
5. Rnds 5 to 7: change to charcoal, k all sts.
6. Rnds 8 to 10: change to gray, k all sts.
7. Rnds 11 to 13: change to white, k all sts.
8. Rnds 14 to 16: change to gray, k all sts.
9. Rnd 17: repeat k1, k2tog around. You now have 10 sts.
10. Stuff lightly.
11. Rnd 18: k2tog around. You now have 5 sts.
12. Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull closed, and weave in end.

Sew the cast-on edge of the tail to the back of the body, slightly to one side. Curve it outward with a few hidden stitches so it looks rounded and visible beside the seated doll.

Blue Overalls

The overalls are a major visual detail. They have rounded shorts, a front bib, two shoulder straps, and tiny tan buttons. The blue fabric covers the body belly and upper legs while leaving the striped sweater visible at the chest and arms.

Front Shorts Panel

1. With blue yarn, CO 28 sts.
2. Row 1: k all sts.
3. Row 2: p all sts.
4. Rows 3 to 10: work in stockinette stitch.
5. Row 11: k6, BO 4 sts, k8, BO 4 sts, k6. This creates a shallow leg separation.
6. Row 12: p6, CO 4 sts over gap, p8, CO 4 sts over gap, p6. You are back to 28 sts.
7. Rows 13 to 18: work in stockinette stitch.
8. Row 19: k2tog, k24, ssk. You now have 26 sts.
9. Row 20: p all sts.
10. BO all sts, leaving a long sewing tail.

Back Shorts Panel

1. With blue yarn, CO 28 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 18: work in stockinette stitch.
3. Row 19: k2tog, k24, ssk. You now have 26 sts.
4. Row 20: p all sts.
5. BO all sts, leaving a long sewing tail.

Wrap the front and back shorts panels around the lower body. Sew the side seams together, leaving the leg openings open. Stitch the upper edge to the body with small hidden stitches. The fabric should sit smoothly but not squeeze the stuffed body.

Overall Bib

1. With blue yarn, CO 16 sts.
2. Row 1: k all sts.
3. Row 2: p all sts.
4. Rows 3 to 12: work in stockinette stitch.
5. Row 13: k2tog, k12, ssk. You now have 14 sts.
6. Row 14: p all sts.
7. Row 15: k2tog, k10, ssk. You now have 12 sts.
8. Row 16: p all sts.
9. BO all sts, leaving a long tail.

Center the bib on the front of the body. The bottom of the bib overlaps the shorts. The top edge should sit below the raccoon’s muzzle, leaving the green sweater collar visible.

Shoulder Straps

1. With blue yarn, CO 4 sts.
2. Row 1: k all sts.
3. Row 2: p all sts.
4. Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until strap measures 4.25 inches.
5. BO all sts, leaving a sewing tail.
6. Make a second strap the same way.

Sew one end of each strap to the back waistband. Cross or angle the straps gently over the shoulders, then sew the front ends to the upper corners of the bib. Add one tan button to each front strap end, matching the image.

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Green Collar

The collar is a small ribbed green band visible between the head and overalls. It makes the sweater look finished and helps hide the neck seam.

1. With green yarn, CO 24 sts.
2. Row 1: repeat k1, p1 across.
3. Row 2: repeat p1, k1 across.
4. Rows 3 to 4: repeat Rows 1 and 2.
5. BO in rib, leaving a long tail.

Wrap the ribbed strip around the neck after the head is sewn on. Sew the short ends together at the back and tack the collar lightly to the body.

Red Shoes With Beige Sole Edge

The shoes are already formed as part of the legs, but extra edging gives them the rounded slipper look shown in the image. Add this after the legs are attached.

1. With beige yarn, pick up 18 sts around the bottom edge of one red shoe.
2. Rnd 1: k all sts.
3. Rnd 2: p all sts.
4. BO loosely.
5. Repeat for the second shoe.
6. Sew the white flower detail on the outer side of each shoe.

Crossbody Satchel

The satchel is a small brown knitted bag worn across the body. It hangs at the raccoon’s right side, with a diagonal strap crossing over the blue overalls. A tiny button sits on the flap.

Bag Body

1. With brown yarn, CO 14 sts.
2. Row 1: k all sts.
3. Row 2: p all sts.
4. Rows 3 to 18: work in stockinette stitch.
5. Row 19: k all sts to create a fold ridge.
6. Rows 20 to 28: work in stockinette stitch for the front flap.
7. Row 29: k2tog, k10, ssk. You now have 12 sts.
8. Row 30: p all sts.
9. Row 31: k2tog, k8, ssk. You now have 10 sts.
10. BO all sts, leaving a long tail.

Fold the lower section upward to make a pocket about 1.75 inches tall. Sew the side seams. Fold the flap down over the front. Add one small tan button near the lower center of the flap.

Satchel Strap

1. With brown yarn, CO 3 sts.
2. Row 1: k3.
3. Slide the sts to the other end of the needle as for an I-cord.
4. Repeat Row 1 until the cord measures 8.5 inches.
5. BO and sew one end to each side of the bag.

Place the strap over the left shoulder and across the chest to the right hip. Tack it in two hidden spots so it stays in the same diagonal line seen in the photo.

Mustard Pom-Pom Hat

The hat in the image rests beside the raccoon, but it can also fit loosely on the head if desired. It is mustard yellow with a ribbed brim and a fluffy pom-pom. Make it as a removable accessory.

Hat Body

1. With mustard yarn, CO 40 sts and join in the round.
2. Rnds 1 to 6: repeat k1, p1 around for ribbing.
3. Rnds 7 to 16: k all sts.
4. Rnd 17: repeat k6, k2tog around. You now have 35 sts.
5. Rnd 18: k all sts.
6. Rnd 19: repeat k5, k2tog around. You now have 30 sts.
7. Rnd 20: k all sts.
8. Rnd 21: repeat k4, k2tog around. You now have 25 sts.
9. Rnd 22: repeat k3, k2tog around. You now have 20 sts.
10. Rnd 23: repeat k2, k2tog around. You now have 15 sts.
11. Rnd 24: repeat k1, k2tog around. You now have 10 sts.
12. Rnd 25: k2tog around. You now have 5 sts.
13. Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull closed, and weave in end.

Pom-Pom

1. Wrap cream or pale yellow yarn around two fingers 45 times.
2. Tie tightly through the center with a separate 10 inch yarn strand.
3. Cut the loops and trim into a round pom-pom about 1 inch wide.
4. Sew the pom-pom securely to the top of the hat.

Watering Can

The beige watering can is a small garden prop placed beside the raccoon. It has a rounded body, short spout, and curved handle. Use firm stuffing so it stands upright.

Can Body

1. With beige yarn, CO 8 sts and join in the round.
2. Rnd 1: kfb in every st around. You now have 16 sts.
3. Rnd 2: k all sts.
4. Rnd 3: repeat k1, kfb around. You now have 24 sts.
5. Rnd 4: k all sts.
6. Rnd 5: repeat k2, kfb around. You now have 32 sts.
7. Rnds 6 to 14: k all sts.
8. Rnd 15: repeat k2, k2tog around. You now have 24 sts.
9. Rnd 16: k all sts.
10. Rnd 17: repeat k1, k2tog around. You now have 16 sts.
11. Stuff firmly.
12. Rnd 18: k2tog around. You now have 8 sts.
13. Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull closed, and weave in end.

Watering Can Spout

1. With beige yarn, CO 6 sts and join in the round.
2. Rnds 1 to 9: k all sts.
3. Rnd 10: kfb in every st around. You now have 12 sts.
4. Rnd 11: k all sts.
5. BO all sts.
6. Stuff the narrow end very lightly and sew it to the side of the can at a slight upward angle.

Watering Can Handle

1. With beige yarn, CO 3 sts.
2. Work I-cord for 5 inches.
3. BO all sts.
4. Curve the cord into a handle and sew both ends to the side opposite the spout.

Knitted Acorns

The small acorns add a sweet garden-table detail. Make one beige acorn with a brown cap and one brown acorn with a deeper brown cap to match the image.

Acorn Body

1. With beige or warm brown yarn, CO 6 sts and join in the round.
2. Rnd 1: kfb in every st around. You now have 12 sts.
3. Rnd 2: k all sts.
4. Rnd 3: repeat k1, kfb around. You now have 18 sts.
5. Rnds 4 to 8: k all sts.
6. Rnd 9: repeat k1, k2tog around. You now have 12 sts.
7. Stuff lightly.
8. Rnd 10: k2tog around. You now have 6 sts.
9. Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull closed, and weave in end.

Acorn Cap

1. With brown yarn, CO 18 sts and join in the round.
2. Rnd 1: repeat k1, p1 around.
3. Rnd 2: repeat k1, p1 around.
4. Rnd 3: repeat k1, k2tog around. You now have 12 sts.
5. Rnd 4: k all sts.
6. Rnd 5: k2tog around. You now have 6 sts.
7. Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull closed, and sew cap to acorn body.
8. For a stem, CO 3 sts, work 2 rows, BO, and sew to the cap top.

Joining the Head to the Body

The head must be sewn firmly because it is large. Place the head on the body so the muzzle faces forward and the lower head overlaps the green collar area. Use pins first and check the doll from the front, side, and back.

1. Thread the body yarn tail onto a tapestry needle.
2. Sew around the neck opening once, catching the lower head stitches.
3. Pull snugly, but do not pucker the face.
4. Sew a second round through the same area for strength.
5. Add extra stitches at the back of the neck to support the large head.
6. Attach the green collar around the seam after the head is secure.

Facial Highlights and Eye Shine

The safety eyes in the image have bright white highlights. If your safety eyes do not reflect enough light, add tiny white embroidered highlights near the upper outer edge of each eye. Use only one small stitch per eye to keep the face clean.

1. Thread white yarn or embroidery floss.
2. Make one short stitch beside the upper curve of the left eye.
3. Repeat on the right eye, matching the angle.
4. Do not cover the safety eye surface with bulky yarn.
5. Weave ends into the head and trim.

Optional Seated Shaping

To help the raccoon sit naturally, add a few shaping stitches between the legs and lower body. This creates a shallow bend at the hips and keeps the legs pointing forward.

1. Thread blue yarn onto a tapestry needle.
2. Insert the needle through the back lower body and out between the legs.
3. Go around one leg join and return to the back body.
4. Pull gently until the leg angles forward.
5. Repeat for the second leg.
6. Knot securely and hide the ends inside the body.

Finishing the Overalls

After the doll is stuffed and assembled, smooth the overall shorts over the belly. Add a few vertical stitches at the side seams if the fabric lifts. The bib should sit flat, and the straps should angle naturally over the shoulders.

• Use blue yarn for hidden stitching on the overalls.
• Use tan sewing thread for the small buttons if your yarn is too thick.
• Place the buttons symmetrically at the top corners of the bib.
• Keep the satchel strap on top of the overalls, not underneath them.

Final Assembly and Facial Detailing

Pin all pieces before final sewing. Attach the ears high on the head, then sew the head to the body. Add the arms beneath the head, then attach the tail at the back. Sew the legs to the lower front so the raccoon sits with its red shoes facing outward.

Secure the white stripe, dark mask patches, white muzzle, and nose carefully. The expression should be gentle and centered. Add the overalls, buttons, satchel, and shoe flowers last so these details remain clean and visible.

• Eye placement: around head Rnd 18, about 1.5 inches apart.
• Muzzle placement: centered below the eyes, slightly raised with light stuffing.
• Ear placement: high and wide, angled outward.
• Satchel placement: diagonal strap from shoulder to opposite hip.
• Tail placement: back side, visible beside the seated body.

Care Notes

Spot clean only with cool water and mild soap. Do not soak the doll if you used safety eyes, buttons, or heavily stuffed parts. Press gently with a towel and reshape while damp. Let the doll air dry completely before storing or displaying.

Quick Checklist Before You Finish

• The head is firmly stuffed and securely sewn to the body.
• The eyes are even and locked safely in place.
• The mask patches mirror each other.
• The muzzle is centered and lightly padded.
• The overalls sit smoothly over the striped sweater.
• The shoes include beige soles and white flower details.
• The satchel strap crosses the body neatly.
• The hat, watering can, and acorns are finished as matching props.

Detailed Cleaning and Preservation Guidelines

Keep the raccoon away from direct sunlight for long periods, especially the red shoes, blue overalls, and mustard hat. Bright colors may fade with strong light. Store the doll in a clean cotton bag or display it on a dry shelf.

If dust collects on the knitted surface, use a soft brush and gentle strokes. Do not pull at fuzzy fibers. For deeper cleaning, dab the area with a damp cloth, blot with a towel, and let it dry naturally in a well-ventilated place.

Check buttons, eyes, and seams regularly if the doll is handled often. Tighten loose stitches with matching yarn. This keeps the little raccoon gardener looking tidy, soft, and ready to sit sweetly beside its knitted garden accessories.