Knitting Tutorial: White Maltese Puppy in Yellow Bee Dress – Free Knitting Pattern

This sweet knitting pattern creates a fluffy white Maltese-style puppy wearing a golden yellow bee dress with tiny embroidered bees, white daisies, cherry hair clips, a green crossbody purse, brown sandals, pink garden gloves, and a small vegetable basket filled with carrots and peas. The finished toy is designed as a soft display doll with rounded proportions, floppy ears, a gentle face, and detailed garden-themed accessories.

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

The finished puppy measures about 11 to 12 inches tall when worked with light worsted yarn and firm toy stuffing. The body is knitted in shaped pieces, seamed carefully, then brushed lightly to create the soft Maltese texture. The dress is knitted separately and fitted over the body before the arms are fully secured.

The proportions are important for matching the picture. The head is large and round, slightly wider than the torso. The body is short and hidden under the dress. The legs are slim and straight. The ears are soft, oval, and floppy. The dress is a warm honey yellow with a flared skirt, central cable panel, bees scattered over the front, and small daisies near the bodice.

Skill Level

• Confident beginner to intermediate.
• You should know how to knit, purl, increase, decrease, pick up stitches, seam small pieces, and embroider simple details.
• All pieces are worked flat unless a section clearly says otherwise.
• Use mattress stitch for neat seams and a firm invisible finish.

Materials

• White fluffy or brushed acrylic yarn: about 120 yards for head, body, arms, legs, ears, and muzzle.
• Golden yellow DK or light worsted yarn: about 85 yards for the bee dress.
• Cream yarn: small amount for sleeves, collar, and cuffs.
• Brown yarn: small amount for sandals.
• Green yarn: small amount for purse, strap, leaves, peas, and carrot tops.
• Red yarn: small amount for cherries.
• Orange yarn: small amount for carrots.
• Pink yarn: small amount for gloves.
• Black yarn or embroidery floss: for nose, mouth, and bee stripes.
• White and yellow embroidery floss: for daisies and bee wings.
• Pair of 8 mm black safety eyes or black beads.
• Small black safety nose, or black yarn for an embroidered nose.
• US 3 knitting needles, or size needed for a firm toy fabric.
• US 2 knitting needles for small accessories.
• Cable needle.
• Tapestry needle.
• Toy stuffing.
• Small stitch holders or scrap yarn.
• Soft pet slicker brush or clean toothbrush for gently fluffing white pieces.
• Two small tan buttons for the collar and dress front, optional.

Gauge

Gauge is not critical, but the fabric must be firm enough to hold stuffing without gaps. A useful gauge is about 6 stitches and 8 rows per inch in stockinette stitch with the main yarn. If your fabric has visible holes, go down one needle size.

For a balanced toy, keep all body pieces at the same gauge. Accessories can be slightly tighter. The purse, basket, cherries, flowers, and bees look best when knitted with smaller needles and lightly stuffed only where needed.

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 the front and back of the same stitch.
• Pfb: purl into the front and back of the same stitch.
• K2tog: knit 2 stitches together.
• SSK: slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip next stitch knitwise, knit them together through the back loops.
• P2tog: purl 2 stitches together.
• St st: stockinette stitch, knit on RS rows and purl on WS rows.
• Garter st: knit every row.
• C4F: slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold in front, K2, then K2 from cable needle.
• M1: make 1 stitch by lifting the bar between stitches and knitting through the back loop.

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Main Puppy Head

The head is the largest piece and should look soft, round, and slightly wider at the cheeks. Work in white yarn. If your yarn is very fuzzy, use stitch markers to help count rows accurately.

1. CO 12 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: P all sts.
3. Row 2 RS: Kfb in every st across. 24 sts.
4. Row 3: P all sts.
5. Row 4: K1, Kfb, repeat across. 36 sts.
6. Row 5: P all sts.
7. Row 6: K2, Kfb, repeat across. 48 sts.
8. Row 7: P all sts.
9. Row 8: K3, Kfb, repeat across. 60 sts.
10. Rows 9 to 23: Work in st st, beginning with a purl row.
11. Row 24: K10, Kfb, K8, Kfb, K20, Kfb, K8, Kfb, K10. 64 sts.
12. Rows 25 to 31: Work in st st.
13. Row 32: K6, K2tog, repeat across. 56 sts.
14. Row 33: P all sts.
15. Row 34: K5, K2tog, repeat across. 48 sts.
16. Row 35: P all sts.
17. Row 36: K4, K2tog, repeat across. 40 sts.
18. Row 37: P all sts.
19. Row 38: K3, K2tog, repeat across. 32 sts.
20. Row 39: P all sts.
21. Row 40: K2, K2tog, repeat across. 24 sts.
22. Row 41: P all sts.
23. Row 42: K1, K2tog, repeat across. 16 sts.
24. Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread through remaining sts and pull snug.

Seam the back of the head from the crown toward the lower neck opening. Stuff firmly, keeping the cheeks rounded and the forehead smooth. Do not flatten the face. The muzzle will be added separately, so leave a soft oval area in the lower center front.

Muzzle and Cheeks

The muzzle in the image is rounded, fluffy, and cloud-like. It sits low on the face, beginning just under the eyes and ending above the tiny mouth. Work two cheek pads and one center muzzle bump.

Left and Right Cheek Pads

1. CO 8 sts in white.
2. Row 1: P all sts.
3. Row 2: Kfb, K6, Kfb. 10 sts.
4. Row 3: P all sts.
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: P all sts.
9. Row 12: SSK, K6, K2tog. 8 sts.
10. BO, leaving a long tail.

Center Muzzle Bump

1. CO 10 sts in white.
2. Rows 1 to 2: Work in st st.
3. Row 3: P all sts.
4. Row 4: Kfb, K8, Kfb. 12 sts.
5. Rows 5 to 8: Work in st st.
6. Row 9: P2tog, P8, P2tog. 10 sts.
7. Row 10: K2tog, K6, K2tog. 8 sts.
8. BO, leaving a long tail.

Lightly stuff each muzzle piece. Sew the two cheek pads side by side on the lower face, letting their inner edges touch. Place the center muzzle bump over the join, slightly overlapping both cheeks. Brush gently after sewing to blend the white yarn.

Floppy Ears

The ears are large, soft, and oval. They attach high on both sides of the head and hang down to frame the puppy’s face. Make two identical ears in white.

1. CO 10 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 2: Work in garter st.
3. Row 3: Kfb, K8, Kfb. 12 sts.
4. Row 4: P all sts.
5. Row 5: Kfb, K10, Kfb. 14 sts.
6. Row 6: P all sts.
7. Row 7: Kfb, K12, Kfb. 16 sts.
8. Rows 8 to 24: Work in st st.
9. Row 25: SSK, K12, K2tog. 14 sts.
10. Row 26: P all sts.
11. Row 27: SSK, K10, K2tog. 12 sts.
12. Row 28: P all sts.
13. Row 29: SSK, K8, K2tog. 10 sts.
14. Rows 30 to 31: Work in garter st.
15. BO loosely.

Fold each ear very slightly lengthwise and sew only the top 1 inch to the side of the head. The ear should not be stuffed. Brush the outer surface so it looks fluffy and soft. Position each ear behind the cherry hair clip so the decorations sit at the top edge.

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Body

The body is mostly hidden by the dress, but it gives the puppy a seated display shape. Work firmly in white. The shoulders are narrow, while the lower body is slightly rounded.

1. CO 18 sts.
2. Row 1 WS: P all sts.
3. Row 2 RS: Kfb in every st across. 36 sts.
4. Rows 3 to 6: Work in st st.
5. Row 7: P all sts.
6. Row 8: K5, Kfb, repeat across. 42 sts.
7. Rows 9 to 22: Work in st st.
8. Row 23: P all sts.
9. Row 24: K5, K2tog, repeat across. 36 sts.
10. Rows 25 to 30: Work in st st.
11. Row 31: P all sts.
12. Row 32: K4, K2tog, repeat across. 30 sts.
13. Rows 33 to 36: Work in st st.
14. Row 37: P all sts.
15. Row 38: K3, K2tog, repeat across. 24 sts.
16. Rows 39 to 42: Work in st st.
17. BO, leaving a long tail.

Seam the back and bottom edge, stuff firmly, and close the neck opening enough to create a stable base for the head. Sew the head to the body with the face looking forward and the neck centered under the muzzle.

Legs

The visible legs are slim white columns under the yellow dress. Make two. Each leg is worked from the foot opening upward, leaving the lower edge neat for sandals.

1. CO 14 sts in white.
2. Rows 1 to 4: Work in garter st.
3. Rows 5 to 24: Work in st st.
4. Row 25: K1, K2tog, K8, SSK, K1. 12 sts.
5. Row 26: P all sts.
6. Rows 27 to 32: Work in st st.
7. BO, leaving a long tail.

Seam each leg into a tube. Stuff lightly so the legs stay slim and straight. Sew the upper ends to the lower body with about 1 inch between them. The feet should point forward and sit evenly under the dress hem.

Arms

The arms are short and rounded, with white paws showing under cream sleeves. Make two. They should hang naturally at the sides of the dress.

1. CO 12 sts in white.
2. Rows 1 to 4: Work in garter st for the paw.
3. Rows 5 to 16: Work in st st.
4. Row 17: K2, K2tog, K4, SSK, K2. 10 sts.
5. Row 18: P all sts.
6. Rows 19 to 22: Work in st st.
7. BO, leaving a long tail.

Seam each arm and stuff lightly. Do not overfill the paws. Sew arms to the sides of the upper body after the dress is placed, allowing the cream sleeve tops to cover the shoulder joins.

Cream Sleeves

The dress in the picture has cream knitted sleeves that look like a soft blouse underneath the yellow jumper. Make two sleeve covers.

1. CO 18 sts in cream.
2. Rows 1 to 4: K all sts for a cuff.
3. Rows 5 to 14: Work in st st.
4. Row 15: K2, K2tog, repeat across, ending K2. 14 sts.
5. Row 16: P all sts.
6. BO loosely.

Wrap one sleeve cover around each white arm, placing the garter cuff near the paw. Seam the sleeve along the underside. Sew the top of the sleeve to the shoulder area after the arm is attached.

Yellow Bee Dress Bodice

The dress is the focal point. It has a fitted upper bodice, two shoulder straps, a small cream ruffled collar above it, and a flared skirt. Work the bodice first in golden yellow.

1. CO 38 sts.
2. Rows 1 to 4: Work in garter st.
3. Row 5 RS: K all sts.
4. Row 6 WS: P all sts.
5. Rows 7 to 16: Continue in st st.
6. Row 17: K5, BO 6 sts, K16, BO 6 sts, K5. This creates arm openings.
7. Row 18: P5, CO 6 sts over bound-off gap, P16, CO 6 sts over second gap, P5. 38 sts.
8. Rows 19 to 22: Work in st st.
9. Row 23: K4, K2tog, K26, SSK, K4. 36 sts.
10. Row 24: P all sts.
11. Rows 25 to 28: Work in garter st for the upper edge.
12. BO loosely.

Shoulder Straps

1. CO 5 sts in yellow.
2. K every row until strap measures 3 inches.
3. BO.
4. Make a second strap the same way.

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Sew the straps from the front bodice to the back bodice over the shoulders. Add one tiny button or embroidered dot at the front of each strap if desired. Keep the straps flat and visible over the cream sleeves.

Yellow Flared Skirt with Center Cable

The skirt starts wide at the hem and narrows toward the waist. It includes a central raised cable like the one in the picture. The cable should run down the front middle, from waist to hem.

1. CO 82 sts in yellow.
2. Rows 1 to 5: Work in garter st for the thick lower hem.
3. Row 6 WS: P all sts.
4. Row 7 RS: K36, P2, K6, P2, K36. The center 10 sts form the cable panel.
5. Row 8 WS: P36, K2, P6, K2, P36.
6. Row 9: K36, P2, C4F, K2, P2, K36.
7. Row 10: Work sts as they appear.
8. Rows 11 to 14: Work sts as they appear.
9. Row 15: K34, K2tog, P2, C4F, K2, P2, SSK, K34. 80 sts.
10. Rows 16 to 20: Work sts as they appear.
11. Row 21: K33, K2tog, P2, C4F, K2, P2, SSK, K33. 78 sts.
12. Rows 22 to 26: Work sts as they appear.
13. Row 27: K32, K2tog, P2, C4F, K2, P2, SSK, K32. 76 sts.
14. Rows 28 to 32: Work sts as they appear.
15. Row 33: K31, K2tog, P2, C4F, K2, P2, SSK, K31. 74 sts.
16. Rows 34 to 38: Work sts as they appear.
17. Row 39: K30, K2tog, P2, C4F, K2, P2, SSK, K30. 72 sts.
18. Rows 40 to 44: Work sts as they appear.
19. Row 45: K29, K2tog, P2, C4F, K2, P2, SSK, K29. 70 sts.
20. Row 46: Work sts as they appear.
21. Row 47: K2tog across side sections while preserving cable panel: K2tog 15 times, P2, K6, P2, K2tog 15 times. 40 sts.
22. Row 48: P all knit sections and work panel sts as established.
23. Rows 49 to 52: Work in garter st for the waistband.
24. BO, leaving a long tail for seaming.

Seam the back of the skirt, leaving the upper 1 inch open if needed to slide it over the puppy. Place the cable exactly at the front center. Sew the skirt waistband to the lower bodice so the dress appears as one piece.

Cream Ruffled Collar

The collar is a soft cream ruffle around the neck, visible above the yellow bodice. It should sit like a small scalloped trim under the puppy’s chin.

1. CO 44 sts in cream.
2. Rows 1 to 3: K all sts.
3. Row 4: K2tog across. 22 sts.
4. Row 5: K all sts.
5. BO loosely.

Sew the gathered edge around the neck, placing the ruffled edge outward. Let the collar overlap slightly at the back. Add one tiny tan button at the center front just below the chin.

Bee Embroidery on Dress

The yellow dress has several small bees scattered across the front. Work each bee directly on the dress after the dress is assembled. Use black, yellow, pale blue, and white thread.

• Bee body: Make 3 short horizontal yellow stitches, each about 1/4 inch wide.
• Black stripes: Add 2 tiny black vertical stitches across the yellow body.
• Head: Add one small black stitch at one end.
• Wings: Add two pale blue or white loop stitches above the body.
• Placement: Put 3 bees on the left skirt, 3 bees on the right skirt, and 2 bees near the bodice.

Keep the bees small. Their purpose is to decorate the dress without covering the cable. Place them unevenly, as shown in the picture, so the front looks natural and playful.

Daisy Flowers on Bodice

The dress includes small white daisies near the upper front. Make two daisies, one on each side of the bodice, just below the straps.

• Use white floss to make 5 short straight stitches radiating from one center point.
• Use yellow floss to make one French knot or tiny duplicate stitch in the center.
• Repeat for the second daisy on the opposite side.
• Keep both daisies level with each other for a neat picture-like finish.

Green Crossbody Purse

The puppy wears a small green purse crossing from one shoulder to the opposite hip. The bag rests on the front right side of the dress and has red cherries on it.

Purse Body

1. CO 14 sts in green using smaller needles.
2. Rows 1 to 4: K all sts.
3. Rows 5 to 14: Work in st st.
4. Row 15: K2, K2tog, K6, SSK, K2. 12 sts.
5. Row 16: P all sts.
6. Rows 17 to 18: K all sts.
7. BO.

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Fold the purse upward so the garter rows form the bottom. Seam both sides. Lightly stuff or leave flat. Sew the top edge closed only at the corners so it keeps a soft pocket shape.

Purse Flap

1. CO 12 sts in green.
2. Rows 1 to 6: Work in garter st.
3. Row 7: K2tog, K8, K2tog. 10 sts.
4. Row 8: K all sts.
5. BO.

Sew the flap to the back top edge of the purse and fold it over the front. Add two tiny red cherry bobbles and one green leaf to the lower right corner of the purse.

Crossbody Strap

1. CO 4 sts in green.
2. K every row until the strap measures 12 inches, or long enough to cross from shoulder to opposite hip.
3. BO.

Sew one strap end behind the left shoulder and the other to the side of the purse. Let the strap lie diagonally over the yellow dress, crossing over the center front without hiding the cable completely.

Cherry Hair Clips

There are two cherry decorations near the top of the puppy’s ears. Each clip has red berries and green leaves. Make two sets.

Red Cherry Bobble

1. CO 3 sts in red.
2. Row 1: Kfb in each st. 6 sts.
3. Row 2: P all sts.
4. Row 3: K2tog across. 3 sts.
5. Cut yarn and thread through sts. Pull tight.

Make three red bobbles for each hair clip. Sew the bobbles together in a small cluster.

Small Green Leaves

1. CO 3 sts in green.
2. Row 1: K all sts.
3. Row 2: Kfb, K1, Kfb. 5 sts.
4. Row 3: K all sts.
5. Row 4: SSK, K1, K2tog. 3 sts.
6. Row 5: K3tog. 1 st.
7. Fasten off.

Make two leaves for each hair clip. Sew the leaves behind the red cherry cluster. Attach one finished cluster near the top of each ear, slightly toward the outside edge.

Brown Sandals

The sandals are brown, open-looking, and strapped over the white feet. Make two soles and two strap sets. They should sit at the bottom of the legs and show clearly under the dress.

Sandal Sole

1. CO 8 sts in brown.
2. Row 1: K all sts.
3. Row 2: Kfb, K6, Kfb. 10 sts.
4. Rows 3 to 10: K all sts.
5. Row 11: K2tog, K6, K2tog. 8 sts.
6. Rows 12 to 13: K all sts.
7. BO.

Front Strap

1. CO 4 sts in brown.
2. K every row for 1 1/4 inches.
3. BO.
4. Sew across the front of the sole, leaving a small opening under the strap.

Ankle Strap

1. CO 3 sts in brown.
2. K every row for 3 inches.
3. BO.
4. Wrap around the ankle and sew ends at the back.

Sew each white foot to a sole. Position the front strap across the toes and the ankle strap around the lower leg. Add a tiny vertical brown stitch at the center front to imitate the split sandal design.

Pink Garden Gloves

The small pink gloves rest beside the puppy in the picture. They are decorative accessories and do not need to fit the paws. Make two flat gloves.

Glove Palm

1. CO 10 sts in pale pink.
2. Rows 1 to 8: Work in st st.
3. Row 9: K2tog, K6, K2tog. 8 sts.
4. Row 10: P all sts.
5. BO.

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Glove Fingers

• For each glove, pick up 2 sts along the top edge and knit 4 rows for one finger, then BO.
• Repeat 4 more times for a total of 5 narrow fingers.
• Use the yarn tail to shape and separate the fingers with tiny stitches.
• Embroider three small green leaves and red dots near the wrist to match the floral detail in the image.

Steam lightly with care if needed, but do not flatten completely. The gloves should look soft and handmade, like tiny garden gloves placed next to the puppy.

Small Basket

The basket sits beside the puppy and is filled with orange carrots and green peas. Work the basket in tan or beige yarn using a tight garter texture.

Basket Base

1. CO 10 sts in tan.
2. Rows 1 to 14: K all sts.
3. BO.

Basket Side Strip

1. CO 8 sts in tan.
2. K every row until the strip measures 7 inches.
3. BO.

Seam the strip around the basket base. Slightly gather the lower edge so the basket curves upward. Sew the side seam neatly. Add a small roll at the top by whipstitching around the rim with tan yarn.

Basket Handle

1. CO 4 sts in tan.
2. K every row for 6 inches.
3. BO.
4. Sew one end to each side of the basket rim.

Carrots

Make three small carrots in orange with green tops. They should peek out of the basket.

1. CO 8 sts in orange.
2. Rows 1 to 4: Work in st st.
3. Row 5: K2tog, K4, K2tog. 6 sts.
4. Row 6: P all sts.
5. Row 7: K2tog, K2, K2tog. 4 sts.
6. Row 8: P all sts.
7. Row 9: K2tog twice. 2 sts.
8. Cut yarn, thread through sts, and seam into a cone.

For each carrot top, cut three short strands of green yarn, fold them in half, and secure them to the wide end. Trim to about 1/2 inch. Sew the carrots inside the basket so only the tops and upper orange sections show.

Green Pea Pod

The basket also shows a green pea pod. Work one curved pod and three tiny peas.

1. CO 12 sts in green.
2. Rows 1 to 3: K all sts.
3. Row 4: K2tog, K8, K2tog. 10 sts.
4. Row 5: K all sts.
5. BO.

Fold the pod lengthwise and seam only the pointed ends, leaving the middle open. For each pea, CO 3 sts, Kfb in each stitch, purl one row, then K2tog across and fasten off. Sew three peas inside the pod.

Facial Features

The face should be soft, round, and calm. Place the eyes before final head closure if using safety eyes, or sew beads securely after stuffing. The eyes sit above the muzzle and are slightly closer together than the outer edges of the cheeks.

• Eye placement: Position eyes between Rows 24 and 28 of the head, about 7 to 8 stitches apart.
• Nose placement: Place the nose at the top center of the muzzle, slightly lower than the eyes.
• Mouth: Use black thread to make one short vertical stitch under the nose, then two tiny angled stitches for a soft puppy mouth.
• Expression: Pull thread gently. Do not tighten so much that the muzzle collapses.

After the face is stitched, brush the white yarn around the cheeks and ears with a clean toothbrush. Brush outward and downward. Trim only long stray fibers that cover the eyes or nose.

Assembly Order

1. Knit and stuff the head, body, legs, arms, muzzle, and ears.
2. Sew the body closed and attach the legs evenly at the bottom.
3. Attach the head to the body, checking that the face looks forward.
4. Sew muzzle pieces to the lower face and add eyes, nose, and mouth.
5. Sew ears high on the sides of the head.
6. Knit the yellow bodice, skirt, straps, cream sleeves, and collar.
7. Place the dress on the body and seam the back neatly.
8. Attach arms with cream sleeves visible at the sides.
9. Add bees, daisies, purse, cherry hair clips, sandals, gloves, and basket.

Final Assembly and Facial Detailing

Check the toy from the front before securing final knots. The cable panel should sit at the center of the dress, the purse strap should cross diagonally, and the cherry clips should balance both sides of the head. Add a few hidden stitches behind the purse and collar if they shift.

Use white yarn tails to softly sculpt under the cheeks if needed. Insert the needle through the back of the head, catch a small stitch under one cheek, pull gently, and repeat on the other side. This gives the Maltese face a rounded plush look.

Care Notes

• Spot clean with cool water and mild soap.
• Do not machine wash if you used beads, buttons, or safety eyes.
• Dry flat on a towel away from direct sunlight.
• Brush the white fluffy areas gently after drying.

Quick Checklist Before You Finish

• The head is round, fluffy, and larger than the body.
• The ears hang softly and frame the face.
• The yellow dress flares outward with the cable centered.
• There are small bees scattered across the skirt and bodice.
• Two white daisies sit near the upper front.
• The green purse crosses the body and has red cherries.
• The sandals, gloves, basket, carrots, and pea pod are all included.

Detailed Cleaning and Preservation Guidelines

For long-term display, keep the puppy in a dry place and away from dust-heavy areas. Store it upright so the ears and dress keep their shape. If storing in a box, wrap the toy loosely in acid-free tissue or clean cotton fabric.

Do not press heavy items on top of the toy. The basket, purse, and cherry clips are small handmade pieces and can bend if crushed. To refresh the shape, gently smooth the dress by hand and fluff the white yarn with light strokes.

If the toy is made for a child, remove small buttons, beads, and loose accessories, then embroider all details instead. For display use, sew every accessory securely with several hidden stitches so the finished puppy keeps the same garden outfit shown in the picture.