My Patchwork Pups

In my quest to use up yarn scraps, I made up a quick little pattern for a small patchwork pup. This is a great way of using up those little balls of yarn that are about the size of a golf ball. 

Both of the smaller pups were made with worsted weight yarn and a size F hook. They’re only about 5” long. The larger pup (yellow & green) was made with two strands of a light worsted held together and an H hook. Gauge doesn’t matter… heavier yarn (or two yarns held together) and a larger hook will make a bigger pup. You just want your stitches tight enough that the stuffing won’t show through.

Pieces are worked in continuous rounds. Use a stitch marker to show the beginning of your rounds.

Legs:

Round 1: 6 SC in magic ring

Round 2: Increase in each stitch (12)

Round 3 & 4: work even (12) –  if you are doing two-tone legs, change color here

Round 5-7: work even (12). Finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing on later.

Body:

Round 1: 6 SC in magic ring

Round 2: Increase in each stitch (12)

Round 3: *1 sc, inc*, repeat around (18)

Round 4: *2 sc, inc*, repeat around (24)

Round 5: *3 sc, inc*, repeat around (30)

Rounds 6-8 (3 rows): work even (30). If you are doing a dog with a striped body, change color after row 8.

Rounds 9-13 (5 rows): work even (30). If  you are making the body striped, change color after row 13.

Rounds 14-16 (3 rows): work even (30)

Round 17: * 3 sc, dec*, repeat around (24)

Round 18: *2 sc, dec*, repeat around (18)

Stuff before the opening gets too small! J

Round 19: *sc, dec*, repeat around (12)

Round 20: dec around (6)

Finish off. Weave yarn tail through the 6 stitches and pull tightly to close.

 

This guy sold so fast, I never got daytime pictures of him! 

Head:

Round 1: 6 SC in magic ring

Round 2: Increase in each stitch (12)

Round 3: *1 sc, inc*, repeat around (18)

Round 4: *2 sc, inc*, repeat around (24)

Round 5: *3 sc, inc*, repeat around (30)

Rounds 6-7 (2 rows): work even (30).

Round 8: *3 sc, dec*, repeat around (24)

Round 9: *2 sc, dec*, repeat around (18)

Stuff before the opening gets too small! J

Round 10: *sc, dec*, repeat around (12)

Round 11: dec around (6)

Finish off, leaving long tail to sew to body.  

Muzzle:

Round 1: 6 SC in magic ring

Round 2: Increase in each stitch (12)

Rounds 3-5 (3 rounds): work even (12).

Finish off, leaving long tail to sew to face.

Using black yarn, embroider nose / mouth.

For the larger pup, I added an increase row [Row 3 = *1 sc, inc*, repeat around (18) ] to make a larger muzzle for the bigger pup. Then I just did two rows even.

Ears (make 2):

I made mine with a nice fuzzy yarn (fun fur held together with a strand of bulky yarn for the blue ears, Bernat Pipsqueak for the yellow). Since it was bulky yarn, I think I used size I hook.

Chain 7.

Sc in 2^nd chain from hook and next 4 chains. 3 sc in last chain, then, working on the other side of chain, make a sc in the backside of each chain. Finish off, leaving a long tail to sew to head.

Pointed Tail (on small pup with striped body)

With worsted weight yarn and size F hook:

Leaving a long tail for sewing, chain 8

Join with a slip stitch. Chain 1 and work a sc in each chain. Mark the beginning of your round with a marker. Continue to work in rounds, decreasing at the beginning of each row, until you have three stitches left. Pull up a loop in each stitch and pull through all three stitches. Finish off, tucking yarn end inside tail.

Floppy tail:

With bulky yarn and Size I hook, chain 8. SC in 2^nd chain from hook and each remaining chain. You can make it a little curlier by doing 2 sc in each chain. 

Eyes: 

I played with different eyes... depending on the size of the head. I used sport weight yarn and a smaller hook and did 6 sc in a magic ring, then embroidered  a small black knot. I also did more of an elongated eye by making a chain (4 or 5) and doing sc down one side, 3 sc in final chain, and sc back the other side. For the bigger puppy, I did a chain 2, and sc in 2nd chain from hook in black to make a larger pupil.