This is an older pattern that I had written in my shorthand from an Etsy order a few years ago: an Etsy customer wanted a miniature Doberman Pincher to look like her own. On my Facebook page this year – also called The Burgundy Basket – my Facebook friends are challenging me in my A-Z challenge and one of the “D” recommendations was “Dalmatian.”
I knew I had written a smaller dog pattern – smaller than my Barley the Beagle pattern – so, I dug it out and wrote it up in a full version as I made up the Dalmatian. I have many more amigurumi tips in my PDF that is available on Etsy.
This is a super easy pattern and great for all of those just starting to crochet in the amigurumi style. It is also a great pattern to FULLY CUSTOMIZE because you can change all the body part colors and sizes – just make them shorter or longer to be the dog you need.
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This pattern is intended for personal use only. This pattern -and all my patterns- are offered for free or a small fee to help support my family so please do not redistribute, sell, copy or use them in any way not in accordance with fairness.
You may sell products made from this pattern, but please give me credit as the designer. Please do not use my photos as your own work, but you may use my photos to reference back to my blog, Etsy, Pinterest, IG or FB, but please link back to me.
If you find any problems with this pattern please let me know and if you have any problems with any of it feel free to message me and ask for support.
Kristi Bergin-Smith and The Burgundy Basket, 2019. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to me, Kristi Bergin-Smith and The Burgundy Basket with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
Materials:
-Hook: G hook was used for this pattern. Get the same hooks I use – they are a hand saver! – right here. You pay the same price, but following this link gives me a small commission so that I can continue running my blog and offering free patterns.
-Safety Eyes or buttons (or yarn to embroider if you choose) and needle to embroider face. I used buttons on these two dog examples, but typically use safety eyes. You can also crochet a simple circle to make them baby safe.
-Stuffing. I have used Poly-Fill brand stuffing, but feel free to use what you prefer.
– I don’t use Stitch markers, but if you do you will want those to keep track of your rounds. As a “free” stitch marker you can loop a bright colored piece of scrap yarn through your stitch to act as a marker – then just pull it out when you get back around to it and move it up one row. Easy marker!
This is the order that I am writing up this pattern and made it myself, but please feel free to start with any of the parts you like. Head, muzzle, ears, body, legs and tail.
The brown dog it was made all in one color with only a bit of black added in muzzle and in the dalmatian, I added black spots after she was done and also changed color in some places to make more black parts on her. This pattern is just the stitch counts and shape. If you want to also change color, just change where you want or follow my picture as a tentative guide. I will add a few notes on where I changed for the dalmatian. You can make any color dog with this pattern. You can also use different yarn – just please adjust your hook size accordingly. This pattern would also be super cute with a fuzzy/furry yarn used for ears and tail.
Head:
The head is not worked in a traditional circle, but rather in an oval shape so you will start work on both sides of your starting chain. You will also be working IN A CONTINUOUS SPIRAL WITH NO JOINING OR CHAINING UP TO PREVENT A SEAM. *It may help you to use a stitch marker at the end of each round to keep track of your last/first stitch.
Remember – “2sc” means make 2 single crochet in the same stitch and “sc 2” means make a single crochet in each of the next two stitches.
Chain 5.
Round 1: Sc in the 2nd chain from the hook and in the next 2 chains.
4 sc in the last chain. Moving to the other side of your chain, sc in the next two chains and 3sc in the last (12)
Round 2: sc in the next 4, 2sc in the next 2, sc in the next 4, 2sc in the next 2 (16)
Round 3: (sc in the next 4, 2sc in each of the next 4) x2 (24)
Round 4: sc in the next 6, 2sc in each of the next 4, sc in the next 8, 2sc in the next 4, sc in the next 2 (32)
*trust me – it seems “wrong” but it keeps your continuous spiral “right”
Round 5: sc in the next 9, 2sc in the next 2, sc in the next 16, 2sc in the next 2, sc in the next 3. (36)
Round 6-18: work in even rounds (36)
*place eyes now before you start your decreases. Mine are between rounds 10-11 ****please remember that this is NOT A CIRCLE so check to make sure you are getting your eyes in the “front” of the head (the wide part of the oval) and not on one of the “sides”
I also added some eyebrows.
The decrease to close the head is a traditional decrease.
Start your Decreases and stuff as you go.
Round 19: *sc in each of the next 4 sc, dec sc* repeat around (30)
Round 20: sc in each stitch around (30)
Round 21: *1 sc in next three sc, inv dec over the next 2 sc* repeat around (24)
Rounds 22: 1 sc in each stitch around. (24)
Round 23: *sc in next 2 sc, inv dec over next 2* repeat around (18)
Round 24: *sc in next sc, inv dec over next 2 sc* repeat around (12)
Round 25: sc in each sc around (12)
FO but leave a long tail to sew to body.
Muzzle:
Ch 2 (you can also use a magic ring if that is your preferred method of starting a circle or amigurumi). I leave a tail and crochet over my tail for the first two rounds and then pull my tail tight. It closes up any gap.
Round 1: 6 sc in second chain from hook (6)
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around (12) (Starting in the first sc make 2 sc in that stitch and in each stitch around. (12) *Still work over the starting tail. After getting done with all 12 sc for that round, pull the starting tail to cinch up the opening. You can now trim that tail or weave it in or just leave it if it will be on the inside of your work.)
Round 3: *1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc** repeat around (18)
Round 4: *1 sc in next two sc, 2 sc in next sc** repeat around (24)
For the next rounds you will work straight with no increases. I did rounds 5-9 for my example. You can make less or more for a longer or shorter nose/muzzle. You can also choose to change colors at the very end rows if you will be making the muzzle piece that goes across the top of the nose. The muzzle piece across the top of the nose and the color you switch to on these last few muzzle rounds should be the same color.
For the snout top piece, it is worked in rows with a chain 1 and turn (ch 1 and t) at the end of each row. I used black for my examples.
Chain 4.
Sc 3 across the chain. Ch 1 and t
Sc 3 across. Ch 1 and t
Inc sc, sc, Inc sc (5) Ch 1 and t
Sc 5 across the row Ch 1 and t
Inc sc, sc, sc, sc, Inc sc (7) Ch 1 and t
Sc 7 across the row Ch 1 and t (repeat this row one more time)
Sew this top part of the nose onto the muzzle portion. You may want to stuff the muzzle first and pin in place to get the proper fit. After sewing this portion on, use the same color to embroider the nose and mouth etc. Stuff and sew to head.
Ears (make 2) – I used my G hook for all of this pattern, but USE YOUR H or I HOOK FOR THESE TO MAKE THEM BIGGER AND MORE FLOPPY if you want a floppy eared dog.
Ch 2 (you can also use a magic ring if that is your preferred method of starting a circle or amigurumi)
Round 1: 6 sc in second chain from hook (6)
*I work these in a continuous spiral with no joining.
Round 2: *sc in the next 2 stitches, 2sc in the next* repeat (8)
Round 3: *1 sc in next three sc, 2 sc in next sc* repeat around (10)
Round 4: *1 sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc* repeat around (12)
Round 5: *1 sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc* repeat around (14)
Round 6: *1 sc in next 6 sc, 2 sc in next sc* repeat around (16)
Round 7: *1 sc in next 7 sc, 2 sc in next sc* repeat around (18)
Round 8: *1 sc in next 8 sc, 2 sc in next sc* repeat around (20)
Now, for Rounds 9 + you will work straight with no increases. For my examples, I did 8 additional rounds after round 8.
You’ll notice that I made some random black color changes for my dalmatian.
Feet/Legs (make four):
Ch 2 (you can also use a magic ring if that is your preferred method of starting a circle or amigurumi)
Round 1: 6 sc in second chain from hook (6)
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around (12)
Round 3: *1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc** repeat around (18)
Round 4: *1 sc in next two sc, 2 sc in next sc** repeat around (24)
Rounds 5-6: sc in each stitch around (24)(24)
Start your Decreases and stuff as you go. Stuff how it is easiest for you. I usually stuff around my 18 sc round. Stuff the feet firm, but don’t over stuff the legs. You want your puppy to be able to sit when you are finished.
Round 7: *1 sc in next two sc, inv dec over the next 2 sc* repeat around (18)
Rounds 8: 1 sc in each stitch around. (18)
Round 9: *sc in next sc, inv dec over next 2 sc* repeat around (12)
Rounds 10-24: single crochet in each stitch around working in the continuous spiral (12)
FO with a tail to sew. I sewed in the open position. It helps if you have a bit up stuffing up top to keep the middle open. Pin in place to get them even before you begin.
Tail (make one):
Ch 2 (you can also use a magic ring if that is your preferred method of starting a circle or amigurumi)
Round 1: 6 sc in second chain from hook (6)
Round 2-3: 1 sc in each stitch around (6)
Round 4: *1 sc in next two sc, 2 sc in next sc* repeat (9)
Rounds 5+: 1 sc in each stitch around (9) – repeat this round as many times as you’d like until the tail reaches your desired length.
**for my dalmatian, I decided to make the base of the tail have a “spot” so I changed to black for a few rows of 9sc around and then after the last row of 9 sc, I did a few rounds of increases. So, I did 2 sc in each stitch around for 18sc, then I did (1sc, 2sc)*around for 27sc and then I did one more increase round of (1sc, 1sc, 2sc)* around for 32sc. This made a nice “spot” at the end of the tail. Sew to body as usual.
Body:
Ch 2 (you can also use a magic ring if that is your preferred method of starting a circle or amigurumi)
Round 1: 6 sc in second chain from hook (6)
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around (12) (Starting in the first sc make 2 sc in that stitch and in each stitch around. (12) *Still work over the starting tail. After getting done with all 12 sc for that round, pull the starting tail to cinch up the opening. You can now trim that tail or weave it in or just leave it if it will be on the inside of your work.)
Round 3: *1 sc in next stitch, 2 sc in the next stitch* repeat around (18)
Round 4: *1 sc in next 2 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch* repeat (24)
Round 5: 1 sc in each stitch around (24)
Round 6: *1 sc in next 3 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch* repeat (30)
Round 7: 1 sc in each stitch around (30)
Round 8: *1 sc in next 4 stitches, 2 sc in the next stitch* repeat (36)
Round 9+: 1 sc in each stitch around (36)
Repeat round 9 until the body is as long as you want it. You can adjust this to be a short or long bodied dog. My example has 20 rows after Round 8.
Then start your decreases:
Stuff as you go.
Decrease round 1: *sc in each of the next 4 sc, inv dec sc* repeat around (30)
Decrease round 2: *1 sc in next three sc, inv dec over the next 2 sc* repeat around (24)
Decrease round 3: *sc in next 2 sc, inv dec over next 2* repeat around (18)
Decrease round 4: *sc in next sc, inv dec over next 2 sc* repeat around (12)
Next round: sc in each sc around (12)
Sew closed and weave in tail.
Now, sew together.
Pin in place to make sure everything is just right before you sew.
I sewed the head to the top of the body roughly between rounds 23-26.
The tail goes on about rows 5-9, but if you have a big spot like on the Dalmatian, just center the spot so that the tail portion sits right.
For my Dalmatian example, I have also done some random circles to sew on. Just make some random spots – big and small in random sc and hdc to sew.
Thank you very much for choosing my pattern. I would love to see all your doggies. Tag me @theburgundybasket on IG.
And here are some of my favorite things! I own these or have recently gifted them (or sold them with succulents in the case of the owl pots) and recommend!
