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Easy Crochet Dog Sweater Pattern

Crochet a dog sweater to keep your pet warm on those cold and icy walks.

mixed breed dog wearing a sweater crocheted in green and white with a snowflake on the back
Taz on his best behaviour 🙂

My free crochet dog sweater pattern fits small to medium sized dogs and is easy to adapt for any size.  Measure as you go so that you can increase or decrease to fit the size of your dog. 

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The pattern is suitable for confident beginners and more experienced crocheters alike.

If you are a beginner and you’re not sure about the snowflake tapestry I’ve included instructions for leaving it out.

Similarly, if you haven’t worked colour changes you work the crochet dog sweater in one block of colour.

close up of a crochet dog sweater in green and white showing the snowflake tapestry crochet
Beginner crocheters can crochet half treble (US half double) instead of the snowflake motif

Design Inspiration

Taz is now just over 14 years old and has lived with us for most of that time – seems a lifetime ago when we rescued him from Margaret Green Animal Rescue!  Early November he was really unwell with a severe gut infection and although treated by the emergency vet and then our own vet for a couple of weeks, he didn’t eat anything for 7 days and then very little.  Consequently, he lost a lot of fat and muscle.  When we started going out for walks again the weather had changed and because he was vulnerable, he needed something extra to keep him warm. 

He’s never really liked wearing sweaters or coats but he loves laying on the crochet project I’m working on … so I wondered if because the yarn would have my smell imprinted on it, he would wear a dog sweater I crocheted.  And it worked 🙂 

(His appetite is back to normal now yay! he still needs to gain some weight and build up muscle.  We’re very blessed our old fella pulled through!)

mixed breed dog on a common wearing a crochet dog sweater in green and white

If you enjoy working the tapestry technique you might also like to try these free patterns:

How the crochet dog sweater pattern is worked

The pattern is worked from the bottom up. 

Starting with a rib that is worked in the back loop only, the body is crocheted in rows of half treble crochet (US half double crochet). 

The pattern includes two rows of increases and one row of decrease for shaping the body and neck.

The leg openings are made by chaining and skipping stitches.

I have worked a snowflake tapestry on the centre of the back but this dog sweater would look just as good if you continue in the stitch used for the rest of the dog garment. 

The rib for the neck is crocheted in alternating front post half treble crochet stitches (US front post half double crochet) and back post half treble crochet.

This crochet dog sweater is joined with one seam.

Related Dog Crochet Patterns

Yarn

For the main colour I used yarn from a subscription box . Knitologie by Knitcrate is worsted/aran weight and the fibre is made up 40% Merino, 30% Silk and 30% Alpaca.  This yarn is no longer available but you can substitute any Aran/Worsted category 4 weight yarn that meets gauge.

The cream for the snowflake and upper body is worsted/aran yarn from my stash.

montage of four photos showing 1) a dog wearing a crochet sweater 2) the dog sweater before seaming 3) the front of the dog sweater 4) the back of the dog sweater

Pattern Notes

  • The two colours are abbreviated to MC = Main Colour and CC = Contrasting Colour
  • Once the bottom rib is worked, you will turn your work so that you are now working along the longest edge.
  • Rows increase on row 11 and row 19.  This is done by chaining and then working half treble crochets (US half double crochet) into the chains just made.  You can alter the pattern to fit your dog by either chaining less or more on these rows.
  • The snowflake tapestry crochet begins on row 21 and ends on row 31.  If you’re not adding the snowflake, you will need to crochet these rows in half treble crochet (US half double crochet).
  • The snowflake tapestry crochet instructions are written in this format:

MC x (how many stitches) CC x (how many stitches) ie: MC x 29, CC x 4, MC x 6, CC x 4 you will work 29 stitches in the main colour, 4 stitches in the contrast, 6 stitches in the main colour, 4 stitches in the contrast.

  • If you have increased or decreased stitches on rows 11 and 19 to fit your dog you will need to adjust the snowflake chart accordingly so that the snowflake is worked into the middle of the back.  This is easily done by either decreasing or increasing the number of MC stitches at the beginning of the tapestry rows that correspond to the number of stitches you decreased/increased.  For example, if you increased another 6 stitches at the beginning and another 6 stitches at the end of an increase row, for row 21 instead of MC x 29 you would MC 29 + 6 = 35.
  • All tapestry crochet rows are worked in half treble (US half double).
  • Whilst you are crocheting the snowflake, you will need to carry the unworked colour along the rows.  When you are crocheting the half treble rows after the snowflake you can either carry the yarn up the side or if you’re not changing colour, fasten off.
  • There is a snowflake tapestry chart PDF available to download.
  • The leg openings are made in row 32 by chaining stitches, then skipping the same amount of stitches for each leg.  In row 33, half treble crochets (US half double crochets) are worked into the chains.
  • The change in colour from the main colour to the contrast begins at row 34 (you don’t have to change colour and can continue in the same colour).
  • The decrease is on row 36.  This is achieved by half treble two stitches together (htr2tog/’US hdc2tog).
  • Row 42 begins the neck rib. You can increase or decrease the number of rows from here to fit your dog.
  • Chain 1 does not count as a stitch.
  • Chain 2 does not count as a stitch.

Level

Easy

Materials

  • 200g Knitologie Glowing Worsted by Knitcrate in Flying Trapeze OR Aran/Worsted weight of your choice to meet gauge
  • 100g Aran/Worsted yarn
  • 5mm crochet hook
  • Scissors
  • Tapestry needle (for weaving in ends)
crochet dog sweater laid out before sewing the seam

Stitches and Abbreviations

  • Dc – double crochet (US single crochet)
  • Htr – half treble (US half double)
  • Htr2tog – half treble 2 together (US hdc2tog)
  • Fphtr – front post half treble (US fphdc)
  • Bphtr – back post half treble (US bphdc)
  • Ch – chain
  • Blo – back loop only
  • Rep – repeat
  • MC – main colour
  • CC – contrasting colour
  • St/sts = stitches
  • Sk – skip

Gauge

7 htr x 7 rows = 2 inches

Measurements

30cm/11.5inches (w) x 43cm/16.5inches (l)

Leg openings begin at 13cm/5inches from neck

montage of three images 1) medium sized mixed breed dog wearing a crochet sweater n green and white  2) front of the crochet dog sweater 3) back of the crochet dog sweater

Crochet Dog Sweater Pattern

Instructions UK Terms

Bottom rib

Ch10 + 1

Row 1: dc blo in 2nd ch from hook, dc blo across, turn

Row 2 – 45:  ch1, dc blo across, turn work to the longest edge

Once worked has turned to the longest edge, you will have worked 10 rows

Row 11:  ch9, htr in 2nd ch from hook, htr across, ch9, turn

Row 12: htr in 2nd ch from hook, htr across, turn

Row 13: ch2, htr across, turn

Row 14 – 18 rep row 13

Row 19 (incr row): ch9, htr in 2nd ch from hook, htr across, ch9, turn

Row 20: htr in 2nd ch from hook, htr across, turn             

(Snowflake Tapestry Crochet begins in row 21 if you’re not including the snowflake, row 21 – 31 rep row 20)

snowflake tapestry chart in green and white

Row 21: ch2, MC x 29, CC x 4, MC x 6, CC x 4, MC htr to end, turn

Row 22: ch2, MC x 30, CC x 6, MC x 2, CC x 6, MC htr to end, turn

Row 23: ch2, MC x 24, CC x 6, MC x 2, CC x 4, MC x 2, CC x 4, MC x 2, CC x 6, MC htr to end, turn

Row 24: ch2, MC x 22, CC x 6, MC x 2, CC x 2, MC x 2, CC x 2, MC x 2, CC x 6, MC htr to end, turn

Row 25: Ch2, MC x 24, CC x 6, MC x 6, CC x 6, MC htr to end, turn

Row 26: Ch2, MC x 29, CC x 2, MC htr to end, turn

Row 27: rep row 25

Row 28: rep row 24

Row 29: rep row 23

Row 30: rep row 22

Row 31: rep row 21

Download the snowflake tapestry PDF.

(Row 32 creates the leg openings)

Row 32: Ch2, htr in next 8 sts, ch13, sk 13 sts, htr in next 40 sts, ch13, sk 13 sts, htr in last 8 sts, turn

Row 33: Ch2, htr in each htr from previous row and htr in chs.

Change to CC.  If you are not changing colour, continue in MC

Row 34: Ch2, htr across, turn

Row 35: rep row 34

(Row 36 is the decrease row)

Row 36: Ch2, *htr in next 7 sts, htr2tog, rep from * to last st, htr, turn

Row 37: rep row 34

Row 38 – 41: rep row 34

(Row 42 begins the neck rib)

neck rib in green on the crochet dog sweater
neck rib

Row 42: Ch2, htr in next st, *fphtr in next st, bphtr in next st, *rep to last st, htr, turn

Row 43 – 46: rep row 42

Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Sew seams as indicated in the image below.

diagram showing where to sew the seams on the crochet dog sweater pattern

Download the seam diagram PDF.

Weave in ends.

Instructions US Terms

Bottom rib

Ch10 + 1

Row 1: sc blo in 2nd ch from hook, sc blo across, turn

Row 2 – 45:  ch1, sc blo across, turn work to the longest edge

Once worked has turned to the longest edge, you will have worked 10 rows

Row 11:  ch9, hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc across, ch9, turn

Row 12: hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc across, turn

Row 13: ch2, hdc across, turn

Row 14 – 18 rep row 13

Row 19 (incr row): ch9, hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc across, ch9, turn

Row 20: hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc across, turn             

(Snowflake Tapestry Crochet begins in row 21 if you’re not including the snowflake, row 21 – 31 rep row 20)

snowflake tapestry chart in green and white

Row 21: ch2, MC x 29, CC x 4, MC x 6, CC x 4, MC hdc to end, turn

Row 22: ch2, MC x 30, CC x 6, MC x 2, CC x 6, MC hdc to end, turn

Row 23: ch2, MC x 24, CC x 6, MC x 2, CC x 4, MC x 2, CC x 4, MC x 2, CC x 6, MC hdc to end, turn

Row 24: ch2, MC x 22, CC x 6, MC x 2, CC x 2, MC x 2, CC x 2, MC x 2, CC x 6, MC hdc to end, turn

Row 25: Ch2, MC x 24, CC x 6, MC x 6, CC x 6, MC hdc to end, turn

Row 26: Ch2, MC x 29, CC x 2, MC hdc to end, turn

Row 27: rep row 25

Row 28: rep row 24

Row 29: rep row 23

Row 30: rep row 22

Row 31: rep row 21

Download the snowflake tapestry PDF.

(Row 32 creates the leg openings)

Row 32: Ch2, hdc in next 8 sts, ch13, sk 13 sts, hdc in next 40 sts, ch13, sk 13 sts, hdc in last 8 sts, turn

Row 33: Ch2, hdc in each hdc from previous row and hdc in chs.

Change to CC.  If you are not changing colour, continue in MC

Row 34: Ch2, hdc across, turn

Row 35: rep row 34

(Row 36 is the decrease row)

Row 36: Ch2, *hdc in next 7 sts, hdc2tog, rep from * to last st, hdc, turn

Row 37: rep row 34

Row 38 – 41: rep row 34

(Row 42 begins the neck rib)

neck rib in green on the crochet dog sweater
neck rib

Row 42: Ch2, hdc in next st, *fphdc in next st, bphdc in next st, *rep to last st, hdc, turn

Row 43 – 46: rep row 42

Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Sew seams as indicated in the image below.

diagram showing where to sew the seams on the crochet dog sweater pattern

Download the seam diagram PDF.

Weave in ends.

Happy crocheting!

I'm passionate about helping others to find a centre of calm. On my mental well-being journey I've qualified in different 'therapies' including Mindfulness and as a Mental Health First Aider.  I took my love of crochet one step further too with a crochet diploma.  Join me on:  Substack | Twitter  |   Facebook  |  Pinterest  |  LinkedIn  |  Threads Read More Behind the Scenes

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