Crochet Spot the Dog
My 18 month old son is currently obsessed with reading books and two of his favorites are Where’s Spot and Spot Goes to the Farm. For Christmas, I decided to make him his very own Spot to love and snuggle. He loves it! It’s the perfect size for him to carry around and love on. I’m so excited to share this pattern with you so you can make Spot for a special little munchkin in your life too. This adorable puppy makes a great baby shower or birthday gift by itself or pair it with one of the Spot books and make it a set.
This cute puppy is made with size G crochet hook using “I Love This Cotton” yarn from Hobby Lobby. I chose to use yellow colored yarn to match Spot from the book, but this puppy would look great in any color. I added one large spot in brown to match the books, but you could add multiple spots or no spots to your liking. The parts are crocheted separately and then sewn together with a yarn needle.
You can find a printable PDF of this pattern in my Etsy shop here.
SPECIFICATIONS
SIZES
Finished puppy is about 15” long from head to toe when laid flat and 10” tall when seated.
MATERIALS
Hook: Size G crochet hook. This is my favorite crochet hook and yarn needle set I got from WooCrafts. The set is really affordable and comes with 9 different-sized crochet hooks, 8 yarn needles, stitch markers and a cute carrying case.
Yarn: two skeins of Hobby Lobby’s “I Love This Cotton” yarn in Buttercup and scrap amounts of brown yarn for the bottom of the feet, spot and tip of tail.
Scissors
Stitch Marker (optional)
Yarn needle
Plastic safety eyes; I used eyes ~15mm
Plastic safety noes; I used one 26.5mm
ABBREVIATIONS
Ch = chain
Sl st = slip stitch
SC = single crochet
SCD = single crochet decrease
HDC = half double crochet
MR = magic ring - find a great tutorial here
INSTRUCTIONS
For each round below, repeat from * until the end of the round unless otherwise noted.
You can find a printable PDF of this pattern in my Etsy shop here.
puppy Head
To start: MR, 6 SC in MR
Rd 1: *2 sc in each st around (12)
Rd 2: *2 sc in next st, SC 1 (18)
Rd 3: *2 sc in next st, SC 2 (24)
Rd 4: *2 sc in next st, SC 3 (30)
Rd 5: *2 sc in next st, SC 4 (36)
Rd 6: *2 sc in next st, SC 5 (42)
R7 - R14: SC around
R15: 15 sc, 2 hdc in next 12, 15 sc (54)
R16: sc 18, *2 SC in next, SC 2* (6 times), SC 18 (60)
R17: *2 SC in next st, SC 9 (66)
R18 - R27: SC around
Start Decrease
R28: *scd, SC 9 (60)
R29: *scd, SC 8 (54)
R30: *scd, SC 7 (48)
R31: *scd, SC 6 (42)
Add eyes and nose
At this point, I pause the decrease in order to place the eyes and nose. If you haven’t already, stuff the head so that you can see the full shape of the muzzle and face. Identify where you want to place the eyes and nose. I did this by placing the actual eyes and nose on the dog where I thought they looked good, but don’t add the backs just yet. Move the eyes and nose around until you are satisfied with their placement. On mine, the nose is placed in round 2 and the eyes at round 15 ~10 sts apart. Once you are happy with the placement, unstuff the head and add the backs to the eyes and nose securing them in place. Re-stuff the head and continue stuffing as you go throughout the remainder of the decrease.
Continue decrease
R32: *scd, SC 5 (36)
R33: *scd, SC 4 (30)
R34: *scd, SC 3 (24)
R35: *scd, SC 2 (18)
R36: *scd, SC 1 (12)
R37: *scd (6)
slip st to join to first st in round but don’t bind off; cut yarn leaving a long tail, then using a yarn needle, thread the yarn through all six stitches and pull tight to close; bind off and weave in end.
EARS
(Make two)
To start: MR, 6 SC in MR
Rd 1: *2 sc in each st around (12)
Rd 2: *2 sc in next st, SC 1 (18)
Rd 3: SC around
Rd 4: *2 SC, SC 5 (21)
Rd 5: SC around
Rd 6: *2 SC, SC 6 (24)
Rd 7-18: SC around; after last st on last round, slip stitch into first st to complete the round. Tie off, leaving long tail to sew ears onto head.
ASSEMBLE THE HEAD
Sew ears onto head: starting with one ear, pinch the top of the ear closed with 12 sts on one edge and 12 sts on the other so that the ear is flat. Hold ear onto head and identify the placement that looks right. Mine is placed with the forward most stitch at ~rd 10 of the head and the part of the ear that is closest to the back of the head is at rd 20. The two ears are about 20 sts apart. Secure the ear to the head using pins or just hold in place, then using yarn needle and long tail of yarn from ear, stitch the ear onto the head being sure that the stitches go through both layers of the top of the ear. Repeat for the second ear.
TORSO AND EXTREMITIES
ARM
Stuff the arm with polyfil as you go. Make two arms.
To start: MR, 6 SC in MR
Rd 1: *2 sc in each st around (12)
Rd 2: *2 sc in next st, SC 1 (18)
Rd 3: *2 sc in next st, SC 2 (24)
Rd 4-6: SC around
Rd 7: *SC Dec, SC 6 (21)
Rd 8-9: SC around
Rd 10: *SC Dec, SC 5 (18)
Rd 11-12: SC around
Rd 13: SC Dec, SC 16 (17)
Rd 14-15: SC around
Rd 16: SC Dec, SC 15 (16)
Rd 17-18: SC around
Rd 19: SC Dec, SC 14 (15)
Rd 20-21: SC around
Rd 22: SC Dec, SC 13 (14)
Rd 23-24: SC around
Rd 25: SC Dec, SC 12 (13)
Rd 26-27: SC around
Rd 28: SC Dec, SC 11 (12)
Rd 29-30: SC around; after last st, slip st into first st of the round to complete the round.
Tie off. Cut the yarn leaving long tail to sew arm onto the body. Leave at least 3-4 rows unstuffed or with mild stuffing as you will need to pinch the arm shut in order to attach to the body. Do not over stuff the top of the arm.
Repeat for second arm.
LEG
(make 2, stuffing the leg as you go)
To start: using brown colored yarn, MR, 6 SC in MR
Rd 1: *2 sc in each st around (12)
Rd 2: *2 sc in next st, SC 1 (18)
Rd 3: *2 sc in next st, SC 2 (24)
Rd 4: *2 sc in next st, SC 3 (30)
Rd 5: *2 sc in next st, SC 4 (36)
Rd 6: SC around
Rd 7: switch to yellow yarn, SC around
Rd 8-12: SC around
Rd 13: *scd, SC 4 (30)
Rd 14: *scd, SC* repeat from star 5 more times, then SC in each remaining st in round (24)
Rd 15-19: SC around
Rd 20: *scd, SC 6 (21)
Rd 21-23: SC around
Rd 24: *scd, SC 5 (18)
Rd 25-27: SC around
Rd 28: *scd, SC 4 (15)
Rd 29-30: SC around
Rd 31: *scd, SC 3 (12)
Rd 32: SC around; after last st, slip st into first st of the round to complete the round.
Tie off. Cut the yarn leaving long tail to sew leg onto the body. Leave at least 3-4 rows unstuffed or with mild stuffing as you will need to pinch the leg shut in order to attach to the body. Do not over stuff the top of the leg.
Repeat for second leg.
MAIN BODY
Stuff the body with poly-fil as you go.
To start: MR, 6 SC in MR
Rd 1: *2 sc in each st around (12)
Rd 2: *2 sc in next st, SC 1 (18)
Rd 3: *2 sc in next st, SC 2 (24)
Rd 4: *2 sc in next st, SC 3 (30)
Rd 5: *2 sc in next st, SC 4 (36)
Rd 6: *2 sc in next st, SC 5 (42)
Rd 7: *2 sc in next st, SC 6 (48)
Rd 8: *2 sc in next st, SC 7 (54)
Rd 9: *2 sc in next st, SC 8 (60)
Rd 10-18: SC around
Rd 19: *SC Dec, SC 8 (54)
Rd 20: SC around
Rd 21: *SC Dec, SC 7 (48)
Rd 22: SC around
Rd 23: *SC Dec, SC 6 (42)
Rd 24: SC around
Rd 25: *SC Dec, SC 12 (39)
Rd 26: SC around
Rd 27: *SC Dec, SC 11 (36)
Rd 28: SC around
Rd 29: *SC Dec, SC 10 (33)
Rd 30: SC around
Rd 31: *SC Dec, SC 9 (30)
Rd 32: SC around
Rd 33: *SC Dec, SC 8 (27)
Rd 34: SC around
Rd 35: *SC Dec, SC 7 (24)
Rd 36: SC around
Rd 37: *SC Dec, SC 6 (21)
Rd 38: SC around; after last st, slip st into first st of the round to complete the round. Tie off. Leave a long tail to attach the body to the head.
Tail
To start: using brown yarn, MR, 6 SC in MR
Rd 1: 2 SC in first st, SC 5 (7)
Rd 2: 2 SC in first st, SC 6 (8)
Rd 3: 2 SC in first st, SC 7 (9)
Rd 4-11: SC around
Rd 12: switch to yellow yarn, SC around
Rd 13-15: SC around; after last st, slip st into first st of the round to complete the round. Tie off. Leave a long tail to attach the tail to the body.
Spot
To start: using brown yarn, MR, 6 SC in MR
Rd 1: *2 sc in each st around (12)
Rd 2: *2 sc in next st, SC 1 (18)
Rd 3: *2 sc in next st, SC 2 (24); after last st, slip st into first st of the round to complete the round. Tie off. Leave a long tail to sew the spot to the body.
ASSEMBLE THE dog
Using the long tail of yarn from the body, sew the head onto the body.
If you haven’t already, pinch the top of the arm closed so there are six sts on one edge and 6 sts on the other. Using the long tail of yarn, sew the arms onto the torso. See profile picture of the dog to see the placement of the arm. The highest part of the arm is about 3 rounds below the top of the torso. There are about 10 sts between the front st of arm 1 and the front st of arm 2 when counting across the front of the chest. Be sure stitches go through both layers of the top of the arm. Repeat for the second arm.
If you haven’t already, pinch the top of the leg closed so there is six sts on one edge and 6 sts on the other. Turn the torso upside down and using the long tail of yarn, sew the leg onto the torso as pictured. At the closest point, the legs are about 6 sts apart. Be sure the stitches go through both layers of the top of the leg. Repeat for the second leg
Using the long tail of yarn from the tail, sew the tail onto the body.
Using the long tail of yarn from the spot, sew the spot onto the body.
FINISHING
(Optional) Using a piece of ribbon in your desired color, tie a bowtie around the neck of the puppy.
Enjoy!!
***You may make and sell products from my patterns but if you do I ask that you link back to my post. Please do not copy and post this pattern and claim it as your own, or attempt to sell this pattern. Please do not re-publish photos as your own.