Puppy Sweater Knitting Pattern (XS Puppy)
THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS THAT SUPPORT HANDY LITTLE ME CONTENT AND FREE PATTERNS.This puppy sweater knitting pattern is easy and can be made in around 2-3 hours.
Perfect for an XS puppy, this sweater will keep them warm on the coldest of days.
This sweater is knit flat on straight needles.
Scroll down for the free pattern, or grab your printer-friendly ad-free PDF here.
Meet Our Puppy – Jason’s Story
Our neighbor Ellie found Jason as she was driving home one day.
He was sitting by the side of the road in a rural area on his own.
She stopped and picked him up and, when she got home, asked us if we could take him; if we had not, he would have ended up as a shelter animal, probably.
He was really little and not very well, but after a few vet visits and lots of care, he was soon better and showing lots of improvement.
Weekly news, free patterns, tutorials, and more.
Small Dog Sweaters – Perfect for Tiny Pups!
Jason was a tiny puppy (weighing 1 kilo) and had been feeling the cold a little, so he needed an extra small sweater, perfect for fall/winter.
This puppy sweater would be perfect for any small dogs and small breed puppies.
It could also be adapted for larger puppies or large dogs by adjusting the number of stitches you cast on.
*Please scroll down to see the free pattern*
An Easy-Level Free Knit Pattern
This is a good pattern for beginner-level knitters, and the techniques you will need to know are casting on, casting off, knit, and purl stitches.
The small dog sweater is shaped through simple increases and decreases.
It is made in two pieces, the back, and the front, and then seamed together, leaving holes for the front legs.
For you advanced beginners and intermediate knitters, you will find this pattern easy enough.
The Yarn I Used
I used the Lion Brand Hometown USA yarn left in my stash, so you don’t need a full skein for this pattern.
You can use any super bulky yarn weight 06 to substitute this yarn.
50g of yarn will be acceptable for this sweater, but if you make it for a larger size, you will need more.
Yarn Substitutes
You can substitute this yarn with any yarn that is super bulky weight.
You can find a full list of yarn substitutes here.
Here are some examples:
- Lion Brand – Wool-Ease Thick and Quick.
- Novita – Folk
- Stylecraft – Swift Knit
- Grundl – Alaska
- Big Twist Yarns – Natural Blend
- Buttercream – Luxe Craft Alpaca Solid
- Mary Maxim – Starlette Chunky
- Yarn Bee – Effortless Super Bulky
- Lion Brand – Hometown USA
- Patons (Australia) – Super Quick
- Bergere De France – Recyclaine
- Bernat yarn
Resources and tutorials you may find helpful in following this pattern:
This puppy sweater pattern is excellent for any beginner knitters and a great way to learn some new techniques.
- Knitting cast-on methods
- Knitting Lessons
- How to cast on knitting
- How to cast off knitting for total beginners (step by step)
- How to knit garter stitch
- How to knit the purl stitch (for beginners + a video tutorial)
- How to knit stockinette stitch (for beginners)
- How to read knitting patterns for beginners
- Knitting abbreviations and terms (US and UK)
- How to knit rib stitch patterns (1×1 and 2×2 ribbing)
Puppy Sweater Knitting Pattern
Grab your inexpensive, ad-free, PDF printable pattern in my shop here.
Grab 12 dog sweater patterns in my discounted bundle here!
Skill Level – Basic (for a beginner)
Notes
This is a basic pattern for beginners to make a cute dog sweater for the colder months.
I cast on 14 stitches as I wanted to be able to fit it over his head easily; you can add more if your puppy is bigger and follow the pattern in the same way.
Just measure the neck circumference of the puppy and measure the length of his back and chest – to see if you need to adjust the number of stitches you cast on and the length of the chest/back pieces.
This micro puppy sweater knits up quickly in super bulky yarn, and the simple design makes for a relaxing and enjoyable knit.
Copyright Info
- Please do not copy, sell, redistribute, or republish this pattern.
- Only link to the pattern page if you wish to share this pattern.
- You may sell items produced using this pattern.
- Do NOT use the copyrighted photos for your product listing.
- For the copyright T&C, please read my Terms of Use.
- You may use this pattern to make and donate dog sweaters to local animal shelters.
Gauge = 10 sts and 15 rows in 4 inches/10 cm (Learn more about creating a gauge swatch here – How To Measure Gauge In Knitting).
Size / Measurements
- XS puppy / small puppy
- The back piece measures – length 9′′ / width 6′′
- Chest piece measures – length 7.5′′ / (chest circumference is around 14-16 inches) width 6′′ laying flat.
- Leg holes in the sweater measure 3 inches long and 2 inches wide.
- Check your dog’s measurements first and see if you need to adjust the pattern slightly for the width or length.
Grab The Ad-Free Printable PDF Pattern Here
The Supplies You Need
Yarn
- 1 x skein of 50g or 100g super bulky/super chunky/14 ply yarn.
- A good yarn to use is Lion Brand Hometown USA.
- For more yarn substitutes, please see the info in this post.
- Yarn Weight Guide (+ Conversion Chart)
Needles
Notions
- Tape measure
- Darning needle
- Scissors
Abbreviations / Knitting Abbreviations And Terms (US And UK) List
- Approx = Approximately
- Beg = Beginning
- CO = Cast on
- Cont = Continue(ing)
- K = Knit
- K2tog = Knit the next 2 stitches together
- P = Purl
- Rem = Remaining
- Rep = Repeat
- 1 x 1 Ribbing = 1 knit st, 1 purl st
- 2 x 2 Ribbing = 2 knit stitches, 2 purl stitches
- SKPO = Pass slipped stitch over
- St(s) = Stitch(es)
Pattern Instructions
Back of the sweater >
- Cast on 14 sts.
- Knit in rib x 2 = (2 x Knit, 2 x Purl) until the piece measures 2 inches from the CO edge.
- Next – work in stocking stitch (one-row knit, one-row purl) until the piece measures 7 inches from the CO edge.
- Then work 2 rows in 2 x 2 ribbing (K2, P2).
- Cast off in rib.
- The back piece measures – length 9′′ / width 6′′
Chest panel >
- Cast on 14 sts.
- Knit 3 rows in 2×2 rib (K2, P2).
- Next – Knit in stocking stitch (K 1 row / P 1 row) until the piece measures 2 inches from the CO edge.
- Next row – SKPO – knit to last 2 stitches – K2tog.
- Purl 1 row.
- Next row – SKPO – knit to last 2 stitches – K2tog.
- Purl 1 row.
- Next row – SKPO – knit to last 2 stitches – K2tog.
- Purl 1 row.
- Cast on 2 – Knit to the end of the row.
- Cast on 2 – Purl to the end of the row.
- Cast on 1 – Knit to the end of the row.
- Cast on 1 – Purl to the end of the row.
- Knit in 2 x 2 ribbing (K2, P2) until the piece measures 2 inches.
- Cast off in rib.
- Chest piece measures – length 7.5′′ / width 6′′
Making Up >
- Place the pieces together with the right sides facing.
- Stitch the side seam 3 inches from the neck (this is the collar) to the top of the first leg hole.
- Leave a gap of 3 inches for the leg openings.
- Then stitch the rem 1.5 inches.
- Rep on the other side.
- Sew in any loose ends.
- Turn the right side out and try it on your puppy.
More Free Dog Sweaters
There are more free dog sweater patterns you can make for your furry friends, including festive dog sweaters and even something for Halloween.
Our four-legged friends need something warm to wear on cold days, so why not make something for them yourself?
If you want to see more dog jumpers with different sizes and to see how Jason has grown, please take a look at these posts…
- Cable Knit Dog Sweater Pattern
- Dog Santa Outfit Costume DIY (Free Knitting Pattern)
- Large Dog Sweater Knitting Pattern
- Dog Sweater Knitting Pattern
- Dog Sweater Knitting Pattern | Mischief Managed
- Christmas Puppy Sweater Knitting Pattern
- Dog Sweater Knitting Pattern Straight Needles
- Knitted Dog Sweater Pattern (3 Sizes)
Share your work with us…
I love seeing your finished projects on social media.
If you enjoyed making the puppy sweater, I’d love to see yours on Instagram, be sure to tag me @handylittleme or #handylittleme.
You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, Ravelry, and Etsy.
I’d love to see your work.
Happy Knitting!
