This Santa Claus dog coat pattern is really easy knit and comes with an added belt.
Your dog will be warm and snuggly in his (or her) new coat and ready for the holiday celebrations.
Knit something your dog will wear during the Christmas period and for those family photos!
An Easy Level Knitting Pattern
This is an easy pattern for those of you who are advanced beginner level, and the techniques you will need to know are knit, purl, and working with two yarns.
Using mainly knit and purl stitches, it will also introduce you to decreasing and shaping.
The dog coat has a different coloured border, which requires a little intarsia technique to do.
You can see how to do this in the video tutorial in this post.
*Please scroll down to see the free pattern*
The Dog Christmas Sweater Sizes
This dog coat is available to knit in three sizes, small, medium and large.
Measurements in inches about – Width – (16, 21, 26) / Length excluding collar – (13, 17, 21).
My dog Jason is wearing the large in the photographs, as the medium was too small for him and the large is just slightly big on his frame.
He is a medium/large sized dog and weighs in at 23 kilos, so the large size was the right choice for him.
The Yarn I Used
- The Santa sweater has been knit on 9mm (US 13) needles with super bulky yarn 06.
- The recommended yarn for this pattern is Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick, or Hometown USA.
- Any super bulky yarn that can be used with the recommended needle size is fine to use.
- Not a full skein is needed for the belt or the belt buckle.
- The main body of the coat is knit with two colours, white and red.
- The white yarn is knit in garter stitch and forms a border around the coat.
The Collar and Belt Fastenings
- The dog sweater is then fastened at the collar with two buttons.
- But if you did not want to use buttons, press studs are a good alternative.
- This is the same for the belt fastening, I used two black buttons, but again press studs can be used.
- If there is a chance your dog might try to chew off the buttons (*ahem* Jason!) press studs may be a safer option!
- The belt is knit in one long piece, using garter stitch only.
- The belt buckle is knit in five pieces, four sides of the rectangle and then a middle length.
- There are photographs in the pattern, that will help you to create and assemble the belt buckle.
Resources and tutorials you may find helpful in following this pattern:
This pattern is great for any advanced beginner knitters.
- You should be comfortable casting on and casting off, as well as knitting in garter stitch.
- You should be comfortable working the purl stitch.
- You should also be comfortable reading knitting patterns.
- And understanding knitting abbreviations and terms.
More Dog Sweaters
If you want to see more dog jumpers, please take a look at these posts,
- Christmas Puppy Sweater
- Easy Dog Sweater
- Striped Dog Sweater
- Fall Dog Sweater Patterns
- Dog Sweater Knitting Pattern Straight Needles
- Free Christmas Knitting Patterns
Santa Claus Dog Coat Pattern
Grab the inexpensive ad-free, PDF printable pattern including all-important photos in my shop here.
Skill Level – Easy
Notes
- Please do not copy, sell, redistribute or republish this pattern.
- If you wish to share this pattern, link to the pattern page only.
- You may sell items produced using this pattern.
- Do NOT use the copyrighted photos for your product listing.
- For the copyright T&C’s please read my Terms of Use.
Please note – when you knit the main body of the dog coat with two colors – you need to work it like this –
Row 1 – K4 in Yarn A, join in Yarn B – when you knit with Yarn B – pull the yarn under Yarn A and start knitting – and M1, cont to knit with Yarn B to the last 4 sts, M1, then join in Yarn A – put Yarn A underneath Yarn B and K4 sts.
*Please note – it is easier to have 2 skeins/balls of Yarn A at each end of the border if you want to have this in a contrasting color.
Video Tutorial
If you need help please watch the video tutorial on my YouTube channel here.
Gauge – 12 sts and 16 rows to 4×4 inches measured in stocking stitch.
Size – Small, medium, and large.
The first set of figures shown applies to the small size, then the medium, and finally the large.
Measurements in inches about – Width – (16, 21, 26) / Length excluding collar – (13, 17, 21)
The Supplies You Need
Yarn
- 2 x Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick in Red – Cranberry 138
- 1 x Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick in White – Fisherman 99
- 1 x Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick in Black – Black 153
- 1 x Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick in Mustard – Mustard 158
- (Not a full skein is needed for the black and the gold, as the black makes the belt and the gold makes the belt buckle. )
- Yarn weight – Super Bulky/Super Chunky/14 Ply / Yarn weight guide
Needles
Notions
Other Materials
- 4 x buttons – I used black buttons that measure 1 inch in diameter.
Abbreviations / Knitting Abbreviations List
- Beg – beginning
- K – knit
- K2tog – knit two stitches together
- M1 – ,ake one stitch
- P – purl
- Rem – remaining
- Rep – repeat
- RS – right side
- St(s) – stitch (es)
-
WS – wrong side
- YO – Yarn over
Pattern Instructions
Yarn A – White, Yarn B – Red, Yarn C – Black, Yarn D – Mustard
- Cast on (26, 40, 54) sts in Yarn A and work 7 rows in garter stitch.
- Work in pattern for the body as follows;
- Row 1 – K4 in Yarn A, join in Yarn B and M1, cont to knit with Yarn B to the last 4 sts, M1, then join in Yarn A and K4 sts.
- *Please note – it is easier to have 2 skeins/balls of Yarn A at each end of the border if you want to have this in a contrasting color.
- Row 2 – K4 sts in Yarn A, Purl in yarn B to the last 4 sts, Knit 4 in yarn A.
- Rep the 2 rows above (3, 5, 7) times more.
- (Because you are repeating both rows this will equal double the amount of rows worked – for example – 3 (6), 5 (10), 7 (14).
- Then work (14, 22, 30) rows straight on these (34, 52, 70) sts.
- 1st shaping row – K4 in Yarn A, K2tog in Yarn B, K to last 4 sts, K2tog, in Yarn A K4 sts.
-
Work (5, 3, 3) rows straight.
- Rep last (6, 4, 4) rows (once, twice, once) more.
- Next row – as 1st shaping row.
- Work 3 rows straight.
- Next row – as 1st shaping row.
- Work 1 row straight.
- Rep last 2 rows (2, 5, 10) times more.
- (Because you are repeating both rows this will equal double the amount of rows worked – for example – 2 (4), 5 (10), 10 (20).
- Then proceed for the collar on these (22, 32, 42) sts.
- Next 2 rows – In Yarn A cast on (8, 10, 12) sts, K to end.
- Work 2 rows in garter stitch on these (38, 52, 66) sts.
- Next row – K to last 10 sts, YO, K4, YO, K4
- K 2 rows.
- Cast off loosely.
The Belt
- With Yarn C – Cast on (5, 7, 9) sts.
- Work in garter stitch until the belt is long enough to fit around the dog’s body, plus 1 inch for an overwrap.
- If you want to have buttonholes (I have 2) knit until the belt wraps around the body, then
-
Small – K2, YO, K3, Medium – K3, YO, K4, Large – K4, YO, K5
- K 6 rows
- Small – K2, YO, K3, Medium – K3, YO, K4, Large – K4, YO, K5
- K 6 rows
- Cast off.
- If you do not want to use buttons, you can instead stitch press studs onto the belt.
The Belt Buckle
- The belt buckle is knit in 5 pieces and then seamed together.
- Make 4 pieces – In Yarn D, cast on 4 sts, Knit in garter stitch for 15 rows, cast off.
-
For the middle section – cast on 2 sts, knit in garter stitch 15 rows, cast off.
- Seam the 4 sections together and then stitch the middle section to the top and bottom of the rectangle.
- You can then feed the black belt through the buckle.
Making up
Stitch two buttons onto the collar, so that the collar can fasten.
If you do not wish to use buttons or knit the buttonholes, press studs are an alternative.
Press the coat lightly on the wrong side with a warm iron over a damp cloth avoiding the garter stitch borders.
Sew the belt to the center back of the coat and fasten with two buttons or press studs.
I love seeing your finished projects!
If you enjoyed making the dog sweater, I’d love to see yours on Instagram, be sure to tag me @handylittleme.
If you are on Facebook, stop over to the handylittleme Facebook page and share a photo! I’d love to see your work!
Happy Knitting! xoxo
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