Rowdy Crochet Toy Dog Pattern

Rowdy, the crochet dog pattern was originally published in March 1934 in Needlecraft The Home Arts Magazine.

The little people are sure to adore Rowdy. He possesses all the reliable qualities which go to make up a good playfellow; he is as lifelike as possible, in fact a certain small dog was often called from play to pose while he was being "done" in wools; his miniature is posing for you at the bottom of the page and you will find him not at all difficult to copy.

Materials required are two balls of brown brush-wool and one ball of white, two buttons for eyes and colored thread to mark mouth and toes. Either cotton batting or silk floss is ideal for stuffing and be very sure that it is packed in firmly; doubled wire may be put in legs, tail and head to keep the shape, this wire to be imbedded in the packing.

For the head: With white make a ch of 6 st, 5 d c on ch, turn, 3 d c in the 5 d c, turn, work forward all around, increasing by working 2 st in one at each side.

2. Plain, 1 d c in each st.

3. Join brown wool without breaking off white. On left side of mouth work 2 st brown, then white, 1 st, 2 in next st, 1 in center st, 2 in next, 1 st, 2 brown st, 5 white under chin.

4. Start brown at same point as before; 2 in 1st brown st, 1 in next, 1 brown in 1st white st, 5 white, brown on other side to correspond; on last brown st turn, work back, bringing brown to 1 st further on nose, 3 white, then brown, turn at last st of brown and work forward, skip turning st, work 2 in next st, 3 white in center, 2 brown, 2 in next st, 1 brown, turn, work back; 1 brown, 2 in next st, 3 white in center, brown to correspond; turn, work forward; 1 in 1st brown st, 2 in next, 1 in 3d, 2 in 4th, 5 white in center, brown on other side to correspond; work down side of brown patch, white under chin.

5. Work all around, using brown and white at same points as last row, and working 3 extra st into the brown each side, on forehead.

6. Plain, but narrow white to 3 st at top.

7. Plain, but narrow white to 1 st at top and widen 1 st each side under chin.

8. At 5th from last st of brown on right side of head turn and work back to same point on left side, putting in white st at center; turn, work forward to same point on other side, omitting white st. Work white under chin.

9. Work to 6th st from end of brown, turn, work back to 6th brown st on other side, turn, work forward, decreasing 1 st at center front, turn at same point and work back to other turning point, turn, work forward, decreasing 3 st at intervals across the top, work down side, decreasing 1 st, widen white 1 st each side under chin, decrease 1 st at left side on brown to correspond with right side.

10. At 7th from last brown st, turn, work back, skipping 1st st after turning; at corresponding st on left side, turn, work forward, skipping 1 st, decrease 2 across top and 1 each side.

11. Widen white 2 st each side under chin.

12. Decrease 1 st each side of head.

13. Widen white 2 st each side.

14. Widen white under chin and work center st in back of neck white. Continue widening the white at center and under chin in next few rows to make a white ruff around neck.

15. Work plain.

16. On white under chin mark off the 9 center st. At far side of 9 st turn, ch 1, work back 9 st, ch 1, work forward 9 st. Work 6 rows in all of 9 st, then omit the ch st, which will decrease the st by 1, and continue working back and forth until 4 st remain. Finish off.

At 6th row down tab, join white wool, work up across back to 6th row other side on tab, ch 1, turn back. Work back and forth, chaining 1 at each turn to keep work even, for 8 rows. On 3d row down introduce 4 or 5 brown st and widen brown gradually to terminate ruff. The 8th row should be all brown. Ch 4 and join to tab, forming holes on which foreleg is worked.

For the ears: Make a ch of 8 st. Work 7 d c into ch, turn; ch 1, work 4 d c, turn, work back 3, ch 1, work forward 9 st, which brings you to other side of 7 d c on 1st row; ch 1, turn; work 4 more rows of 9 st. Next row omit the ch at turning and work 8 st, continue till 2 st remain, finish off. Brush both before and after sewing to head. Ears should slant slightly outward from top of head.

For the foreleg: Using white wool on white and brown on brown, 14 st round, work 2 rows plain. Gradually increase white and finish off brown as work progresses, introducing brown again on paws.

3. Increase 1 st at center back.

4. Increase 2 st at center back.

5. Plain.

6. Decrease at center back by skipping 2 consecutive st.

7-10. Plain.

11, 12. Decrease 1 on inside of leg in 11th row, and 1 outside in 12th.

13-15. Plain.

16. Work 3 st in 1 at center back.

17. Decrease by skipping 2 consecutive st center back.

18. Increase 4 st at front 1 st apart.

19. Work 5 st past center front, turn, work back 8 st, turn, work around.

20. Work 2 st, decrease 1, all the way round. Then decrease and finish off. Join other side with 4 ch and work other foreleg. Head and forelegs should be well stuffed before proceeding far with the body.

For the body: Join brown wool at left foreleg, work round, about 45 stitches, using white for underbody. Vary white to show on side, and a white patch on back may be introduced. The first 12 rows are plain.

13-15. Decrease 1 st at center underbody.

16-20. Work plain.

21. Work to 4 st past center underbody, turn, work back 8 st, turn, work forward 7 st, continue till 1 st remains, finish off.

On st across back work back and forward chaining 1 at turning to keep edges even; 6 rows plain; 7th and 9th, decrease 1 st at center back, 10th and 12th, decrease 1 at center back and 1 each side; 11th, decrease 1 st center back. 13th, decrease 3 st. 14th, decrease 2 consecutive st center back. 15th, work up to center back, join down to edges with sly st. Chain 2 and join to white tab, forming holes on which hindlegs are worked. Stuff.

For the hindlegs: Make 30 st round, and work 2 rows plain.

3-7. Decrease 1 st at front and 1 at back.

8. Decrease 2 at front and 2 at back.

9. Plain.

10. Work 3 st in 1 at center back.

11. Skip 3 consecutive st at center back and increase 1 at front.

12-18. Decrease 1 at back and increase 1 at front.

19. Increase 3 st at front, 1 st apart.

20. Work to 4 st past center front, turn, work back 7, turn, work forward, decreasing 1 at center back.

21. Decrease every 3d st. Decrease and finish off.

For the tail: Make a ch of 11 st and join. Work 11 d c in ch; make 2 rows plain.

3-5. Increase by working 3 st in 1 at front and decrease 1 at back. Be sure to keep increases one under the other.

6-12. Three st in 1 at front and decrease 2 at back. Join white.

13-15. Decrease 1 at center back, and continue 3 st in 1 at front.

16, 17. Decrease by skipping 2 st at center back and 1 each side, but still work the 3 in 1 at front.

18. Finish off. Sew to position.

Use brown pearl shoe buttons for eyes. Mark nose, mouth and a little red tongue. Mark toes with strong black cotton. Brush well with wire brush.

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