Dotty the Fawn Toy in Caron Simply Soft and Bernat Pipsqueak - Downloadable PDF

Dotty the Fawn Knitted Toy Pattern – Free Downloadable PDF

Dotty the Fawn is a charming knitted stuffed animal toy standing approximately 21 inches (53.5 cm) tall when complete. This intermediate-level knitting pattern is available as a free downloadable PDF and produces a soft, huggable fawn figure with a fluffy texture, making it an ideal handmade gift for children or a rewarding project for knitters looking to build their toy-making skills.

Yarns and Materials Used

The pattern calls for two distinct yarn types that work together to create contrast in texture and appearance:

• Caron Simply Soft (Aran weight, 6 oz/170.1 g, 315 yds/288 m per ball) – used for the main body structure. The following colorways are required:
  • Bone (9703) – Contrast A, 1 ball
  • Off White (9702) – Contrast B, 1 ball
  • Taupe (9783) – Contrast C, 1 ball
  • Black (9727) – Contrast D, 1 ball
  • Fuchsia (9764) – Contrast E, 1 ball
• Bernat Pipsqueak (Chunky weight, 3.5 oz/100 g, 101 yds/92 m per ball) – used for fluffy, textured sections of the fawn:
  • Whitey White (59005) – Contrast F, 1 ball

Additional materials required include polyester fiberfill for stuffing, 2 stitch markers, a set of four US size 6 (4 mm) double-pointed knitting needles for working with Caron Simply Soft, and US size 9 (5.5 mm) knitting needles for working with Bernat Pipsqueak.

Gauge

• Caron Simply Soft with smaller needles: 20 stitches and 26 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette stitch
• Bernat Pipsqueak with larger needles: 11 stitches and 16 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette stitch

Achieving the correct gauge is important for ensuring the finished fawn reaches the intended 21-inch height and that the proportions of the body parts are well-balanced.

Construction and Techniques

Dotty the Fawn is knitted in the round using double-pointed needles (DPNs), a technique commonly used for small-circumference knitting such as toy parts, socks, and sleeves. The pattern is worked in separate pieces — including the body and head — which are later stuffed with polyester fiberfill and assembled.

Both the body and head begin with a cast-on of just 4 stitches, which are then divided across three double-pointed needles and joined to work seamlessly in the round. This bottom-up, circular construction is a hallmark of knitted toy making and creates smooth, seam-free surfaces ideal for stuffed figures.

Shaping the Body

The body is shaped through a series of increase rounds using the Kfb (knit front and back) technique — one of the most common increase methods in knitting, which adds a stitch by knitting into both the front and back loops of the same stitch. Increases are worked at regular intervals to expand the stitch count from 8 stitches up to 80 stitches, building the rounded, full shape of the fawn's torso.

Once the body reaches a height of 5 inches (12.5 cm) from the marked round, decrease rounds are introduced using the K2tog (knit two together) technique — a right-leaning decrease that reduces the stitch count smoothly. Decreases are worked every