Sausage Dog Draught Excluder in Deramores Studio - Downloadable PDF

Sausage Dog Draught Excluder by Amanda Berry

What is Being Made

This is a knitted draught excluder designed in the shape of a sausage dog, created by designer Amanda Berry. The finished piece measures approximately 89cm long, making it an ideal homeware accessory for blocking drafts along doors or windows. The draught excluder combines playful design with practical functionality, featuring a stuffed body that requires toy filling for structure and weight.

Craft and Techniques

This project is a knitting design suitable for beginner knitters, despite the intermediate needle size required. The pattern uses flat knitting throughout, meaning all pieces are knitted back and forth on a pair of straight needles rather than in the round. This approach simplifies construction and makes the project more accessible to those new to knitting.

The draught excluder is a stuffed toy project, requiring assembly of multiple knitted pieces that are subsequently filled with toy filling to create a three-dimensional form. Finishing techniques include attaching safety eyes to complete the dog's facial features.

Stitches and Tension

The pattern works to a tension of approximately 22 stitches by 28 rows over a 10cm x 10cm square when worked in DK yarn. This tension measurement is essential for achieving the correct finished dimensions and ensuring the draught excluder reaches its intended length of approximately 89cm.

Materials and Yarn

This project uses DK weight yarn from Deramores Studio in eight coordinating colors:

• Yarn A: Green Tea (1 x 100g)
• Yarn B: Paprika (1 x 100g)
• Yarn C: Gingerbread (1 x 100g)
• Yarn D: Blue Haze (1 x 100g)
• Yarn E: Storm Cloud (1 x 100g)
• Yarn F: Merlot (1 x 100g)
• Yarn G: Shiraz (1 x 100g)
• Yarn H: Butterscotch (1 x 100g)

The dog itself uses up to 70g of Yarn C (Gingerbread), 30g of Yarn A (Green Tea), and up to 20g each of Yarn H, Yarn B, Yarn D, Yarn E, Yarn F, and Yarn G for color variation and detail.

Equipment Required

Knitters will need 3.75mm straight knitting needles (US size 5) to work this pattern. Additional equipment includes a darning or tapestry needle for weaving in ends and assembling the pieces, 1 x 250g bag of toy filling for stuffing the draught excluder to create its three-dimensional form, and 2 x 9mm safety eyes for the dog's face.