Old English Sheepdog in Deramores Studio Baby Soft DK - Downloadable PDF

Old English Sheepdog in Deramores Studio Baby Soft DK

What is Being Made

This is a knitted toy Old English Sheepdog designed by Amanda Berry, measuring 24cm tall when sitting. The finished piece is a three-dimensional stuffed animal suitable for display or play, created using the Deramores Studio Baby Soft DK yarn collection.

Yarn and Materials

The project uses Deramores Studio Baby Soft DK yarn in two colors:

• 1 x 100g Snow (Yarn A) – the primary light color
• 1 x 100g Pebble (Yarn B) – the secondary neutral shade

Additional materials include 200g of toy filling for stuffing, two 9mm toy safety eyes, one 18mm toy safety nose, white felt fabric to back the eye and nose washers, a small semi-circle of pink felt fabric for the tongue, and fabric glue for assembly. A tapestry or yarn needle is required for finishing and seaming.

Knitting Needles and Tension

This pattern requires 3mm straight knitting needles. The recommended tension is 6 stitches x 7 rows = 2.5cm x 2.5cm measured over loop stitch using 3mm needles. Achieving correct tension is important for the toy to reach the intended finished size.

Stitches and Techniques Used

This advanced knitting project incorporates several fundamental and specialized stitches:

• Knit (K) – basic knit stitch for creating stockinette fabric
• Purl (P) – basic purl stitch for texture variation
• Knit into front and back (Kfb) – an increase technique that creates one additional stitch from a single stitch, used for shaping the toy's body and limbs
• Knit 2 together (K2tog) – a right-leaning decrease that reduces stitches, essential for shaping and tapering sections
• Purl 2 together (P2tog) – a left-leaning decrease used on purl rows for consistent shaping
• Loop stitch – a special technique that creates textured loops, particularly suited to representing the sheepdog's characteristic fluffy coat

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as Advanced, reflecting the complexity of three-dimensional toy construction, the use of specialized loop stitch techniques, and the precision required in shaping and assembly. Knitters should have solid experience with increases, decreases, and working with safety features before attempting this project.