Pattern: Puppy in My Hand

My 3-year-old son woke up one morning and said that he dreamed he had a little white dog in the palm of his hand. Despite the fact I haven't crocheted anything new in months, I was determined to make his dream come true. This is an English translation of Waldi by Conni Hartig, with some added notes that made things easier for me. Enjoy!

Materials:

• 10 crochet thread (I used worsted yarn)
• 1.5 mm hook (I used a 4 mm size G hook)
• Polyester filling
• Back and red embroidery floss for face (I used 6 mm plastic safety eyes and a 9 mm nose)
• Tapestry needle

Abbreviations:

• ch = chain
• dec = sc decrease 
• hdc = half double crochet
• inc = sc increase 
• rnd = round
• sc = single crochet
• sl st = slip stitch
• st = stitch

Instructions:

• For the legs and the head/body, the pattern is worked continuously in a spiral; do not join.
• For the tail and ears, work flat and turn the work at the end of each row.

Legs

• Magic ring, ch 1
• Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring (6)
• Rnd 2: 1 sc in each stitch around (6)
• Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing

Tail

• Ch 5
• Row 1: Skip first st and sl st till the end (4)
• Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing

Ears (make 2)

• Ch 5
• Row 1: skip first ch, 2 sc, 2 hdc (4)
• Row 2: ch 1, 2 hdc, 2 sc (4)
• Row 3: ch 1, 2 sc, 2 hdc (4)*
• Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing

*I actually changed this to “Row 3: sl st, sc, 2 hdc (4)” for a more triangle-shaped ear.

Head/Body

• Magic ring, ch 1
• Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring (6)
• Rnd 2: inc in each st around (12)
• Rnd 3: sc in each st around (12)
• Rnd 4: *1 sc, 1 inc* around (18)
• Rnd 5: sc in each st around (18)
• Rnd 6: *2 sc, 1 inc* around (24)
• Rnd 7-8: sc in each st around (24)
• Rnd 9: *2 sc, 1 dec* around (18)
• Sew on 2 ears and embroider the face (or use plastic eyes/nose)
• Lightly stuff head with filling and then continue crocheting head/body
• Rnd 10: *1 sc, 1 dec* around (12)
• Rnd 11: dec around (6)
• Rnd 12: inc in each st around (12)
• Rnd 13-17: sc in each st around (12) for 5 rounds
• Lightly stuff body with filling
• Rnd 18: dec around (6)
• Fasten off and hide the yarn end inside the body
• Attach the legs and tail

Leash (optional)

• Create a foundation chain for as long as you want the leash to be
• Skip first st and sl st all the way to the end
• Sew the leash around the dog’s neck