Knitted Dog Sweater Workshop

We teach this lesson plan at our recurring Intermediate & Advanced Knitting Class. Sign up for your first session here to get started on this project!

This is definitely one of our cutest workshops because it involves making adorable striped sweaters for all your adorable pet dogs! This six week workshop teaches you tons of new knitting techniques & you'll end the workshop with a cozy & colorful sweater for your dog made custom for them. Plus the last week of the workshop will be part dog fashion show!

All yarn & notions are included in the price of the workshop, make sure to measure your dog to select the right size when signing up (see chart below). The yarn provided will be Cobasi DK or Plymouth DK Merino Superwash: both inexpensive, machine-washable, and durable yarns, perfect for pet projects that get a lot of wear!

There will be knitting homework between each workshop session! Be prepared to work on your sweater at home between sessions. Some weeks will have more homework than others, and the larger your dog's sweater the more time you will need to dedicate between sessions.

Your dogs are of course welcome with you at the shop during the workshop as long as they are friendly with other dogs and won't disrupt the class :)

PATTERN
Stephen West's Striped Pup Sweater
available for purchase in the shop or online

SKILL LEVEL
*Advanced Beginner/Intermediate
You can read about how we determine skill levels here.

*This project includes several intermediate/advanced skills but are spread out so you would not learn them all at once. If you are an advanced beginner you may need to spend extra time on your project at home, or come in for help at Open Studio between sessions.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
At the very minimum, you must be very comfortable with casting on, the knit stitch, adding a new ball of yarn, binding off, and weaving in ends (see notes above about skill levels). Knowing how to purl, work in the round, work in a rib, increase, decrease, or bind off in pattern are all helpful techniques to know but not required.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN 
How to read a pattern, working in the round, the purl stitch, working in a rib, make one increases, changing colors, binding off in the middle of a row, the cable cast on, decreasing, german short rows, binding off in pattern, picking up stitches, and working in the round on small circumferences.

REQUIRED TOOLS - available for purchase at the shop
US 7 or 8 / 4.5–5 mm circular needles close to or a bit shorter than your dog's chest measurement (16" should be fine for size 1). We used 24" needles for a 26" chest circumference. You will also need a darning needle for weaving in ends when your project is finished. Needles are available for purchase at the shop if you don't already have the required sizes. 

MATERIALS INCLUDED
All yarn for the sweater is included in the workshop price, as well as a a few stitch markers and a stitch holder tin kit which we will use to put the sleeve stitches on hold and to try your sweater on your dog halfway through!

Before signing up measure your dog (or take a guess) and use the chart below to select a size to reserve the correct number of skeins you'll need for your dog's sweater. Everyone will be selecting colors on the first day of the workshop.

Measure your dog at the largest point around their chest. The pattern recommends selecting a size 1–2" larger than your dog's actual chest measurement. The pattern is also adjustable in both circumference and length!

Our model Abner measures 24" around his chest so we made him size 5.