Free Dog Sweater Knitting Pattern. Luna’s Jacket.

This free dog sweater knitting pattern is for a dog jumper, to fit dogs from 20 to 60 cm in length, measured from collar to base of tail. It is a beginner friendly pattern which is easy to knit. Designed for dogs with stiff legs who can’t easily pop their legs into a typical dog sweater, this jacket fastens under the tummy.

My sister Gretchen asked me to design this dog jumper knitting pattern, for her spaniel Luna. Poor Luna is getting on in years and has been showing signs of feeling the cold recently. But she also has quite bad elbows. Gretchen had bought Luna a couple of dog jumpers, but they was causing Luna pain to lift her legs to put them in the leg holes.

I offered to knit a sweater without leg holes for Luna. But Gretchen has just started knitting. She learned as a child, but hasn’t done any since. All she wanted were straightforward patterns. Ones to try and knit one herself. So she asked me to write the pattern. In particular, she wanted a pattern for chunky yarn. Not for wool! As she wanted a practical and washable item, and has only used acrylic. As I never use acrylic, we compromised on cotton. The pattern could be worked in any yarn of the right thickness that gives the right tension.

Sizes

This pattern comes in 5 sizes for 6 lengths of dog, and is adjustable to any width, so it should work both for dogs who are long and narrow, as well as those who are short and round. Select size by length.

The garter stitch used is very stretchy which also helps make a sweater that will fit dogs of all sizes and shapes.

For those with some experience, the pattern can be easily adjusted to make to measure. You can start with any stitch count which is an even number. For those with less experience, I do recommend following one of the stitch counts given. Go down a size if in doubt, the finished item is quite stretchy and will stretch to fit.

Dog Jacket Sizes

This pattern comes in 5 sizes for 6 lengths of dog, and is adjustable to any width, so it should work both for dogs who are long and narrow, as well as those who are short and round. Select size by length.

The garter stitch used is very stretchy which also helps make a sweater that will fit dogs of all sizes and shapes.

For those with some experience, the pattern can be easily adjusted to make to measure. You can start with any stitch count which is an even number. For those with less experience, I do recommend following one of the stitch counts given. Go down a size if in doubt, the finished item is quite stretchy and will stretch to fit.

Length: 20 (30, 40) [50, 60] cm / 8 (11 ¾, 15 ¾) [19 ¾, 23 ½] inches

Width: 40, (50, 60) [70, 80] cm / 15 ¾ (19 ¾, 23 ½) [27 ½, 31 ½]

Yarn and materials:

Yarn required: any chunky weight yarn. Samples were made using 1 ball Rosarios4 70’s 500g/320m 100% cotton chunky. 1 400g ball sufficient for all sizes. 192 meters used for size M

Needle size: 8 mm needles, or as required to match gauge.

Notions:

1 dog collar, to fit your dog

2 (2, 3) [3, 3] 2.5cm/1 in strips of hook and loop tape

Sewing needle and thread for attaching hook and loop fastenings.

Darning needle for weaving in ends and seaming collar.

Construction:

The dogs sweater is knitted in rows, back and forth. It is worked sideways, starting with the flap under the tummy, increasing for the back, and decreasing for the second side.

Tension/gauge:

Stitch gauge: 10 stitches of garter stitch = 10cm / 4 inches.
18 rows garter stitch = 10cm / 4 inches.

Accessibility:

This free pattern is written to be as accessible as possible.
You can find out more about the accessibility features of my knitting patterns.

Stitches used:

K (knit). The dog sweater is knitted in garter stitch, working rows of knit stitches back and forth.

Kfb (knit front and back). This is a simple increase stitch. Knit into the front leg of the stitch as normal, but don’t drop it from the needle, knit into the back leg of the same stitch, then drop from the needle. You have created 2 stitches from 1. You can substitute a preferred increase if you are already confident with a different method.

K2tog (knit 2 together). Insert needle into next 2 stitches, and knit both together as if they were 1 stitch.

Cable cast on:

A cable cast on is the cast on technique I used throughout this project.

When instructed to cast on to begin the project, you can use your preferred method, and substitute a cable cast on with a crochet cast on, a long tail cast on, or any other cast on you are familiar with.

When increasing stitches at the end of a row to create the neck band, you will need to use a method for casting on extra stitches at the end of a row. A cable cast on is the one I recommend here. However, if you are more familiar with a crochet cast on or a backwards loop cast on, you can use one of those techniques.

To work a cable cast on to commence the project:

Step 1: create a slip knot and put it on needle. Step 2: Insert needle in this first stitch, yarn over and pull through as for a normal knit stitch. Do not drop the stitch from the first needle. Instead, pull up the loop from the second needle, and put it on the first needle. Needle one now has 2 stitches. Step 3: insert needle 2 between the last 2 stitches on needle 1. Yarn over and pull through as for a knit stitch. Pull this stitch up and place on needle one. Repeat Step 3 until you have the required number of stitches

To work a cable cast on at the end of a row to increase number of stitches:

Knit to end of row. Turn, as if to knit back in the other direction. Insert needle between first 2 stitches. Yarn over and pull through as for a knit stitch. Pull this stitch up and place on needle one. You now have one extra stitch on the needle.
Repeat until you have the required number of extra stitches cast on.
On the next row, knit as normal, across the cast on stitches and remaining stitches.

Luna’s dog sweater knitting pattern starts

First flap

Cast on 10 (14, 20, 24, 30) stitches, using a cable cast on, or your preferred method.

Knit straight for tummy flap for 6 (8, 10) (10, 10) rows total, as follows:

Row 1: knit.
Repeat Row 1 another 5 (7, 9) (9, 9) times.

Increase section

You will now increase on the 3rd stitch of every row until you reach 20 (30, 40) (50, 60) Stitches. (Made to measure option. Increase for any number for a good fit for your dog. Calculate by the tape measure, not by holding the work up to the dog, as your stitches may bunch up on the needle, or spread out. Measure in metric, 1 stitch = 1cm. Work until you have any even number of stitches, keeping a careful record of how many increase rows you worked, so you can match this on the other side.

Row 1: k2, kfb, k to end. Stitch count: 11 (16, 21, 26, 31) sts

Repeat row 1, increasing 1 stitch at the start of every row, until you have 20 (30, 40, 50, 60) Stitches in total.

Back

The back section starts with casting on extra stitches on the first row to create the collar flap. It then works simple straight rows of knit stitches to the correct length. Suggested row counts are given as a guidance, but every dog will be unique, so holding the jacket up against the dog is strongly recommended to get the right fit. On the final row you will cast off the same number of stitches you cast on for the collar flap.

Row 1: K to end of row. Turn. Cable cast on 6 (8, 10) (10, 10) stitches. Total stitches count is now 26 (38, 50) (60, 70) stitches.

Row 2: knit to end.

Repeat Row 2 another 36 (38, 44) (50, 60) times, or for length desired.

Final body row: cast off 6 (8, 10, 10, 10) stitches, knit to end. 20 (30, 40, 50, 60) Stitches in total.

Decrease section

Row 1: k2, k2tog, k to end 19 (29, 39, 49, 59) sts.

Repeat row 1, decreasing 1 stitch at the start of every row, until 10 (14, 20) (24, 30) stitches remain.

Second flap:

Row 1: knit to end. 10 (14, 20) (24, 30) stitches.

Repeat another 5 (7, 9) (9, 9) times, until flap measures the same as the first flap.

Cast off. Disconnect yarn, leave a long enough tail to sew down flap.

Assembly

Fold collar flap in half and sew down securely with tail of yarn on a darning needle. Insert the dog’s collar into this flap.

Weave in remaining ends.

With sewing needle and thread, or a sewing machine, stitch hook and loop tape to the corners of the start and end flaps. For larger sizes, add a 3rd 1 inch strip in the middle, between the 2 strips in the corners.
Sew the hook side of the tape to the underside of one flap, and sew the loop side to the top of the remaining side, so that the fastenings are secured between 2 layers of knitting, away from sensitive belly skin, and where a dog could chew at them.

Thanks and acknowledgements:

This pattern was formatted as a PDF by Dara Addams. It was inspired by a request from my sister Gretchen, and her dog Luna. Many dog sweater size charts available online were consulted in the development of this pattern, the final sizes are my own estimations based on an overview of many, and measurements of my own dogs.

Copyright:

This pattern, including the wording and the pictures, are my work and copyright. Please do not distribute them in any way except by using the link to this pattern. You may not copy in any way, including by making your own videos, if they are directly based on my work. This blog is not intended for commercial use. You may sell finished items based on this pattern only if you have made them in your own home, with your own hands. However, selling your own makes from this pattern, especially for charity, is strongly encouraged. I would love to hear about your event, and how it went.