Otto the Dog | Free Crochet Amigurumi Pattern
It’s Day 10 of my 12 Days of Christmas and it’s also back to school today. Here is an Otto the Dog Crochet amigurumi pattern.
I am fortunate enough to work with an amazing educator, who is also our Teacher-Librarian. We collaborate and team-teach together for a number of primary classes. He is an excellent storyteller and the students simply love him.
He likes to introduce a series of books to students. One such series is about Otto the Dog by Todd Parr. Parr is an outstanding children’s author who has a number of books that teach kindness, understanding and acceptance. The Otto series is a popular series for young students. All of his books feature his artwork which is simple and uses bright, primary colours. Otto is no exception.
I wanted to come up with an Otto amigurumi for my colleague. He says that the Otto books are amongst his favourites. He features a number of literary characters in the school library but I noticed he did not have an Otto.
When I design patterns, I try not to reinvent the wheel – meaning if something similar already exists, I will use that and modify it. As I was hoping that he would display it in the library, along with the other stuffed characters he has, I didn’t want it to be too big.
My original tester (or my first pancake, as I like to call it) was made with a 2.5mm hook which is pretty standard for amigurumi. I tried it with a 3.5mm hook to make it a little bigger, but the proportions looked off – his body seemed too tall. Maybe my tension was off, but regardless I didn’t like it.
I came across a Pete the Cat amigurumi pattern (another wonderful children’s series) by Krystal Koevenig. You can find the pattern on Ravelry, here. I used the body as a base. I added one extra row at the end.
Next, Otto’s head is quite round, so when it comes to spheres, I like to use the Perfect Sphere pattern by Emily Premise-Conclusion. You can find the pattern here on Ravelry. I made up the pattern for the ears.
The legs were based on the Pete the Cat pattern and I made up the pattern for the tail. The collar is simply a crochet chain.
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Yarn Used for Otto the Dog
Any type of worsted weight yarn in the appropriate colours may be used. For mine, I used the following:
- Impeccable – Buttercream
- Impeccable – Red Hot
- Red Heart Super Saver – Blue (cobalt blue)
- Impeccable – Black
- Impeccable – Kelly Green
I also used my 2.5mm hook as well as 2, 6mm safety eyes and 1, 9mm safety eye (for the nose). As well, a small piece of white and black felt. You will also need some fibre-fill stuffing. A stitch marker to mark the beginning of each round is handy.
I’m quite pleased with how Otto turned out. He would look better with clothes, but I wasn’t too sure how to do that. Perhaps I should get my sewing machine out and figure something out.
For a low-cost, easy-to-read PDF version of this pattern, go to My Shop, my Etsy shop here, or my Ravelry page here.
Get the Pattern
An inexpensive, easy-to-follow PDF version of this pattern can be found here.
Otto the Dog Pattern
Body (based on Pete the Cat by Krystal Koevenig)
This is made in the round – I put a stitch marker in at the beginning of each round so that I can keep track.
Using yellow yarn, make 6sc in a MC
R2 – inc all around (12)
R3 – inc all around (24)
R4 – *sc 3, inc 1* rep 6 times (30)
R5-9 – sc all around (30)
R10 – *sc 8, dec 1*, rep 3 times (27)
R11-14 – sc all around (27)
R15 – *sc7, dec 1*, rep 3 times (24)
R16-18 – sc all around (24)
R19 – *sc 6, dec 1*, rep 3 times (21)
R20-21 sc all around (21)
R22 – *sc5, dec 1* rep 3 times (18)
Start stuffing with fibre fill
R23 – sc all around (18)
R24 – dec 1, 9 times (9)
Sl st to starting stitch and cut yarn leaving a long enough end to sew the head on.
Ears
Make 2 – one in blue and the other in red.
You will be crocheting something in the shape of a letter ‘T’
FSC 3, ch 1, turn (3)
R2 – sc 3, ch 3, turn (3 plus chain)
R3 – sl st 2 times, sc 3, ch 3, turn (3 plus a chain on each side)
R4 – sc in the 2nd ch, sc 6, ch 1, turn (7)
R5 – sc 7 (7)
Fasten off leaving a long enough piece of yarn to sew together and attach to the head.
It should look like a capital letter ‘T’. Fold it in half so it looks like a capital letter ‘L’. Sew together.
Head (Based on the 14 Row Sphere by Emily Premise-Conclusion
This is done in the round. I put in a stitch marker at the beginning of each row so that I can keep track.
Using yellow yarn, make 6sc in a MC
R2 – inc all around (12)
R3 – sc 1, inc, sc 2, inc, sc 1, inc, sc 2, inc, sc 1, inc (17)
R4 – sc 1, inc, sc 3, inc, sc 2, inc, sc 3, inc, sc 2, inc, sc 1 (22)
R5 – sc 3, inc, sc 7, inc, sc 6, inc, sc 3 (25)
R6 – sc 7, inc, sc 8, inc, sc 7, inc (28)
R7 – sc 14, inc, sc 13 (29)
R8 – sc all around (29)
R9 – sc 13, dec, sc 14 (28)
R10 – dec, sc 7, dec, sc 8, dec, sc 7 (25)
R11 – sc 3, dec, sc 6, dec, sc 7, dec, sc 3 (22)
R12 – sc 1, dec, sc 2, dec, sc 3, dec, sc 2, dec, sc3, dec, sc 1 (17)
Put in stitch marker in your loop so you don’t loose your stitch.
Cut a small piece of white felt, make a slit in the centre and insert one of the 6mm safety eyes. Trim around it so that there is a white border.
Cut a small piece of black felt (bigger than the eye), make a slit in the centre and insert the eye and white felt. Trim the black so that there is a black border.
Attach the two 6mm eyes and the one 9mm eye for the nose.
Sew on ears – check with a picture so that the correct colour goes on the correct side. The ‘L’s should be upside down on his head.
With black embroidery thread, embroider a smile and the freckles (three on each side of the nose).
Stuff the head.
Finish the head:
R13 – dec, sc 1, dec, sc 2, dec, sc 1, dec, sc 2, dec, sc 1 (12)
R14 – dec 4 times.
Fasten off. Add more stuffing if needed. Use the end to sew the opening closed.
Legs
Make 4 using the yellow yarn.
FSC 6, ch 1, turn (6)
R2 – sc 6, ch 1, turn (6)
R3 – sc 6
Fasten off, leaving a long enough yarn to sew together and attach to the body.
Position the rectangle horizontally and fold in half (like a hot dog) and sew together. I tuck my starting end inside.
Tail
Using black yarn, ch 13
Sl st all the way back to the first chain
Fasten off, leaving a long enough piece of yarn to sew to the body.
Red Spot for Tail
Using red yarn, make 6sc in a MC
Fasten off, leaving a long enough piece of yarn to sew to the tail.
Sew to the end of the tail (the end that does not have the extra yarn)
Ready to get started?
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Assemble Otto the Dog
Sew head to the body.
With green yarn, chain 15. Wrap around neck for the collar. Using the 2 ends, tie a knot and weave in the ends into the body.
Sew the legs onto the body.
Sew the tail (with the red spot already attached) to the body.
So what do you think? I’m quite pleased with how Otto turned out. I hope my colleague loves him. This would also make a great gift, along with a book for any young child.
Have you read any of Todd Parr books? If not, be sure to check them out as I know you will love them.
This pattern is an original pattern by West Coast Mom, of Too Much Love. Please do not claim this pattern as your own. If you wish to share this pattern, you may link to this pattern but please do not reprint it on your site. You may keep a copy for your own personal use but please DO NOT sell the pattern or distribute it.
You may sell products made from this pattern but please clearly credit the design to me, West Coast Mom, of Too Much Love, and provide a link to my blog www.toomuchlove.ca Permission is NOT granted for mass production or factory manufacturing of any kind. Thank you for being respectful and for your understanding.
