Introduction

Meet your new favorite project: a soft, huggable lamb doll wearing a sweet lace dress, tiny Mary Jane shoes, and a pastel cardigan. This beginner-friendly tutorial walks you through every step—from knitting the head and body to the removable outfit and finishing details—so even if this is your first knitted toy, you’ll feel confident from cast-on to cuddle time.

The doll in this tutorial is worked mostly in the round for smooth, seamless shapes, with simple flat pieces where that’s easier for new knitters. The finished lamb stands about 24–26 cm (9½–10¼ in) tall when knit in DK (light worsted) yarn. You can easily scale the size up or down by changing yarn weight and needles.

This pattern is an original design inspired by the image you provided, created to be clear, safe, and suitable for family-friendly crafting. No medical, dangerous, or adult themes are included.

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Materials

Yarn (DK / Light Worsted, non-fuzzy for clear stitch definition):

• A – Cream/Off-White (head, body, arms, legs): ~120 m / 130 yd
• B – Soft Pink (cardigan & shoes): ~110 m / 120 yd
• C – Sage Green (dress & shoe soles/edging): ~90 m / 100 yd
• D – Small scrap of Black (face embroidery)

Choose a soft acrylic, cotton blend, or superwash wool. Beginners often like easy-care yarns; when you shop DK yarn look for smooth, plied strands that don’t split.

Needles & Notions

• 3.25 mm (US 3) needles for a firm toy fabric: either DPNs or a 60–80 cm circular for magic loop
• 3.5 mm (US 4) straight or circular needles for the dress and cardigan (optional, gives nice drape)
• Stitch markers, row counter (optional but helpful)
• Tapestry/yarn needle
• Fiberfill stuffing (polyfill)
• 6–8 mm safety eyes or black yarn for embroidered eyes (use embroidery for children under 3)
• 3 small buttons (6–8 mm) for the cardigan and 2 tiny buttons (optional) for shoe straps
• Small crochet hook (3–3.5 mm) for picking up stitches and making button loops (optional)
• Scissors and pins

Gauge (not critical for toys): about 24–26 sts × 32–36 rows = 10 cm (4 in) in stockinette with 3.25 mm needles. Aim for a firm fabric so the stuffing doesn’t show through.

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Abbreviations & Techniques

• CO cast on
• BO bind off
• K knit
• P purl
• St st stockinette stitch (knit in the round; knit RS/purl WS if flat)
• Garter knit every row (worked flat)
• Kfb knit front and back (increase 1)
• M1L/M1R make one left/right (optional alternative to kfb)
• K2tog knit two together (right-leaning decrease)
• SSK slip, slip, knit (left-leaning decrease)
• YO yarn over (eyelet increase for lace)
• pm/sm place/s-slip marker
• rnd(s)/row(s) rounds/rows
• st(s) stitch(es)

Skills used: knitting in the round (or flat as noted), basic increases/decreases, picking up stitches, simple lace, mattress stitch seaming, i-cord (optional), and light embroidery.

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Finished Measurements

• Height: ~24–26 cm (9½–10¼ in)
• Head width: ~7–8 cm (2¾–3⅛ in)
• Dress length: ~10 cm (4 in) from waist
• Cardigan: fits comfortably over dress

📌Thank you for reading the article.

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Pattern Overview

You will knit the head and body in one piece, then make ears, arms, legs/shoes, followed by a removable dress and cardigan. Finally, we’ll embroider the face and assemble everything neatly.

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Lamb: Head & Body (worked in the round, color A)

Using 3.25 mm needles and A, CO 8 sts, distribute for small circumference, join to work in the round, pm for start.

Head shaping

1. Rnd 1: Kfb around – 16 sts
2. Rnd 2: K
3. Rnd 3: K1, kfb around – 24 sts
4. Rnd 4: K
5. Rnd 5: K2, kfb around – 32 sts
6. Rnd 6: K
7. Rnd 7: K3, kfb around – 40 sts
8. Rnd 8: K
9. Rnd 9: K4, kfb around – 48 sts
   10–18. Rnds 10–18: K (9 rnds even)

Place eyes/mark face: If using safety eyes, insert between rnds 13–14, about 8 sts apart. If embroidering, mark positions with pins for later.

Taper to neck
19. K4, k2tog around – 40 sts
20. K
21. K3, k2tog around – 32 sts
22. K
23. K2, k2tog around – 24 sts (neck)
24–26. K 3 rnds

Body—chest & tummy
27. K2, kfb around – 32 sts
28. K
29. K3, kfb around – 40 sts
30–36. K 7 rnds even
37. K3, k2tog around – 32 sts
38. K
39. K2, k2tog around – 24 sts
40. K, begin stuffing head/upper body firmly as you go
41. K1, k2tog around – 16 sts
42. K2tog around – 8 sts
Cut yarn, thread tail through remaining sts, pull tight, and weave inside.

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Ears (make 2, worked flat in A)

CO 6 sts on 3.25 mm needles.

1. Row 1 (RS): K
2. Row 2 (WS): P
3. Row 3: Kfb, K2, Kfb – 8 sts
4. Row 4: P
5. Row 5: Kfb, K4, Kfb – 10 sts
6. Row 6: P
   7–8. Rows 7–8: St st (K RS, P WS)
7. Row 9: K2tog, K6, SSK – 8 sts
8. Row 10: P
9. Row 11: K2tog, K4, SSK – 6 sts
10. Row 12: P
11. Row 13: (K2tog) × 3 – 3 sts
    Cut yarn, pull through 3 sts to close. Lightly steam/press. Fold base slightly to create a gentle cup when sewing.

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Arms (make 2, worked in the round in A)

CO 8 sts, join.

1. Rnd 1: Kfb around – 16 sts
   2–5. K 4 rnds
2. K2, k2tog around – 12 sts
   7–18. K 12 rnds for forearm/upper arm
3. Stuff lightly (leave last 2 cm unstuffed for mobility), BO all sts leaving a long tail for sewing.

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Legs with Mary Jane Shoes (make 2)

Soles & shoes (B + C), worked in the round

Using C (sole), CO 6 sts, join.

1. Rnd 1: Kfb around – 12 sts
2. Rnd 2: K1, kfb around – 18 sts
3. Rnd 3: K
4. Change to B (shoe). Rnd 4: K2, kfb around – 24 sts
   5–7. Rnds 5–7: K
5. Rnd 8: K2, k2tog around – 18 sts
6. Rnd 9: K
7. Rnd 10: K1, k2tog around – 12 sts (ankle opening)

Legs (A), ribbed “tights”

11. Change to A. Rnd 11: K1, kfb around – 18 sts
    12–28. Work (K1, P1) rib for 17 rnds (about 7–8 cm).
12. BO loosely in pattern, leaving a long tail for sewing to body.

Shoe strap (optional i-cord or flat strap, B)

• Pick up 3–4 sts at the ankle on the instep side with B.
• Work a tiny i-cord or 6–8 rows garter strip.
• BO; sew to the opposite side to form a strap. Add a tiny button or embroidered knot.

📌Thank you for reading the article.

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Dress (worked bottom-up in the round, C; change to flat for bodice)

Hem & skirt

With 3.5 mm needles and C, CO 84 sts, join, pm.

1–2. Rnds 1–2: K
3. Rnd 3: P (turning ridge, optional)
4–5. Rnds 4–5: K

Simple staggered eyelet lace (6-st repeat)

• Rnd A: K4, YO, K2tog around
• Rnd B: K
• Rnd C: K3, YO, K2tog, K1 around
• Rnd D: K
• Rnd E: K2, YO, K2tog, K2 around
• Rnd F: K

Repeat A–F 4 times (24 rnds total) or to desired length.

Shape waist

• Rnd 30: K5, k2tog around – 72 sts
• Rnds 31–34: K 4 rnds even
• Rnd 35 (waist eyelet for ribbon tie): K2tog, YO around – 72 sts
• Rnds 36–37: K 2 rnds

Divide for bodice (worked flat)
Place 36 sts for Back on the needle; move the remaining 36 sts to a holder for Front. Work Back first in St st (RS: K, WS: P).

Back Bodice (36 sts)

1. Row 1 (WS): P
2. Row 2 (RS): K1, SSK, K to last 3, K2tog, K1 – 34 sts
3. Row 3: P
4. Row 4: Repeat Row 2 – 32 sts
   5–10. Work even in St st to a total bodice height of 4 cm (about 10 rows after divide).
   BO all back stitches.

Front Bodice (36 sts)

1. Row 1 (WS): P
2. Row 2 (RS): K1, SSK, K to last 3, K2tog, K1 – 34 sts
3. Row 3: P
4. Row 4: K across
5. Row 5 (WS): P
6. Row 6 (RS—shape neckline): K14, BO center 6 sts, K to end. You now have 14 sts each side.
7. Work each side separately, keeping neck edges neat:

• Next RS rows: at neck edge, work SSK (left side) or K2tog (right side) twice, spaced every RS row (shoulder shaping).
• Continue until front shoulder height matches the back.
• BO remaining stitches on each shoulder.

Finishing the dress

• Seam shoulders (mattress stitch).
• With C, pick up and knit stitches around the neckline and armholes if you’d like a tidy edging (1 rnd K, 1 rnd P, BO loosely), or simply weave in ends for a minimal look.
• Thread a narrow ribbon or knitted i-cord through the waist eyelets and tie in a bow at the back.

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Cardigan (worked flat in pieces, B; seamed for simplicity)

This tiny cardigan is intentionally simple: garter borders with a stockinette body and cap sleeves. It sits open or closes with three small buttons.

Back

• With 3.5 mm needles and B, CO 30 sts.
• Rows 1–4: K (garter hem).
• Rows 5–26: Work St st (Row 5 K, Row 6 P, and so on) until piece measures about 8 cm.
• BO all stitches.

Left Front

• CO 16 sts.
• Rows 1–4: K (garter hem).
• Rows 5–20: Work St st.
• Neck shaping (inner edge): On Row 21 (RS), K to last 2, K2tog.
• Repeat the decrease at the neck edge every RS row 3 more times (4 total) – 12 sts remain.
• Continue even to match back length, BO.

Right Front

• Work as Left Front mirroring neck decreases: On RS rows, SSK, K to end at the inner edge.

Sleeves (make 2)

• CO 22 sts.
• Rows 1–4: K (garter).
• Rows 5–16: St st for a short sleeve (~5 cm).
• BO all stitches.

Assembly & Button Bands

• Seam shoulders (Left Front to Back; Right Front to Back).
• Set in sleeves: center sleeve top at the shoulder seam and sew sleeve caps; seam sleeve underarms and side seams.
• Neck/front edging: With B and 3.5 mm needles, pick up stitches evenly up the Right Front, around the neck, and down the Left Front. Work 4 rows garter; on Row 2 (or 3), make three buttonholes evenly spaced on the Right Front band by working (YO, K2tog). BO loosely.
• Sew three buttons opposite the buttonholes.

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Face Embroidery

If you didn’t use safety eyes, embroider two small eyes with D in satin stitch or French knots at the marked spots. For the nose/mouth, stitch a small inverted “Y”: one short horizontal stitch for the mouth and a tiny triangle for the nose centered between the eyes, a few rows lower.

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Assembly

1. Position ears: Fold the ear bases slightly and sew to the sides of the head, a little above eye level.
2. Attach arms: Pin arms at shoulder level where the neck meets the body. Ladder stitch securely; a few extra passes create a neat hinge so they can move.
3. Attach legs: Center legs on the base of the body. Sew around the top opening of each leg, making sure the doll stands evenly.
4. Weave in all ends securely inside the body and limbs.
5. Dress the lamb: Put on the dress first, tie the waist, then add the cardigan. Slip the shoe straps over the feet and fasten any tiny buttons.

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Finishing Touches

• Shaping: Roll the doll gently between your hands to smooth the stuffing. Add a little more at the neck if needed to keep the head upright.
• Blocking: Wet-block the dress and cardigan flat for best drape; avoid heavy blocking on the stuffed doll.
• Safety: Replace buttons with embroidered dots if the toy is for a baby or toddler. Avoid loose embellishments.

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Troubleshooting

• Ladders in the round: Shift the first stitch of each round to a different needle occasionally, or use magic loop for smoother joins.
• Stuffing bumps: Add filling in small tufts and use a knitting needle tip to push into corners.
• Neck too floppy: Before closing the body, run a length of yarn around the neck base inside the stuffing and snug it gently; knot securely.

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Tips, Variations & Styling Ideas

• Change the size: Use worsted/aran yarn with 4.0–4.5 mm needles for a bigger buddy, or sport/fingering with 2.75–3.0 mm for a petite lamb. Keep the fabric firm.
• Color play: Try a butter-yellow cardigan, lavender dress, or striped tights (alternate A with a pastel every 4 rounds). A contrasting C on shoe soles gives a crisp edge.
• Different stitch textures: Swap the dress lace for a simple feather-and-fan or keep it plain stockinette with a picot hem. Add a seed-stitch cardigan band for extra texture.
• Accessories: Knit a tiny bow, scarf, or a flower applique for the cardigan.
• Eco-friendly stuffing: Consider recycled polyfill or wool roving.
• Care: Machine wash outfits on gentle (if yarn allows). Surface clean the stuffed doll with mild soap and a damp cloth.
• Craft-fair & gifting: This makes a lovely, child-safe gift—use embroidered eyes and secure stitching. If you’re planning to sell your finished items, include fiber content and care instructions with your tag.

When you shop knitting needles or DK yarn, look for smooth joins on circulars and sturdy DPNs—these small-circumference tools make toy knitting much easier and help you keep a firm, even gauge that looks professional in photos and on display.

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Quick Reference: Stitch Counts Summary

• Head increases: 8 → 48 sts; work even; decrease to 24 sts for neck
• Body: 24 → 32 → 40 (chest) → 32 → 24 → 16 → close at 8 sts
• Ears: peak at 10 sts; finish at 3 sts closed
• Arms: 8 → 16 → 12; finish open for sewing
• Shoes/Legs: 6 → 12 → 18 → 24 → 18 → 12 (ankle); leg rib 18 sts, BO
• Dress: CO 84 sts; waist dec to 72 sts; split 36/36 for back/front
• Cardigan pieces: Back CO 30, Fronts CO 16 each, Sleeves CO 22