Summer Picnic Puppy – Free Crochet Pattern

Meet the Summer Picnic Puppy – a tiny crochet puppy ready for a sunny garden picnic in her mint t-shirt, cream polka-dot pinafore, straw sun hat with a brick-red band, and little crochet sandals. She carries a small woven basket with a baguette for her picnic table.




Please note: I strive for accuracy in every pattern, but occasional errors can happen. Thank you for understanding and for enjoying my designs.

Abbreviations (US Terms)

  • MR – magic ring
  • ch – chain
  • st – stitch
  • sc – single crochet
  • hdc – half double crochet
  • dc – double crochet
  • sl st – slip stitch
  • inc – increase (2 sc in the same st)
  • dec – invisible decrease (sc 2 sts together)
  • BLO – back loop only
  • FLO – front loop only
  • FO – fasten off
  • (…) – total number of stitches at the end of the round/row
  • x n – repeat the instructions between * * n times

Materials

  • DK / light worsted weight yarn (cotton or cotton blend works beautifully):
    1. Light caramel / warm beige for the puppy body
    2. Slightly darker beige or caramel for basket
    3. Mint green for t-shirt
    4. Cream / off-white for pinafore dress
    5. Soft beige / straw color for hat and sandals
    6. Brick-red for hat band and polka dots on dress
    7. Light golden beige for baguette
    8. A little dark brown or black embroidery thread for nose and mouth
  • Hook: 2.25–2.75 mm (B or C) to get a tight fabric
  • 8 mm black safety eyes (2 pcs)
  • Polyester fiberfill stuffing
  • Yarn needle and sewing needle
  • Stitch markers
  • Pins for positioning parts

Gauge & Finished Size

Gauge is not critical for this amigurumi as long as your stitches are tight enough that stuffing does not show. With DK yarn and a 2.5 mm hook, the finished Summer Picnic Puppy is approximately 16–18 cm (6.5–7 in) tall, including the hat.

Construction Overview

The puppy is made in several separate pieces that are sewn together:

  • Head
  • Muzzle
  • Ears (2)
  • Body
  • Legs (2)
  • Arms (2)
  • Tiny tail

Then you will crochet:

  • Mint t-shirt
  • Cream pinafore dress with polka dots
  • Straw sun hat with brick-red band
  • Sandal shoes (2)
  • Small picnic basket and baguette

Assembly is done at the end so you can position everything to match the reference pose: puppy standing on the picnic table, holding the basket in one hand, hat tilted slightly forward.


Puppy Body

Head (light caramel)

Worked in continuous rounds.

  1. MR, 6 sc in ring (6)
  2. inc in each st around (12)
  3. sc, inc x 6 (18)
  4. 2 sc, inc x 6 (24)
  5. 3 sc, inc x 6 (30)
  6. 4 sc, inc x 6 (36)
  7. 5 sc, inc x 6 (42)
    8–13. sc around (42) – 6 rounds to form a tall round head

Pause here to attach the eyes later.

  1. 5 sc, dec x 6 (36)
  2. 4 sc, dec x 6 (30)

Insert 8 mm safety eyes between rounds 10 and 11, leaving 7–8 stitches between them. Pin the muzzle temporarily to find the best placement, then secure eyes.

Lightly stuff the upper part of the head and continue.

  1. 3 sc, dec x 6 (24)
  2. 2 sc, dec x 6 (18)
  3. sc, dec x 6 (12)
  4. dec around (6)

FO, weave the tail end through front loops of remaining sts, pull tight to close. Shape the head into a gentle oval by working the stuffing.




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Muzzle (same or slightly lighter beige)

  1. MR, 6 sc (6)
  2. inc x 6 (12)
  3. 3 sc, inc x 3 (15)
  4. sc around (15)
  5. sc around (15)

FO leaving a long tail for sewing. Lightly stuff – just enough to give some puff without making it pointy.

Face embroidery:
With dark brown or black embroidery thread:

  • Stitch a small rounded triangle nose centered on the top of the muzzle.
  • Bring the thread down one stitch and make a short vertical line, then curve a smile to each side, matching the soft, friendly expression.

Set aside for assembly.

Ears (make 2)

  1. MR, 6 sc (6)
  2. sc, inc x 3 (9)
  3. 2 sc, inc x 3 (12)
    4–7. sc around (12)
  4. 4 sc, dec x 2 (10)
    9–12. sc around (10)

FO leaving long tails for sewing. Do not stuff. Flatten gently; the bottom edge should be slightly rounded to give that floppy puppy shape.

Body

  1. MR, 6 sc (6)
  2. inc in each st around (12)
  3. sc, inc x 6 (18)
  4. 2 sc, inc x 6 (24)
  5. 3 sc, inc x 6 (30)
    6–10. sc around (30)
  6. 3 sc, dec x 6 (24)
  7. 2 sc, dec x 6 (18)
    13–15. sc around (18)

Stuff the body firmly, shaping it slightly pear-like (wider at the bottom, a bit narrower at the top). FO, leaving a long tail for sewing the head later.

Legs (make 2)

  1. MR, 6 sc (6)
  2. sc, inc x 3 (9)
  3. 2 sc, inc x 3 (12)
    4–6. sc around (12)

Stuff each leg firmly, focusing on the lower half so it can stand well.

  1. Flatten the top and crochet across through both layers: 6 sc to close.

FO leaving a tail for sewing to the bottom of the body.

Arms (make 2)

  1. MR, 6 sc (6)
  2. 2 sc, inc x 2 (8)
    3–7. sc around (8)

Stuff lightly, mainly in the “hand” area.

  1. Flatten the top, 4 sc through both layers to close.

FO leaving a tail for sewing. One arm will later be positioned to hold the basket.

Tail (optional but cute)

  1. MR, 5 sc (5)
    2–4. sc around (5)

Lightly stuff or just leave solid. FO with tail for sewing to the back of the body near the bottom.


Mint Picnic Shirt

The shirt is a simple rectangle that wraps around the upper body and is sewn closed at the back. Sleeves are worked directly onto the arms.

Use mint yarn.

Shirt Body

  1. ch 26, sc in 2nd ch from hook and across (25)
    2–6. ch 1, turn, sc in each st across (25) – 5 more rows

FO, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Wrap the rectangle around the body so the edges meet at the back and the bottom edge sits just above mid-belly. Sew the short sides together neatly. The top edge should sit right under where the head will join.

Little Sleeves

Attach mint yarn to the arm where it meets the body.

  1. Work 10 sc around the arm opening (space them evenly), sl st to first (10)
    2–3. ch 1, sc around, sl st to first (10)

FO and weave in ends. Repeat on the second arm. The sleeves are short and snug, peeking out under the pinafore straps.


Cream Pinafore Dress

Worked in the round from the waist down, then the front bib and straps are added. Use cream/off-white yarn.

Skirt

  1. ch 30, join with a sl st to the first ch, being careful not to twist (30)
  2. ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to first (30)
  3. ch 1, 4 sc, inc x 6, sl st (36)
  4. ch 1, 5 sc, inc x 6 (42)
  5. ch 1, 6 sc, inc x 6 (48)
    6–8. ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st (48)

FO and weave in the end. The skirt should have a gentle A-line flare.

Slip the skirt onto the body so the top edge sits right at the waist (just under the shirt’s bottom edge). If it is snug, you can wiggle it carefully; it should fit the 18-stitch torso comfortably.

Bib

Locate the center front of the skirt. Attach cream yarn to the front loop of one top-edge stitch.

  1. ch 1, sc in that st and in the next 11 sts (12)
    2–3. ch 1, turn, sc across (12)

FO and weave in ends. You now have a small rectangular bib.

Straps

Attach cream yarn to the top left corner of the bib.

  1. ch 13, FO leaving sewing tail.

Repeat on the other top corner.

Cross the straps over the back of the puppy and sew the strap ends to the back of the waistband, one on each side, to mimic the crossed straps from the reference photo. The straps should lie flat without pulling the bib.

Polka Dots

With brick-red yarn and a needle, embroider tiny French knots or small straight-stitch dots scattered evenly across the bib and skirt. Keep them small and subtle to match the tiny, muted polka dots from the picture.


Straw Sun Hat

Use straw-colored beige yarn. Worked in joined rounds.

  1. MR, 6 sc (6)
  2. inc x 6, join with sl st (12)
  3. ch 1, sc, inc x 6, join (18)
  4. ch 1, 2 sc, inc x 6, join (24)
  5. ch 1, 3 sc, inc x 6, join (30)
  6. ch 1, 4 sc, inc x 6, join (36)

This forms the crown.

7–9. ch 1, sc in each st around, join (36) – crown height

Brim

  1. ch 1, working in FLO, 5 sc, inc x 6, join (42)
  2. ch 1, 6 sc, inc x 6, join (48)
  3. ch 1, sc in each st around, join (48)

FO and weave in ends. Shape the brim so it gently frames the face without hiding the eyes.

Brick-Red Hat Band

With brick-red yarn:

  1. ch 40 (or long enough to wrap snugly around the base of the crown), FO.

Wrap around the hat where the crown meets the brim and sew the ends together invisibly at the back. Let the band sit flat and smooth all the way around.


Sandal Shoes (make 2)

Use straw-colored beige yarn.

  1. MR, 6 sc (6)
  2. sc, inc x 3 (9)
  3. 2 sc, inc x 3 (12)
  4. sc around (12) – sole and base
  5. ch 1, sc in next 9 sts, turn – work only over the front 9 sts.
  6. ch 1, turn, sc across 9 sts again (9)

This forms the sandal front.

Back Strap

Attach yarn at one back corner of the sole.

  1. ch 7, skip 4 sts across the back, sl st into the next st on the opposite back corner to form an ankle strap.

FO and weave in ends. Slide sandals onto the puppy’s feet so the open front shows a bit of paw, and the back strap hugs the heel.




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Picnic Basket & Baguette

Basket

Use darker caramel/brown yarn.

  1. MR, 6 sc (6)
  2. inc x 6 (12)
  3. sc, inc x 6 (18)
  4. BLO, sc around (18) – this creates a crisp bottom edge
    5–7. sc around (18) – sides of the basket

FO and weave in the inside end.

Handle

Attach yarn to one side edge of the basket.

  1. ch 9, attach with sl st to the opposite side of the rim to form a small handle arch.

FO and secure ends inside the rim.

The basket should be small enough to look proportional in the puppy’s paw, matching the miniature garden picnic vibe.

Baguette

Use golden beige yarn.

  1. MR, 5 sc (5)
  2. sc around (5)
  3. inc in first st, sc in next 4 sts (6)
    4–10. sc around (6)

Lightly stuff as you go to keep it firm but not stretched.

FO, close the end neatly. With slightly darker beige or brown yarn, embroider 3–4 diagonal lines along the top to mimic bread scoring. Place the baguette inside the basket so it peeks out clearly.


Assembly

  • Legs to Body:
    Sew the two legs to the bottom of the body so the puppy can stand evenly. They should be slightly apart but parallel, matching the stable pose seen in the reference image.
  • Attach Tail:
    Sew the small tail to the back of the body, near the bottom center.
  • Dress the Body:
    1. Slide the mint shirt onto the body and sew the shirt back seam closed.
    2. Pull sleeves into position on the arms if you have not done them yet.
    3. Put the pinafore skirt on top, sitting at the waist. Cross the straps at the back and sew them securely.
  • Attach Head:
    Sew the head firmly onto the top of the body, centered above the shirt neckline. Make sure the face points straight forward.
  • Muzzle & Ears:
    1. Sew the muzzle to the lower part of the face, centered between the eyes and slightly below them.
    2. Position each ear on the sides of the head, slightly above eye level and angled downward so they frame the cheeks. Sew securely along the top of each ear.
  • Arms:
    Sew the arms to the sides of the body, just below the neckline of the shirt. Angle one arm downward naturally, and position the other slightly forward and bent so it can support the basket handle.
  • Shoes:
    Place the sandals on the feet and, if desired, tack them in place with a few stitches at the heel so they don’t slip off.
  • Basket & Baguette:
    Put the baguette into the basket. Then carefully sew or tack the basket handle to the inside of the “holding” paw, so it hangs naturally as in the picture.

Finishing Touches & Customization

  • Check all pieces for loose ends and weave everything in securely.
  • Adjust the stuffing by gently squishing and shaping the head and body so the puppy looks balanced and slightly chubby.
  • Place the straw sun hat on the head, tilting it just a little forward for that charming picnic look. You can add a tiny stitch at the back to keep it fixed or leave it removable.
  • Add soft blush with a tiny bit of dry pastel or fabric-safe blush to the cheeks if you like, to enhance the cozy, cottagecore feeling.

For variations, you can:

  • Swap the mint shirt for a soft sage or pale yellow while keeping the same structure.
  • Change the polka dot color on the pinafore to match your picnic theme.
  • Make extra mini foods for the basket – a tiny apple, another roll, or a little cheese wedge – while keeping only the basket and its contents crocheted and the rest of the scene in real miniature props.

Quick Recap

The Summer Picnic Puppy is built from simple amigurumi shapes: a round head, compact body, easy limbs, and floppy ears. Her outfit includes a mint t-shirt, a cream polka-dot pinafore dress with crossed straps, a straw sun hat with a brick-red band, straw-colored sandals, and a little basket with a baguette. Place her on a tiny picnic table with real miniature dishes and fruit, and you’ll have a bright, fresh cottagecore scene that looks just like a real-world crochet plush photo shoot.

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