Welcome to a celebration of music, freedom, and happiness! Meet “The Ukulele Joy” Puppy, a spirited Spaniel with a soul full of melody. With her luxurious, curly reddish-brown fur and long, floppy ears, she captures the heart of anyone who loves dogs and music. She isn’t just a pet; she is a performer, bringing cheerful tunes to the garden.

Her style is impeccably Boho-chic. She wears a stunning floor-length maxi dress featuring a mesmerizing zigzag (chevron) crochet stitch in a palette of crisp White, vibrant Turquoise, and warm Earthy Orange. Layered over this is a trendy beige mesh vest finished with playful fringes that sway as she moves. Her look is completed with cute thong sandals adorned with flowers and a vibrant floral headband that crowns her head. She sits comfortably on a round wooden stool, strumming her handcrafted 4-string ukulele, with her sheet music ready on a tiny stand. This project is a joy to create and a beautiful display piece for music lovers.

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
• sc – Single Crochet
• hdc – Half Double Crochet
• dc – Double Crochet
• tr – Treble Crochet
• inc – Increase (2 sc in one stitch)
• dec – Decrease (sc 2 stitches together)
• sl st – Slip Stitch
• BLO – Back Loop Only
• FLO – Front Loop Only
• sk – Skip
• st(s) – Stitch(es)
• rnd – Round
• Loop Stitch – (Optional) Used for ears if you want extra texture, otherwise standard sc is used.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: DK or Sport weight cotton/acrylic yarn in the following colors:
  • Reddish-Brown/Rust (Puppy body, head, ears)
  • White (Dress stripe)
  • Turquoise/Teal (Dress stripe)
  • Earthy Orange/Terracotta (Dress stripe, flower center)
  • Beige/Tan (Vest, Stool, Ukulele body, Music stand base)
  • Dark Brown (Ukulele neck, Stool legs)
  • Scrap colors (Pink, Yellow, etc.) for headband flowers
• Hook: 2.5 mm (for the puppy and accessories) and 3.0 mm (for the clothing).
• Eyes: 10mm or 12mm Black Safety Eyes.
• Embroidery Floss: Black (Nose/Mouth), Dark Brown/Black (Ukulele strings).
• Wire: Craft wire (approx 2mm) for the music stand and posable arms.
• Fiberfill: High-quality polyester stuffing.
• Cardboard: To reinforce the stool seat and ukulele body.
• Tools: Yarn needle, scissors, stitch markers, pins, glue gun (optional).

Gauge & Size

The finished puppy sits approximately 26 cm (10 inches) tall on her stool. The gauge for the body parts should be tight to ensure no stuffing shows. The dress uses a chevron stitch which has a natural stretch; check the fit on the doll as you work.

Pattern: The Spaniel Puppy

Head (Reddish-Brown Yarn)

Work in a continuous spiral.

• Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. [6]
• Rnd 2: inc in each st around. [12]
• Rnd 3: (sc 1, inc) x 6. [18]
• Rnd 4: (sc 2, inc) x 6. [24]
• Rnd 5: (sc 3, inc) x 6. [30]
• Rnd 6: (sc 4, inc) x 6. [36]
• Rnd 7: (sc 5, inc) x 6. [42]
• Rnd 8: (sc 6, inc) x 6. [48]
• Rnd 9: (sc 7, inc) x 6. [54]
• Rnds 10–18: sc in each st around. [54]
• Rnd 19: (sc 8, inc) x 6. [60] (Cheek definition)
• Rnds 20–24: sc in each st around. [60]
• Insert safety eyes between Rnds 17 and 18, approximately 10 stitches apart. Embroider a triangular nose in the center.
• Rnd 25: (sc 8, dec) x 6. [54]
• Rnd 26: (sc 7, dec) x 6. [48]
• Rnd 27: (sc 6, dec) x 6. [42]
• Rnd 28: (sc 5, dec) x 6. [36]
• Rnd 29: (sc 4, dec) x 6. [30]
• Rnd 30: (sc 3, dec) x 6. [24]
• Stuff the head firmly.
• Rnd 31: (sc 2, dec) x 6. [18]
• Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Snout (Reddish-Brown Yarn)

• Rnd 1: Ch 6. Start in 2nd ch. sc 4, 3 sc in last ch. Turn. sc 3, inc. [12]
• Rnd 2: inc, sc 3, inc x 3, sc 3, inc x 2. [18]
• Rnd 3: sc 1, inc, sc 4, (sc 1, inc) x 3, sc 4, (sc 1, inc) x 2. [24]
• Rnds 4-6: sc around. [24]
• Fasten off. Stuff lightly and sew to the face between the eyes.

Curly Spaniel Ears (Make 2 – Reddish-Brown)

To mimic the luxurious fur, we will simply crochet long oval shapes. If you are advanced, use the Loop Stitch for every round to create actual curls. The instructions below are for a standard textured ear.

• Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. [6]
• Rnd 2: inc in each st. [12]
• Rnd 3: (sc 1, inc) x 6. [18]
• Rnd 4: (sc 2, inc) x 6. [24]
• Rnds 5-25: sc in each st around. [24] (Make them long!)
• Rnd 26: (sc 2, dec) x 6. [18]
• Rnd 27: sc around. [18]
• Rnd 28: (sc 1, dec) x 6. [12]
• Flatten the top opening and sew closed. Attach to the sides of the head (around Rnd 8-10).

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Body (Reddish-Brown)

• Rnd 1: 6 sc in MR. [6]
• Rnd 2: inc around. [12]
• Rnd 3: (sc 1, inc) around. [18]
• Rnd 4: (sc 2, inc) around. [24]
• Rnd 5: (sc 3, inc) around. [30]
• Rnd 6: (sc 4, inc) around. [36]
• Rnd 7: (sc 5, inc) around. [42]
• Rnds 8-15: sc around. [42]
• Rnd 16: (sc 5, dec) around. [36]
• Rnds 17-22: sc around. [36]
• Rnd 23: (sc 4, dec) around. [30]
• Rnd 24-26: sc around. [30]
• Rnd 27: (sc 3, dec) around. [24]
• Rnd 28: (sc 2, dec) around. [18]
• Fasten off. Stuff firmly. Sew head to body.

Arms & Legs (Make 2 of each)

Arms: MR 6, inc to 12, sc 15 rounds. Stuff lightly. Close.
Legs: MR 6, inc to 12, inc to 18, sc 20 rounds. Stuff firmly. Close. Sew legs to the bottom of the body so the puppy can sit.

The Boho Outfit

Zigzag Maxi Dress

Use 3.0 mm hook. Colors: White (A), Turquoise (B), Orange (C). Change color every 2 rows. This dress works from the neck down.

• Row 1 (White): Ch 26. sc in 2nd ch from hook and across. [25]. Turn.
• Row 2: (sc 4, inc) x 5. [30]. Turn.
• Row 3 (Armholes): sc 4, ch 6 (skip 6), sc 10, ch 6 (skip 6), sc 4. Turn.
• Row 4: sc across all sts and chains. [30]. Join to first st to work in rounds.
• Rnd 5: (sc 4, inc) around. [36]
• Rnd 6 (Setup for Zigzag): We need a multiple of stitches for the chevron. Let’s increase to 40. (sc 8, inc) x 4. [40]
• Rnd 7 (Begin Zigzag Pattern – Color B): *sc 1 in next, sc 1 in next, 3 sc in next (peak), sc 1 in next, sc 1 in next, skip 2 sts (valley)* repeat around.
• Rnd 8: Repeat the zigzag pattern with Color B.
• Rnd 9-10 (Color C): Repeat zigzag pattern.
• Rnd 11-12 (Color A): Repeat zigzag pattern.
• Continue repeating the color sequence (B, C, A) and the zigzag stitch until the dress reaches the floor (maxi length).
• Fasten off and weave in ends.

Mesh Fringe Vest

Use Beige yarn. Worked flat.

• Row 1: Ch 30. sc in 2nd ch and across. [29]. Turn.
• Row 2 (Mesh): Ch 4 (counts as dc + ch 1), skip 1, dc in next. *Ch 1, skip 1, dc in next* repeat across. Turn.
• Row 3: Ch 4, dc in next dc. *Ch 1, dc in next dc* repeat across. Turn.
• Row 4 (Armholes): Work mesh pattern for 6 sts. Ch 6, skip 6 sts (armhole), work mesh for 5 sts (back), ch 6, skip 6 sts (armhole), work mesh for 6 sts.
• Row 5-8: Work mesh pattern across all sts and chains.
• Fasten off.
• Fringe: Cut strands of beige yarn approx 3 inches long. Attach tassels to the bottom chain spaces of the vest. Trim evenly.

Thong Sandals

Use Rust/Brown yarn for sole and Flower color for top.

• Sole: Ch 7. Oval shape: sc 5, 3 sc in last, sc 4, inc. Rnd 2: inc, sc 4, inc x 3, sc 4, inc x 2. Fasten off.
• Straps: Join yarn at the heel. Ch 8, sl st to the side of the foot. Join yarn at the other side of heel, ch 8, sl st to side.
• Toe Post: Join yarn at the front center of sole. Ch 4. Sew a small crochet flower (MR, 5 sc) to the top of this chain and connect it to the side straps to form a Y-shape thong sandal.

Floral Headband

• Band: Crochet a chain long enough to fit around the head (over the ears). Sl st to join.
• Flowers: Make 3 large flowers.
  • Center: MR, 6 sc.
  • Petals: (Ch 2, 2 dc, ch 2, sl st) in each st around.
• Sew flowers to the band.

Accessories

Ukulele

Use Beige (Body) and Dark Brown (Neck).

• Body (Make 2 flat pieces): Ch 6. sc in 2nd ch and across. Work rows to make a rounded bottom figure-8 shape (increase at start/end of rows for belly, decrease for waist, increase for upper bout). Or simply make two ovals.
• Sew the two flat pieces together with a strip of cardboard inside for stiffness.
• Neck: With Dark Brown, ch 5. sc back. Work rows until neck is approx 6cm long. Sew to body.
• Headstock: Slightly wider rectangle at top of neck.
• Strings: Embroider 4 vertical lines with black thread from body to headstock.

Round Stool

• Seat: With Beige/Wood color. MR 6, inc to 12… inc to 36. Work 2 rounds even. Work BLO dec rounds to close partially. Insert cardboard circle.
• Legs (Make 3 or 4): Dark Brown. MR 5 sc. Sc around for 15 rounds (or height needed for puppy to sit). Insert wire or stuffing. Sew to bottom of seat.

Music Stand

• Base/Stand: Use craft wire to form a tripod base and vertical pole. Wrap tightly with Beige yarn.
• Book Rest: Crochet a rectangle (Ch 10, sc 8 rows). Sew a smaller white rectangle on top (Sheet Music). Embroider music notes. Attach to the top of the wire stand.

Assembly

1. Dress the puppy in the zigzag maxi dress.
2. Put on the mesh vest.
3. Slip the sandals onto the feet.
4. Place the flower headband on the head.
5. Pose the puppy sitting on the stool.
6. Use a small dab of glue or a stitch to secure the ukulele in her hands.
7. Place the music stand in front of her.

Your “Ukulele Joy” Puppy is ready to play a happy tune! This project is full of texture and character.