About

Cost: $ $ $ $ $

Difficulty: • • • • •

Time: 6h00

The Golden Retriever is made in smooth yarn that loops beautifully.
Handsome, multi-talented, highly intelligent, yet placid and amiable, the Golden Retriever is the George Clooney of the dog world. Bred in the 1800s by Lord Tweedmouth, Retrievers were a cross between retrieving dogs and water spaniels, but can now work in almost any field, from search and rescue to guiding the blind and deaf. Peter Mandelson, Ricky Martin and Dmitry Medvedev all own Golden Retrievers.

Measurements
Length: 20cm (8in)
Height to top of head: 18cm (7in)

Posted by Black Dog Publishing • Published 24th April 2013 • See Black Dog Publishing's 3 projects »

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Lotusburger favorited Golden Retriever 11 Jan 14:21
Brenda A. favorited Golden Retriever 26 Jun 07:42
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Pimke added Golden Retriever to Strickmuster 03 Mar 12:43
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Kriszta I. favorited Golden Retriever 06 Feb 13:25
Daina R. added Golden Retriever to to do list 24 Nov 12:03
Summer O. favorited Golden Retriever 20 Nov 02:24
WerewolfCas favorited Golden Retriever 21 Oct 09:38
ZanyDays favorited Golden Retriever 30 Apr 15:34

Step 1
Right Back Leg
With ca, cast on 7 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 2 rows st st.
Row 3: Inc, k2tog, k1, k2tog, inc. (7 sts) Work 7 rows st st.
Row 11: K1, inc, k1, inc, k1, inc, k1. (10 sts) Row 12 and every alt row: Purl.
Row 13: K2tog, inc, loopy st 1, k2, loopy st 1, inc, k2tog. (10 sts)
Row 15: K2, [inc] twice, k2, [inc] twice, k2. (14 sts)
Row 17: K1, loopy st 1, k1, [inc] twice, k4, [inc] twice, k1, loopy st 1, k1. (18 sts)
Row 19: K3, inc, k10, inc, k3. (20 sts)
Row 21: K1, loopy st 1, k1, inc, k12, inc, k1, loopy st 1, k1. (22 sts)
Row 23: K3, inc, k14, inc, k3. (24 sts)
Row 25: K1, loopy st 1, k20, loopy st 1, k1.* Row 27: Cast (bind) off 12 sts, k to end (hold 12 sts on spare needle for Right Side of Body).
Step 2
Left Back Leg
Work as for Right Back Leg to *.
Row 26: Purl.
Row 27: K12, cast (bind) off 12 sts (hold
12 sts on spare needle for Left Side of Body).
Step 3
Right Front Leg
With ca, cast on 7 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 2 rows st st.
Row 3: Inc, k2tog, k1, k2tog, inc. (7 sts) Work 3 rows st st.
Row 7: Inc, k5, inc. (9 sts)
Work 3 rows st st.
Row 11: K1, loopy st 1, k5, loopy st 1, k1. Work 3 rows st st.
Row 15: K1, loopy st 1, k5, loopy st 1, k1. Work 3 rows st st.
Row 19: Inc, loopy st 1, k5, loopy st 1, inc. (11 sts)
Row 20: Purl.**
Row 21: Cast (bind) off 5 sts, k to end (hold 6 sts on spare needle for Right Side of Body).
Step 4
Left Front Leg
Work as for Right Front Leg to **.
Row 21: K6, cast (bind) off 5 sts (hold 6 sts on spare needle for Left Side of Body).
Step 5
Right Side of Body
Row 1: With ca, cast on 1 st, with RS facing k6 from spare needle of Right Front Leg, cast on 3 sts. (10 sts)
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: K10, cast on 4 sts. (14 sts) Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: Inc, k13, cast on 3 sts. (18 sts) Row 6: Purl.
Row 7: K18, cast on 4 sts. (22 sts)
Row 8: Purl.
Row 9: K22, with RS facing k12 from spare needle of Right Back Leg. (34 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Row 15: K32, k2tog. (33 sts)
Row 16: Purl.
Row 17: K31, k2tog. (32 sts)
Row 18: Purl.
Row 19: K30, k2tog. (31 sts)
Row 20: Purl.
Row 21: K29, k2tog. (30 sts)
Row 22: Cast (bind) off 21 sts, p to end (hold 9 sts on spare needle for right neck).
Step 6
Left Side of Body
Row 1: With ca, cast on 1 st, with WS facing p6 from spare needle of Left Front Leg, cast on 3 sts. (10 sts)
Row 2: Knit.
Row 3: P10, cast on 4 sts. (14 sts) Row 4: Knit.
Row 5: Inc, p13, cast on 3 sts. (18 sts) Row 6: Knit.
Row 7: P18, cast on 4 sts. (22 sts)
Row 8: Knit.
Row 9: P22, with WS facing p12 from spare needle of Left Back Leg. (34 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Row 15: P32, p2tog. (33 sts)
Row 16: Knit.
Row 17: P31, p2tog. (32 sts)
Row 18: Knit.
Row 19: P30, p2tog. (31 sts)
Row 20: Knit.
Row 21: P29, p2tog. (30 sts)
Row 22: Cast (bind) off 21 sts, k to end (hold 9 sts on spare needle for left neck).
Step 7
Neck and Head
Row 1: With ca and with RS facing, k9 held for neck from spare needle of Right Side of Body, then k9 held for neck from spare needle of Left Side of Body. (18 sts)
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: Knit.
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: Inc, k16, inc. (20 sts) Row 6: Purl.
Row 7: K17, wrap and turn (leave 3 sts on left-hand needle unworked).
Row 8: Working top of head on centre 14 sts only, p14, w&t.
Row 9: K14, w&t.
Row 10: P14, w&t.
Row 11: K14, w&t.
Row 12: P14, w&t.
Row 13: Knit across all sts. (20 sts in total) Work 3 rows st st.
Row 17: K16, w&t (leave 4 sts on left-hand needle unworked).
Row 18: Working top of head on centre 12 sts only, p12, w&t.
Row 19: K12, w&t.
Row 20: P12, w&t.
Row 21: K12, w&t.
Row 22: P12, w&t.
Row 23: Knit across all sts. (20 sts in total) Row 24: Purl.
Row 25: K4, [k2tog] twice, k4, [k2tog] twice, k4. (16 sts)
Row 26: Purl.
Row 27: K4, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k4. (14 sts) Row 28: Purl.
Row 29: K3, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k3. (12 sts) Work 3 rows st st.
Row 33: K2tog, k8, k2tog. (10 sts)
Row 34: Purl.
Cast (bind) off.
Step 8
Tail
The Retriever has quite a muscular tail as it’s a great wagger.

Tail
With ca, cast on 1 st. Row 1: Inc. (2 sts)
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: [Inc] twice. (4 sts) Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: K1, inc, k2. (5 sts) Row 6: Purl.
Row 7: K2, loopy st 1, k2. Row 8: Purl.
Row 9: Knit.
Row 10: Purl.
Rep rows 7–10 twice more.
Row 19: Inc, k1, loopy st 1, k1, inc. (7 sts) Work 3 rows st st.
Row 23: K3, loopy st 1, k3.
Row 24: Purl.
Row 25: Knit.
Row 26: Purl.
Rep rows 23–26 once more.
Row 31: K3, loopy st 1, k3.
Row 32: Purl.
Cast (bind) off.
Step 9
Tummy
With ca, cast on 1 st. Row 1: Inc. (2 sts)
Row 2: [Inc] twice. (4 sts) Row 3: Inc, k2, inc. (6 sts) Row 4: Inc, p4, inc. (8 sts) Work 18 rows st st.
Row 23: K3, loopy st 2, k3. Row 24: Purl.
Row 25: Knit.
Row 26: Purl.
Rep rows 23–26, 6 times more. Row 51: K1, loopy st 6, k1. Row 52: Purl.
Row 53: Knit.
Row 54: Purl.
Rep rows 51–54 once more.
Row 59: K2tog, loopy st 4, k2tog. (6 sts) Work 3 rows st st.
Row 63: K1, loopy st 4, k1.
Work 15 rows st st.
Row 79: K2tog, k2, k2tog. (4 sts) Work 11 rows st st.
Row 91: [K2tog] twice. (2 sts) Row 92: Purl.
Row 93: K2tog and fasten off.
Step 10
Ear
(make 2 the same)
With ca, cast on 7 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 5 rows st st. Row 6: P2tog, p3, p2tog. (5 sts) Row 7: K2tog, k1, k2tog. (3 sts) Row 8: Purl.
Row 9: K3tog and fasten off.
Step 11
Head
Stuff the nose carefully so there is a nice curve to the chin.

Collar
With tx, cast on 30 sts. Knit one row.
Cast (bind) off.
Step 12
To Make Up

SEWING IN ENDS Sew in ends, leaving ends from cast on and cast (bound) off rows for sewing up.
LEGS With WS together, fold leg in half. Starting at paw, sew up leg on RS.
BODY Sew along back of dog and 2cm (3⁄4in) down bottom.
HEAD Fold cast (bound) off row of head in half and sew from nose to chin.
TUMMY Sew cast on row of tummy to where you have finished sewing down bottom, and sew cast (bound) off row to chin. Ease and sew tummy to fit body. Leave a 2.5cm (1in) gap between front and back legs on one side. STUFFING Pipecleaners are used to stiffen the legs and help bend them into shape. Fold a pipecleaner into a ‘U’ shape and measure against front two legs. Cut to approximately fit, leaving an extra 2.5cm (1in) at both ends. Fold these ends over to stop pipecleaner poking out of paws. Roll a little stuffing around pipecleaner and slip into body, one end down each front leg. Repeat with second pipecleaner and back legs. Starting at the head, stuff the dog firmly, then sew up the gap. Mould body into shape.
TAIL Sew up tail on RS and sew to dog where back meets bottom, with loops on underside.
EARS Sew cast on row of each ear to side of dog’s head, with wrong side of ears facing downwards. Attach at an angle sloping down towards back, so 6 sts between front of ears, 10 sts between back of ears.
EYES With bl, sew 2-loop French knots with 1 tiny straight stitch on the outside, positioned as in photograph.
NOSE With bl, embroider nose in satin stitch. COLLAR Sew ends of collar together and pop over head.