Cachepot « Dog ». 2 in 1: Crochet or knit

 

With this pattern, you can create an extraordinary decorative plant pot cover by either knitting or crocheting.

It’s perfect for storing small items – whether it’s keys in the hallway, special little things, or even collecting chestnuts in the golden autumn.For this project, I intentionally chose to use leftover yarn and let spontaneity guide the process. Let’s see what – or who – comes to life!

I’ve created two versions: one for knitting enthusiasts and one for crochet lovers. This way, you can choose the technique that suits you best and the result that appeals to you more.

The knitting instructions can be found directly after the crochet section.

 

You will need the following materials to crochet:

– Any yarn remnants 100 gr /350 m

*The yarn leftovers should be as similar in size as possible to ensure a harmonious final result. If you use yarns of very different thicknesses, the body might end up disproportionately large and the head too small – or the other way around. So make sure to combine yarn remnants with similar weight to achieve a balanced and cohesive look.

– Crochet hook 2.25 mm (important, the size should match the yarn so that the stitches are even).

– Needle, scissors, glue, hollow fiber stuffing, eye buttons or black eyes to sew on.

 – Plastic bottle or bottle base: For my project, I used a 1.5-liter bottle – it was a perfect match for my yarn. If you're using different yarn, crochet the pot cover first, then check which bottle size fits best.

 

Abbreviations:

ch – chain

sc – single crochet

inc – increase

dec – decrease, two single crochets together

hdc – half double crochet 

 

Body

I chose a yarn in a mixed light brown for the main part of the body.

1. Crochet 6 sc in a Magic Ring

2. 6 inc  = 12 sc

3. (1 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 18 sc

4. (2 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 24 sc

5. (3 sc , 1 inc ) х 6 = 30 sc

6. (4 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 36 sc

7. (5 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 42 sc

8. (6 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 48 sc

9. (7 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 54 sc

10. (8 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 60 sc

11. (9 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 66 sc

12. (10 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 72 sc

13. (11 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 78 sc

14 – 30 = 78 sc

31. (11 sc , 1 dec) х 6 = 72 sc

32. (10 sc , 1 dec) х 6 = 66 sc

Close, cut the thread. Leave a long end thread.

  

I used a bottle with a diameter of 7 cm (a 1.5-liter bottle) and shortened it by about 6 cm in height. Make sure the plastic piece fits exactly with the crocheted section – both should be tightly connected. The final round with decreases ensures that the edge of the plastic part is securely enclosed and remains stable.

 

Legs (crochet 4 pieces)

I chose a dark brown yarn for the legs. The dark color provides a nice contrast and makes the structure stand out particularly well.

1. Crochet 6 sc in a Magic Ring

2. 6 inc  = 12 sc

3. (1 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 18 sc

4. (2 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 24 sc

5. 24 sc into the back loop

 

6 – 10. 24 sc

11. (3 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 30 sc

Close off and cut the yarn, leaving a long tail.

For extra stability, you can insert small round plastic pieces into the legs. Cut them to match the shape of your pieces so they fit snugly at the bottom. Then stuff the legs with fiberfill to give them a firm and even shape.

 

 

Tail

I used the same yarn for the tail as for the main part - light brown.

1. Crochet 6 sc in a Magic Ring

2. 6 sc

3. (1 sc , 1 inc) х 3 = 9 sc

4. (2 sc , 1 inc) х 3 = 12 sc

5. 12 sc

6. (5 sc , 1 inc) х 2 = 14 sc

7. 14 sc

8. (6 sc , 1 inc) х 2 = 16 sc

9. 16 sc

10. (7 sc , 1 inc) х 2 = 18 sc

11. 18 sc

12. (8 sc , 1 inc) х 2 = 20 sc

13. 20 sc

14. (9 sc , 1 inc) х 2 = 22 sc

15. Fold the piece in half and crochet both edges together using 11 single crochets.

Leave the piece unstuffed, then close it and cut the yarn. Make sure to leave a long tail so you can easily continue working with it later.

 

Head

I chose a medium brown yarn for the head.

1. Crochet 6 sc in a Magic Ring

2. 6 inc  = 12 sc

3. (1 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 18 sc

4. (2 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 24 sc

5. (3 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 30 sc

6. (4 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 36 sc

7. (5 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 42 sc

8. (6 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 48 sc

9 – 15. 48 sc

16. 10 sc , (1 dec , 3 sc) х 3, 23 sc  = 45 sc

17. 8 sc , (1 dec , 3 sc) х 3, 22 sc  = 42 sc

18. 25 sc , 17 Hdc = 42

19. 7 sc , (1 dec , 3 sc) х 3, 5 sc , (3 Hdc, 1 dec) х 3 = 36

20. 5 sc , (1 dec , 3 sc) х 3, 4 sc , (2 Hdc, 1 dec) х 3 = 30

21, 22. 30 sc

23. 5 sc , (1 dec , 2 sc) х 3, 13 sc  = 27 sc  

24, 25. 27 sc

As you crochet, gradually add filling material so that the head looks even.

26. 4 sc , (1 dec , 2 sc) х 3, 11 sc  = 24 sc  

27, 28. 24 sc

29. 4 sc , (1 dec , 2 sc) х 3, 8 sc  = 21 sc  

30. 21 sc

31. 4 sc , (1 dec , 1 sc) х 3, 8 sc  = 18 sc  

32. (1 sc , 1 dec) х 6 = 12 sc

Change the thread color to a darker brown for the tip of the nose.

33, 34. 12 sc

35. 6 dec  = 6 sc

Close the remaining stitch and cut the thread.

 

Ears (2 parts)

I chose a deep dark brown as the yarn color, which provides a nice contrast and brings out the structure particularly well.

1. Crochet 6 sc in a Magic Ring

2. 6 inc  = 12 sc

3. (1 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 18 sc

4. (2 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 24 sc

5, 6. 24 sc

7. (3 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 30 sc

8, 9. 30 sc

10. (4 sc , 1 inc) х 6 = 36 sc

11. 36 sc

12. (4 sc , 1 dec) х 6 = 30 sc

13. 30 sc

14. (3 sc , 1 dec) х 6 = 24 sc

15. (2 sc , 1 dec) х 6 = 18 sc

16 – 19. 18 sc

20. Fold the piece in half and crochet both edges together using 9 single crochets.

Leave the piece unstuffed and fasten the thread. Make sure you leave a long end thread so that you can easily finish it later.

 

Neck

I used the same yarn for this piece as for the head - a medium brown.

Attach 24 ch and close to form a circle.

1, 2. 24 sc

3. (10 sc , 1 dec) х 2 = 22 sc

4. (9 sc , 1 dec) х 2 = 20 sc

5. (8 sc , 1 dec) х 2 = 18 sc

Leave the part without filler. Close, cut the thread. Leave a long end thread when cutting.

 

Bag

I used the same yarn for this part as for the head - a medium brown.

21 Ch,

1. starting from the 2nd ch from the hook 20 sc ,  turn work = 20 sc

2- 11. 1 Ch , 20 sc ,  turn work

Für einen schönen und gleichmäßigen Rand häkle entlang der drei Seiten feste Maschen.

Schließen, den Faden abschneiden.

 

ASSEMBLY

Lege die Beine auf die Unterseite des Hauptteils und nähe sie an.

 

For a more stable construction, you can secure the plastic piece with some glue. Then, I stitched the last round at the top edge of the plastic base with a needle. Next comes the tail piece – simply attach and sew it carefully. Make sure to sew the tail and legs logically so that the entire structure remains harmonious.

 

Attach the neck to the opposite side of the tail. Sew it to the plastic part.

Sew the bag to the side of the body. Make sure that the seam is stable so that the bag holds securely.

 

Now let's finish the head.

The ears should be positioned roughly between rounds 8 and 14 from the beginning. Simply decide at which height you like the placement best, and then sew them on securely.

 

Using dark brown yarn—like the one on the tip of the nose—we’ll stitch a few stitches for the mouth.
The line starts about 12 rounds below the dark part of the nose.

 

For the eyes, I sometimes try out different buttons. When shopping, it’s worth paying attention to special options – you often find unexpectedly creative designs that fit perfectly with our project. Around the 18th round from the start of crocheting the head, I tried out various eyes. Just choose what you have available and what suits your dog best.

   

The head is now attached to the neck.

 

Do not stuff the neck area when sewing; instead, fold it in half and secure it well. To keep the head stable, adjust its tilt and attach the ears with a few stitches to the plastic part of the body. This way, the head stays firmly anchored—otherwise, it might tip forward. The ears, which we sew onto the body, also help stabilize it.

I also stitched a decorative seam on the pocket using dark brown yarn.

Now your new friend can guard your little treasures by the door. Or it can simply be a pretty decoration for your flowers. Maybe you’ll fill it with chestnuts in the fall — or with other small items you need, like bags for walking your dog.

   

 

KNITTED VERSION OF THE CACHEPOT

When knitting, I used only two needles and sewed the pieces together at the end. That’s why my odd-numbered rows are knit stitches and the even-numbered rows are purl stitches. However, if you prefer to knit with three or four needles, then knit all the pieces entirely in knit stitches.

 

You will need the following materials to knitting:

– Cotton yarn Gazzal Baby love 50 gr /115 m

– fluffy  Garn YarnArt mink 50 gr /75 m

– spokes 2, 5

– Needle, scissors, glue, hollow fiber stuffing, Eye buttons.

– Plastic bottle or bottle base: For my project, I used a 1-liter bottle – it was a perfect match for my yarn. If you're using different yarn, crochet the pot cover first, then check which bottle size fits best.

Abbreviations:

CO – cast on   

K – knit    

P – purl       

inc – increase      

dec – decrease 

 

I wanted to knit this pot cover using a fluffy yarn to imitate the texture of dog fur a bit. But of course, you can also simply knit everything with cotton yarn in one variant.

 

Body

I chose cotton yarn for the main part of the body.

Cast on 80 stitches onto one knitting needle.

1. 80 K

2. 80 P

3. 80 K

4. 80 P

5. 80 K

6. 80 P

7. 80 K

8. 80 P

8. 80 K

10. 80 P

11. 80 K

12. 80 P

13. 80 K

14. 80 P

15. 80 K

16. 80 P

17. 80 K

18. 80 P

19. 80 K

20. 80 P

21. 80 K

22. 80 P

23. 80 K

24. 80 P

25. (6 K, 1 dec) х 10 = 70 K

26. 70 P

27. (5 K, 1 dec) х 10 = 60 K

28. 60 P

29. (4 K, 1 dec) х 10 = 50 K

30. 50 P

31. 50 K

32. 50 P

33. (3 K, 1 dec) х 10 = 40 K

34. 40 P

35. 40 K

36. 40 P

37. (2 K, 1 dec) х 10 = 30 K

38. 30 P

39. (1 K, 1 dec) х 10 = 20 K

40. 20 P

41. 10 dec  = 10 K

42. 10 P

43. 5 dec  = 5

44. 5 P

Carefully bind off the remaining stitches, secure the yarn, and then cut it. Sew the head together.

I used a bottle with a diameter of 8.5 cm and cut off about 6 cm in height. Make sure your plastic part fits well with the knitted section. Both parts should fit snugly together. For a more stable construction, you can secure the plastic part with some glue. Then I used a needle to sew the final round to the top edge of the plastic base.

   

 

Head

I chose cotton yarn for the head.

Cast on 5 stitches onto one knitting needle.

1. 5 K inc  = 10

2. 10 P inc  = 20

3. (1 K, 1 inc) х 10 = 30 K

4. 30 P

5. (2 K, 1 inc) х 10 = 40 K

6. 40 P

7. 40 K

8. 40 P

9. 40 K

10. 40 P

11. 40 K

12. 40 P

13. 40 K

14. 40 P

15. 40 K

16. 40 P

17. 40 K

18. 40 P

19. 40 K

20. 40 P

21. 10 K, (3 K, 1 dec) х 4, 10 K = 36 K

22. 36 P

23. 10 K, (2 K, 1 dec) х 4, 10 K = 32 K

24. 32 P

25. 10 K, (1 K, 1 dec) х 4, 10 K = 28 K

26. 28 P

27. 28 K

28. 28 P

While you are knitting the pattern, add filler material.

29. 6 K, (2 K, 1 dec) х 4, 6 K = 24 K

30. 24 P

31. 6 K, (2 K, 1 dec) х 3, 6 K = 21 K

32. 21 P

33. 21 K

34. 21 P

35. 6 K, (1 K, 1 dec) х 3, 6 K = 18 K

36. 18 P

37. 18 K

38. 18 P

39. 4 K, (1 re , 1 dec) х 3, 5 K = 15 K

40. 15 P

41. 3 K, (1 K, 1 dec) х 3, 3 K = 12 K

42. 12 P

Change the color of the thread for the tip of the nose to black.

43. 12 K

44. 12 P

Carefully fasten off the remaining stitches, fasten the thread securely and then cut. Sew the head together.

 

 

Legs (4 parts)

I chose cotton yarn for the legs.

Cast on 24 stitches onto one knitting needle.

1. 24 K

2. 24 P

3. 24 K

4. 24 P

5. 24 K

6. 24 P

7. 24 K

8. 24 P

9. 24 K

10. 24 P

11. 24 K

12. 24 P

13. (2 K, 1 dec ) х 6 = 18 K

14. 18 P

15. (1 K, 1 dec ) х 6 = 12 K

16. 12 P

17. 6 dec  = 6 K

18. 6 P

Carefully bind off the remaining stitches, secure the yarn, and then cut it. Sew the piece together along both edges. For a more stable construction, you can fix the plastic part in place with a bit of glue.

Then, I used a needle to sew the final round to the top edge of the plastic base. Next comes the tail piece – simply attach it and sew it on carefully. Make sure the tail and legs are sewn in a logical way so that the entire structure remains balanced and harmonious.

 

Tail

The tail is knitted from fluffy yarn.

Cast on 20 stitches onto one knitting needle.

1. 20 K

2. 20 P

3. 1 dec , 16 K, 1 dec  = 18 K

4. 18 P

5. 1 dec , 14 K, 1 dec  = 16 K

6. 16 P

7. 1 dec , 12 K, 1 dec  = 14 K

8. 14 P

9. 1 dec , 10 K, 1 dec  = 12 K

10. 12 P

11. 1 dec , 8 K, 1 dec  = 10 K

12. 10 P

13. 1 dec , 6 K, 1 dec  = 8 K

14. 8 P

15. 1 dec , 4 K, 1 dec  = 6 K

16. 6 P

17. 1 dec , 2 K, 1 dec  = 4 K

18. 4 P

19. 2 dec  = 2 K

20. 2 P

Carefully bind off the remaining stitches, secure the yarn, and then cut it. Sew the piece together along both edges. Leave the piece unstuffed.

 

 

Ears (2 parts)

The ears are knitted from fluffy yarn.

Cast on 6 stitches onto one knitting needle.

1. 6 K

2. 6 P

3. 1 inc , 4 K, 1 inc  = 8 K

4. 8 P

5. (1 K, 1 inc) х 4 = 12 K

6. 12 P

7. (2 K, 1 inc) х 4 = 16 K

8. 16 P

9. (3 K, 1 inc) х 4 = 20 K

10. 20 P

11. 20 K

12. 20 P

13. 1 dec , 16 K, 1 dec  = 18 K

14. 18 P

15. 1 dec , 14 K, 1 dec  = 16 K

16. 16 P

17.1 dec , 12 K, 1 dec  = 14 K

18. 14 P

19.1 dec , 10 K, 1 dec  = 12 K

20. 12 P

21.1 dec , 8 K, 1 dec  = 10 K

22. 10 P

23.1 dec , 6 K, 1 dec  = 8 K

24. 8 P

25. 8 K

Carefully fasten off the remaining stitches, fasten the thread securely and leave it for sewing on. Sew the piece together along both edges.

 

Neck

This piece is knitted from cotton yarn.

Cast on 24 stitches onto one knitting needle.

1. 24 K

2. 24 P

3. 24 K

4. 24 P

5. 24 K

6. 24 P

7. 24 K

8. 24 P

9. 24 K

10. 24 P

Carefully bind off the remaining stitches, secure the yarn, and leave a long tail for sewing. Sew the piece together along both edges. Leave the piece unstuffed.

 

 

Bag

The bag is knitted from fluffy yarn.

Cast on 24 stitches onto one knitting needle.

1. 24 K

2. 24 P

3. 24 K

4. 24 P

5. 24 K

6. 24 P

7. 24 K

8. 24 P

9. 24 K

10. 24 P

11. 24 K

12. 24 P

Carefully fasten off the remaining stitches and secure the thread. Leave the thread for sewing on.

 

ASSEMBLY

Place the legs on the underside of the main part and sew them on.

Sew the tail onto the edge of the plastic base. Make sure that the tail and legs are positioned logically so the entire structure remains balanced and harmonious.

 

Attach the neck on the opposite side of the tail. Sew it securely to the plastic part.

Sew the pocket onto one side. However, keep in mind that the decorative stitching isn’t very visible on the fluffy material in this version.

The head is now attached to the neck.

Do not stuff the neck area before sewing; instead, fold it in half and secure it well. To keep the head stable, adjust its angle and attach the ears to the plastic part of the body with a few stitches. This way, the head will stay firmly in place—otherwise, it might tilt forward. The ears sewn onto the body help to stabilize it.

   

Now you can find a perfect spot for your finished cachepot. I really like both versions. I’m looking forward to seeing your planter creations!