Is it the Year of the Emotional Support Dog?

It feels like for several years now the knitting community has been in the throws of its emotional support chicken era. As of this writing the original pattern for the emotional support chicken is the subject of nearly 14,000 projects on Ravelry, which is not even to mention all the people (myself included!) who knit it without sharing on Ravelry about it.

The pattern came out in 2023 and still gets hundreds of visits a day on Ravelry. It’s now available in five languages, so people all over the world can knit their own chickens.

And why not? We need all the emotional support we can get in these trying times (and that’s describing the times incredibly lightly).

But maybe it’s time to retire the emotional support chicken, or at least expand our repertoire of knit comfort animals.

If you’re in the market for a different kind of emotional support knitting project, Lion Brand would like to suggest a dog.

A Dachshund, to be precise.

The Comforting Dachshund knitting patterns uses two colors of DK weight yarn to make a doggie that’s about 13 inches/33 cm long and 5 inches/12.7 cm tall. You could of course use the same pattern for worsted weight yarn and make a bigger dog if that’s a thing you might like.

Because as Dachshund is pretty sausagey in shape, this is a relatively easy knitting pattern with a skill level rating of easy. The face has some shaping but most of the body is just a straight tube, with the ears, tail and legs knit separately.

In fact, all of the pieces are knit separately, including the head and the body, so there are nine pieces in all. They are all worked flat, seamed, stuffed and sewn together. Safety eyes were used in the sample project but you could also embroider eyes if you wanted to make this for a baby.

The Dachshund pattern is available for free from Lion Brand, or you can buy the materials (excluding the eyes) direct from them.

[Photo: Lion Brand]

Some sweater patterns quietly join the knitting queue. Others make you mentally rearrange your entire winter wardrobe before you’ve even checked the yarn requirements.

The Sandok Cable Sweater by Tuva Sandok falls firmly into the second category. With bold cables, a generous silhouette and a high neckline finished with decorative buttons, this is a statement knit with plenty of cosy appeal.

What draws me to this design is the balance between traditional texture and a relaxed shape. It has that lovely, substantial cable-sweater look, but I’d style it simply: jeans, boots and perhaps a promise to stop buying yarn until the sleeves are finished.

This review looks at the published pattern information and the practical considerations I’d weigh before casting on.

What Makes the Sandok Cable Sweater Stand Out?

The combination of chunky texture and button detailing gives this sweater its personality. I particularly like designs where the knitting provides enough interest that you don’t need much else going on.

For my taste, a solid or gently heathered colour would let those cables do their best work. Cream would feel classic, while moss green or chocolate brown would be tempting alternatives.

If you enjoy comparing different silhouettes before committing to a project, our collection of free cable knit sweater patterns offers more wardrobe inspiration.

How Is the Sandok Cable Sweater Knitted?

The sweater is worked from the top down, beginning with flat sections before the body is joined in the round. Sleeve stitches are picked up and worked in the round.

That construction would appeal to knitters who enjoy working through a garment in stages. However, top-down does not automatically mean beginner-friendly. Following shaping while keeping a cable pattern organised requires attention.

I would approach this as a project for someone already comfortable with garment knitting, picking up stitches and following cable instructions. That is my assessment of the construction, rather than an official difficulty rating.

If cables are still unfamiliar territory, start with one of these cable knitting projects to build your skills. A smaller project is a useful place to discover whether you enjoy crossing stitches while the television is on.

Sandok Cable Sweater Sizing: Understand the Oversized Fit

The revised pattern offers seven sizes, with finished chest circumferences from 120 to 180 cm. The designer recommends approximately 40–60 cm of positive ease.

That is a deliberately generous fit. Positive ease is the difference between your body measurement and the finished garment measurement.

For example, a 140 cm sweater on a 95 cm bust gives 45 cm of positive ease. Measuring a favourite oversized jumper can help you picture that amount of fabric more clearly than a size label.

The listing also describes optional extra front bust width and three sleeve variations.

Those choices are appealing, but I’d still study the measurements before buying yarn. Adding room at the bust and increasing the whole sweater size are different decisions.

What Yarn Does the Sandok Cable Sweater Use?

The recommended combination is Sandnes Garn Peer Gynt held together with Ballerina Chunky Mohair, with 7 mm needles suggested for the main fabric.

If you’re considering Sandok Cable Sweater yarn substitutes, look beyond the weight printed on a ball band. The finished fabric needs the right combination of thickness, drape and stitch definition.

My approach would be to:

Swatch the proposed yarn combination before purchasing the full quantity.
Include cable stitches in the swatch.
Wash and dry it as you intend to care for the sweater.
Check whether the fabric feels comfortable against your neck.
Consider its weight as well as its softness.

A substitute can match stitch gauge and still produce a fabric you don’t enjoy wearing. A little swatching is cheaper than discovering that halfway through the body.

Check the Pattern Version Before Starting

The designer’s website states that a revised version with seven sizes and new charts was published on October 6.

Use the latest download, and follow its gauge instructions carefully. The detailed listing distinguishes between stockinette and cable gauge, which matters when planning the fit.

Also check yarn requirements for your chosen sleeve option and any added length. Personalising a sweater is lovely; running short with half a cuff remaining is considerably less charming.

Is the Sandok Cable Sweater Pattern Worth Considering?

For a knitter who enjoys substantial cables and a roomy silhouette, this is an appealing design. My main considerations would be the oversized fit, the yarn investment and whether I’d enjoy wearing the suggested fabric at the neckline.

It is a paid pattern, available in English and Norwegian. You can find the Sandok Cable Sweater knitting pattern on Ravelry, including the current purchase information and project gallery.

I’d spend a little time looking at finished projects before choosing a size or colour. Seeing a sweater on different bodies can be far more useful than imagining it from a single photograph.

This is the sort of knit I’d choose for the pleasure of making something substantial: an interesting texture to settle into, a shape worth planning carefully, and a finished sweater intended to earn its space in the wardrobe.

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