Although I have crocheted accessories for the guinea pigs in the past, I was surprised to find that I had never made them a sweater! So here’s a pattern in case you had the same realization as me, or your favorite piggie is cold, or you’re just looking for a great photo op. 🙂
Materials
- Small amount of worsted weight yarn (category 4)
- H (5.00 MM) crochet hook
- Guinea pig!
Notes
The guinea pig who modeled the sweater, Clover, is a bit bigger than the typical pet-store variety, so you may need to adjust the number of rows to fit the pig in question. (If your pig is skinnier, I suggest replacing the “Rows 7-39” with “Rows 7-31” to make it shorter (make sure to end on an odd-numbered row, or the armholes will be off.)
The entire sweater is worked in BACK LOOPS ONLY! This makes the ribbed effect (which will also help the sweater stretch to fit.)
Also, a note on turning: After you chain 1, if you turn the crochet like you’re turning the pages of a book, it will create the neatest edges and will also minimize curling.
Edit: Sorry, I forgot to write Row 42 in the pattern. It is fixed as of 1/11/15. 🙂
Guinea Pig Sweater
Row 1: Ch 16, sc in 2nd ch from hk and in each ch across. (15)
Row 2-4: Ch 1, turn*, sc in each st across.
Row 5: Ch 1, turn, sc in first 3 sts, ch 7, sk 7, sc in last 5 sts.
Row 6: Ch 1, turn, sc in first 5 sts, sc in back loop of next 7 ch, sc in last 3 sts.
Row 7-39: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across.
Row 40: Ch 1, turn, sc in first 5 sts, ch 7, sk 7, sc in last 3 sts.
Row 41: Ch 1, turn, sc in first 3 sts, sc in back loop of next 7 ch, sc in last 5 sts.
Row 42: Ch 1, turn, sc in first 5 sts, sc in back loop of next 7 ch, sc in last 3 sts.
Row 43-45: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st across.
I added a sc border across the top. Then fasten off and weave in your ends (you could add a fancy edging, too, like ruffles or picots!)
The chain 7 spaces are the armholes, and the sweater is open on the bottom for ease of dressing. I was afraid buttons would get caught on their fur, but if you have a short-haired pig, try adding buttonholes and sewing on buttons. I will warn you, it’s very hard to get a guinea pig in a sweater (although it’s easier than a chicken!). Keep a sharp eye on them so they don’t eat it…that’s too much fiber for their diet!
So, I dont have a guinea pig, but I wanted to see the pictures of yours, and I was a little confused by the white specks going across my screen (totallythought my eyes were playing tricks on me for a moment!) butI love your snow! It is so cute. (I hope all that makes sense.) and I wish you a happy holiday!
Thank you, dragonsashes! I’m quite fond of the snow too, it’s one of the reasons I love WordPress so much. (Although I was very surprised the first time my blog started snowing!) Hope you have a happy holiday too! 🙂
Hey there, I’m wondering why I can’t see a lot of the photos on your site. I really want to see and make the guinea pig sweater for my cavie. Do you have a photo of it posted anywhere else? The photos on your webpage aren’t loading for me.
Can you send a picture of this guinea pig sweater?
So, I dont have a guinea pig, but I wanted to see the pictures of yours, and I was a little confused by the white specks going across my screen (totallythought my eyes were playing tricks on me for a moment!) butI love your snow! It is so cute. (I hope all that makes sense.) and I wish you a happy holiday!
Thank you, dragonsashes! I’m quite fond of the snow too, it’s one of the reasons I love WordPress so much. (Although I was very surprised the first time my blog started snowing!) Hope you have a happy holiday too! 🙂
Making this sweater for my best friend’s daughter’s guinea pig and as I was finishing it I noticed that row 42 is missing. Should I end the sweater on Row 44? Thank you!
Whoops, I actually just forgot to write Row 42 down! There are 45 rows all together. Thanks for pointing that out, it’s fixed now! I’m sure the guinea pig in question will look great in her new sweater – let me know if anything else needs clarification! 🙂
Making this sweater for my best friend’s daughter’s guinea pig and as I was finishing it I noticed that row 42 is missing. Should I end the sweater on Row 44? Thank you!
Whoops, I actually just forgot to write Row 42 down! There are 45 rows all together. Thanks for pointing that out, it’s fixed now! I’m sure the guinea pig in question will look great in her new sweater – let me know if anything else needs clarification! 🙂
hi making this for a friend.I have never really seen a pig in real life.and looking at my work(round 21) thinking im doing this wrong.Do you have a picture? 🙂
What does sk mean? I didn’t see it in your list of abbreviations in crochet resources.
Hi Kaysie! “Sk” means “skip” here, thanks for pointing out it wasn’t in my abbreviations, I’ve now added it. 🙂
Why can’t I see the photos 🙁
Me either … I would like to see clover in his sweater!
Should rows 1 – 5 also be done in back loop only? You mention in your NOTES the entire thing should be done BLO, but you didn’t write this on the instruction lines for 1 – 5. If every row should be worked in the back loop then I’m confused that the actual body of the pattern doesn’t say that. Sorry I don’t understand, but thanks for the help.
Yes, every row should be done in the back loop only. Sorry for the confusion! I’ll edit the pattern when I get a chance, thanks for pointing it out 🙂
Please share a photo ❤️
Do you have a photo of this? I would like to make one.
Hi, this keeps curling up on me. I started with the rec hook size of 5mm. It curled up a ton so I frogged it and went to a 5.25mm and it’s still curling. Should I go up to a 6? Keep going as is? Will is straighten out on it’s own? Thank you!!
Hi, sorry I didn’t see this sooner! This fabric has a tendency to curl, it isn’t just you. When you put it on the guinea pig, the curling will not be so noticeable. You could block it to make it stop curling, but I never block anything if I can help it haha. So I would just keep going and don’t worry about the curling!