Labrador Retriever cross stitch pattern

The Labrador's broad head, soft eyes and short, dense coat make it one of the most rewarding dogs to stitch. Yellow Labs range from pale cream to fox red, so the right three or four golds matter more than the pattern size.

Free Labrador Retriever pattern

80 × 80 stitches · 20 DMC colors · Easy · about 23–39 hours · 5.7 × 5.7 in on 14-count

A printable PDF (US Letter and A4) with color and symbol charts, a chart for stitching apps, and a DMC shopping list.

Free Labrador Retriever cross-stitch pattern, stitched preview — Charted by our pattern maker from a computer-generated photo of a yellow Labrador Retriever — not a real dog.

Labrador Retriever coat colors in DMC threads

Each coat color with a light, mid and dark DMC thread — the starting point for shading labrador retriever fur. Your own dog's pattern picks its exact threads from your photo.

Yellow

DMC 3855 Autumn Gold Light
DMC 728 Topaz
DMC 3045 Yellow Beige Dark

Black

DMC 3799 Pewter Gray Very Dark
DMC 310 Black

Chocolate

DMC 632 Desert Sand Ultra Very Dark
DMC 801 Coffee Brown Dark
DMC 938 Coffee Brown Ultra Dark

Threads matched by color difference (CIEDE2000). Look up any other color in our DMC color finder.

Stitching a Labrador Retriever

On a yellow Lab, the ears and the top of the muzzle are usually a shade darker than the face — keep that difference, it's what gives the head its shape.
Black Labs need two or three near-black threads plus a cool gray for the shine on the forehead; a single 310 makes the face flat.

Short, smooth coats

Short coats chart cleanly: big areas of one color with a few shades for the muscles and the light. Keep the color count modest — 15 to 20 is plenty — and let one or two highlight threads on the forehead and nose do the work.

Close-up of the Labrador Retriever chart around the eyes, with a symbol in every square

A close-up of the free chart: every square has a symbol, with a bold line every 10 stitches.

Sizes

The free sample (80 × 80 stitches)
11-count Aida	7.3 × 7.3 in
14-count Aida	5.7 × 5.7 in
16-count Aida	5.0 × 5.0 in
18-count Aida	4.4 × 4.4 in

For your own dog, about 80 stitches wide is a lovely small portrait — quick to stitch and enough for the eyes and markings. Go to 100–120 stitches for more fur detail, or 50–60 for an ornament.

A square crop from the shoulders up suits the Labrador Retriever. Work out other sizes with the size calculator.

Make a pattern of your own Labrador Retriever

Every dog is different — your pattern is made from your photo, with your dog's own markings and colors, a name if you like, and a size that fits your frame. The preview is free.

Upload a photo