The Queen has owned Pembroke Welsh corgis since she was given her first pet, named Susan, for her eighteenth birthday in 1944. The breed is well known for being hardworking – though if the truth be told, the Queen's own corgis have not had to work that hard. They live in wicker baskets in a box room in the palace and are fed from silver bowls. They are used to journeys in chauffeur-driven limousines and private planes.

You will need

For the dog

10g (1/4oz) or approx 10m/11yds of ochre DK yarn

Small amount of cream DK yarn

Very small amounts of black and purple DK yarn

A small star-shaped purple button for the collar

5g (1/8oz) polyester toy-stuffing

Use size 3mm (US 2 or 3) knitting needles throughout unless stated otherwise, and a size 3.25mm (US D-3) crochet hook.

Pattern

Body and head

Side 1:

• Cast on 15 sts in ochre.

• Next row: K2, inc1, K6 then turn, leaving rem sts on needle.

• Work on 10 sts just knitted only.

• Next row: P to end.

• Next row: K2, m1, K8 then turn, leaving rem sts on needle.

• Work on 11 sts just knitted only.

• Next row: P.

• Next row: K2, m1, K to end (across all sts on needle). [18 sts]

• Next row: P.

• Next row: K2, m1, K to end. [19 sts]

• Work 3 rows in st st beg with a P row.

• Next row: K17, k2tog. [18 sts]

• Next row: Cast (bind) off 10 sts pwise, P to end. [8 sts]

• Next row: Cast on 5 sts, K to end. [13 sts]

• Next row: p2tog, P to end. [12 sts]

• Next row: K.

• Next row: p2tog, P to end. [11 sts]

• Next row: Cast (bind) off 2 sts, K to end. [9 sts]

• Next row: p2tog, P to end. [8 sts]

• Next row: k2tog, K to end. [7 sts]

• Next row: p2tog, P to end. [6 sts]

• Next row: K.

• Next row: p2tog, P to end. [5 sts]

• Cast (bind) off.

Side 2:

• Cast on 15 sts in ochre.

• 1st row: P2, inc1 pwise, K6 then turn, leaving rem sts on needle.

• Work on 10 sts just knitted only.

• Next row: K to end.

• Next row: P2, m1 pwise, P8 then turn, leaving rem sts on needle.

• Work on 11 sts just knitted only.

• Next row: K.

• Next row: P2, m1 pwise, P to end (across all sts on needle). [18 sts]

• Next row: K.

• Next row: P2, m1 pwise, P to end. [19 sts]

• Work 3 rows in st st beg with a K row.

• Next row: P17, p2tog. [18 sts]

• Next row: Cast (bind) off 10 sts, K to end. [8 sts]

• Next row: Cast on 5 sts, P to end. [13 sts]

• Next row: k2tog, K to end. [12 sts]

• Next row: P.

• Next row: k2tog, K to end. [11 sts]

• Next row: Cast off 2 sts pwise, P to end. [9 sts]

• Next row: k2tog, K to end. [8 sts]

• Next row: p2tog, P to end. [7 sts]

• Next row: k2tog, K to end. [6 sts]

• Next row: P.

• Next row: k2tog, K to end. [5 sts]

• Cast (bind) off pwise.

Front bib – make 1

The bib is knitted from the bottom to the top.

• Cast on 4 sts in cream.

• Work 2 rows in st st beg with a K row.

• Next row: K1, m1, K2, m1, K1. [6 sts]

• Next row: P.

• Next row: K1, m1, K4, m1, K1. [8 sts]

• Work 9 rows in st st beg with a P row.

• Cast (bind) off loosely.

Back legs – make 2

• Cast on 6 sts in cream.

• Work 2 rows in st st beg with a K row.

• Break yarn and join ochre yarn.

• Work 2 rows in st st beg with a K row.

• Next row: K1, m1, K4, m1, K1. [8 sts]

• Next row: P.

• Next row: K1, m1, K6, m1, K1. [10 sts]

• Next row: P.

• Cast (bind) off.

Front legs – make 2

• Cast on 6 sts in cream.

• Work 2 rows in st st beg with a K row.

• Cast (bind) off.

Ears – make 2

• Using size 2.75 mm (US 2) needles, cast on 4 sts in ochre.

• K 3 rows.

• Next row: (k2tog) twice. [2 sts]

• Next row: k2tog.

• Break yarn and pull it through rem st.

Collar

Work a 6.5cm (2 1/2-inch) crochet chain in purple DK yarn.

Making up

Sew the two body and head sides together, leaving a small gap for stuffing. Stuff the dog and close the gap. Seam and stuff the legs and oversew them in position. Oversew the ears in position. Oversew the bib to the front of the dog.

Using black yarn, work a small circle of chain stitch for the nose and two French knots for the eyes. To stop the French knots disappearing or looking uneven, you may want to work a ring of small chain stitches round the eyes using ochre yarn.

Work a row of cream chain stitch round the nose, then down to the top of the bib. Work a row of chain stitch from the top of the nose up the centre of the face and half way back down the face. Separate a short length of black yarn lengthwise so you have two thinner lengths of yarn. Use one of these to make a single straight stitch for the mouth.

Place the collar round the dog's neck and join the two short ends. Stitch the star button in place.

• Knit Your Own Royal Wedding is published by Ivy Press, £9.99,

ISBN: 978-1-907332-79-1. For more hints and tips – including how to knit the archbishop of Canterbury – see the book.