Lizzy Dog Sweater

My daughter's friend has a mini Yorkshire terrier, who finds autumn and winter temperatures very disagreeable. Lizzy (the dog) is a very small creature and knitting a sweater for such a tiny dog is a super easy and rewarding task. Here's the pattern I came up with - total length including rib 35 cm, spread width 30 cm:


Instructions:
Cut a 40 cm piece of the yarn to be used for mattress stitch later.
Cast on 54 st with DK yarn on 4 mm needle and work 15 rows of rib 2k 2p, starting on the WS with 2p and ending with 2p stitches. Row 16 (RS): Knit 18, work 18 stitches in pattern, knit 18. You can work the 2 stitch cable (cl1) traditionally or as suggested by Andee Steinman: K2tog, but do not drop sts from left needle; insert right needle between sts just worked together and k into first st again; drop both sts from left needle.
Row 18 (RS): k18, p2, cl1, p2, slip 3 st to cable needle in front of work, work 3 st, place the 3 st from the cable needle back on the left needle and turn. Work only this half of the sweater (27 st) for further 5 rows, ending with a WS. This creates the hole for the lead, hidden in the cable.
Row 24 (RS): work 27 stitches in pattern, then with a crochet hook slip stitch the thread along the edge of the half cable (thus avoiding cutting the yarn and weaving in ends) and continue to work the other 27 stitches. Work further 5 rows in pattern only over this half of the sweater.
Row 25 (WS): Work all 54 stitches in pattern.
Continue to work in pattern for further 8 rows.
Row 34 (RS): K8, k2tog and turn work.
Row 35 (WS): p2tog, p to the end. Work on the remaining 7 stitches for 10 more rows.
Row 46 (RS): k7, make 1, then with a crochet hook slip stitch the thread along the edge of the leg opening, ssk, work in pattern for 34 st, k2tog, turn work.
Row 35 of central part (WS): p2tog, work in pattern to the last two st, p2togtbl
Work further 10 rows over these central 32 st.
Row 46 (RS): m1, work in pattern 32 st, m1, then with a crochet hook slip stitch the thread along the edge of the leg opening, ssk, work in pattern for 8 st, turn work.
Row 35 of the left part (WS): work 7 st, p2togtbl.
Work further 10 rows over these 7 st.
Row 46 (RS): m1, work 7 st.
Row 47 (WS): connecting the three parts of the leg openings: work 8 st, m1, m1 from the first st of the central part, continue to the end of the central part, m1, m1 from the first st of the right part, work to the end.
Continue to work in pattern over all stitches for 14 more rows.
Row 62 (RS): Shape the opening for the hind legs: Decrease every other row 3 st 1 time, 2 st x 2 times, 1 st x 2 times, work 6 rows, then continue to decrease 1 st x 2 times, 2 st x 2 times and 3 st x 1 time.
Do not break the yarn! Using the 40 cm piece of yarn, connect the sides with mattress stitch, forming a tube-like sweater.
Row 86 (RS): central 18 st of pattern - starting the rib of the hind legs opening. If you are using a circular needle, check the magic loop method, or use double-point needles:
p2, k2, p2, place 3 st on cable holder in front of the knitwork, k2, p1, p1 from the cable holder, k2, p2, k2, p2. Pick up 29 st. round the left part of the opening, cont to pick up 29 st round the right side of the opening = a total of 18 + 29 + 29 = 76 st. Work 9 rows of p2 k2 rib and cast off (or 18 rows of p2 k2 rib, cast off, fold the rib in half and sew the end to the inside for double rib).
Pick up 24 st around the front leg openings and work 9 rows of p2 k2 rib and cast off (or 18 rows of p2 k2 rib, cast off, fold the rib in half and sew the end to the inside for double rib).