I’m back with a new dino pattern! Yay! Dinosaurs are some of my favourite patterns to design and I’ve made quite a few of them now! Check out my other dino patterns: Phoebe the Parasaurolophus, Brian the Brachiosaurus, Stan the Steggy, Timothee the T-Rex, and Trish the Triceratops!
I’m so pleased to now introduce Pippa the Plesiosaurus to the team!
The Details
This pattern is primarily made in the same style as my Ragdoll patterns; separate pieces worked in flat rows and then joined together. The finished measurements are approximately 21cm/8″ from top to bottom and 21cm/8″across.
Notes:
- The body panels are worked flat from the bottom up. Each body panel is made up of four parts: the snout, the body/tail, the back, and the neck/head, which are all joined as you go. The front panel uses the tapestry crochet technique to work the colour-work for the belly. Please read the “Colour-Work” section below.
- The front and back fins are worked flat from the bottom up and then sc stitches are worked around the edges to finish.
- The facial features are stitched onto the front panel. The top stitching that delineates the belly from the body is done using the surface slipstitch technique on the front panel.
- The small spots are worked in the round into a magic ring. The big spot is worked in the round around a starting chain. They are stitched onto the front panel before assembly.
- The body panels are assembled by placing one on top of the other and crocheting around the edges of the panels. The piece is then stuffed. The fins are attached at the end.
- Ch 1 at end of each row does not count as a stitch.
Colour-Work
Due to the colour changes on the body panels, you will have at least two balls of yarn attached (one MC for the body and one lighter purple for the belly). You can either carry the yarn across the back of the panel, or attach two balls of light purple (one for each side), and carry the yarn upwards for the next row. Do not crochet the unused yarn inside the stitch as this can show through on the front and alter the size of the stitch; always carry it on the back.
When changing colours, you will insert your hook into the stitch for the last stitch of Colour X and pull up a loop. Then, with Colour Y, yarn over and complete the stitch by pulling through both loops with Colour Y. Drop your working yarn in Colour X and continue with Colour Y. You will pick your Colour X working yarn back up again when you need it.
Make sure to always drop your yarn on the WRONG side of your panel! This will be different depending on whether you’re working an odd or even row. For the front panel, when you are working an odd-numbered row (row 1, 3, 5, etc), the right side of your panel will be facing you. When you’re working an even-numbered row, the wrong side will be facing you. This will be opposite for the back panel.
Let’s get started! (Or Pin/Shop for later!)
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Materials:
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- 2.25mm hook;
- Hobbii Rainbow 8/6 Cotton (or any fine weight yarn of choice) HELD DOUBLE in the following colours (alternatively you could use a medium (worsted) weight yarn held single):
- Main Body colour (MC), 100g (I used #39);
- Light Purple (CC), 50g (I used #40);
- Turquoise, 25g (#34).
- 9mm Safety eyes;
- Small amount of black crochet thread, size 5, for mouth;
- Sewing needle and black sewing thread to secure mouth;
- Stuffing;
- Tapestry needle.
Terms and Stitches:
MR = Magic ring
Slst = Slip stitch
Ch = Chain
Sc = Single crochet
Inc = Sc increase
Inc twice = Work one sc increase into each of the next two stitches.
Dec = Sc decrease
Dec twice = Work one sc decrease across the next two stitches and then work another sc decrease across the next two stitches.
Sc3tog = Single crochet three stitches together.
Fasten off invisibly = Cut the yarn and pull the yarn end up through the stitch. With a tapestry needle, weave the yarn end underneath both loops of the next stitch from back to front. Then weave the yarn end through the centre of the previous stitch. Weave end.
Pattern
Snout:
Row 1: With MC held double, ch 6, starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across (5 sts), ch 5, turn.
Row 2: Starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each st across (9 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 3: Sc 8, inc in last st (10 sts).
Tie off. Set aside until needed later.
Body and Tail:
Row 1: In CC, ch 8, starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch (7 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 2: Inc twice, sc 3, inc twice (11 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 3: Inc twice, sc 7, inc twice (15 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 4: Inc, sc 13, inc (17 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 5: Inc, switch to MC, sc 6, switch to CC, sc 9, inc (19 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 6: Inc, sc 8, switch to MC, sc 9, switch to CC, inc (21 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 7: Inc, switch to MC, sc 18, switch to CC, inc twice (24 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 8: Sc 2, switch to MC, sc 21, switch to CC, inc (25 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 9: Inc, switch to MC, sc 23, switch to CC, inc (27 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 10: Sc 1, switch to MC, sc 25, switch to CC, sc 1 (27 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 11: Inc, switch to MC, sc 25, switch to CC, inc (29 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 12: Sc 1, switch to MC, sc 27, switch to CC, Sc 1 (29 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 13: Switch to MC, sc 6, leave remaining sts unworked (6 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 14: Dec, sc 3, inc (6 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 15: Inc, sc 3, dec (6 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 16: Dec, sc 3, inc (6 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 17: sc 4, dec (5 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 18: Dec, sc 2, inc (5 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 19: Inc, sc 2, dec (5 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 20: Dec twice, sc 1 (3 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 21: Sc3tog (1 st).
Tie off.
Back:
Position the Body and Tail panel so that the tail is on the right. To the left of the tail, skip 3 sts of row 13, joining MC into the 4th st.
Row 1: Sc 20 (20 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 2: sc 18, dec (19 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 3: Dec, sc 6, leave remaining sts unworked (7 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 4: Dec, sc 3, dec (5 sts).
Tie off.
Neck and Head:
Position the panel so that the tail is on the right. Skip 3 sts of row 2 of the Back and join MC in the 4th stitch.
Row 1: Sc 8 (8 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 2: Sc 6, dec (7 sts), ch 1, turn.
Rows 3-5: Sc in each st (7 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 6: Sc 6, inc (8 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 7: Sc in each st (8 sts), ch 1.
Take the snout that you set aside earlier and position it to the right of the neck. Turn your work (both pieces) and, in the next row, crochet across both the snout and the neck.
Row 8: Sc 7, inc, inc, sc 7, dec (19 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 9: Sc in each st (19 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 10: Dec, sc 17 (18 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 11: Inc, sc 17 (19 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 12: Sc in each st (19 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 13: Sc 17, dec (18 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 14: Dec, sc 16 (17 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 15: Dec, sc 15 (16 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 16: Dec, sc 14 (15 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 17: Dec, sc 11, dec (13 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 18: Dec twice, sc 5, dec twice (9 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 19: Dec, sc 5, dec (7 sts).
Tie off and weave ends. Repeat all of the above, starting from the snout, to complete the back body panel. The colourwork for the belly is optional for the back panel; feel free to work everything in MC!
Front Fin (make 1):
Row 1: In MC, ch 6, starting in the 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across (5 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 2: Inc, sc 4 (6 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 3: Dec, sc 3, inc (6 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 4: Sc in each st across (6 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 5: Inc, sc 4, inc (8 sts), ch 1, turn.
Rows 6-7: Sc in each st across (8 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 8: Sc 6, dec (7 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 9: Sc in each st across (7 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 10: Sc 5, dec (6 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 11: Dec, sc 2, dec (4 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 12: Dec twice (2 sts), ch 1, turn.
Sc around the edge, working [sc, ch 2, sc] all into the same stitch in the tip of the fin. Fasten off invisibly to the beginning st, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Back Fin (make 1):
Row 1: In MC ch 5, starting in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across (4 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 2: Inc, sc 1, inc twice (7 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 3: Inc twice, sc 4, inc (10 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 4: Inc, sc 9 (11 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 5: Dec twice, sc 7 (9 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 6: Sc 5, dec twice (7 sts), ch 1, turn.
Row 7: Dec twice, slst 3 (5 sts), ch 1.
Sc around the edge, working [sc, ch 2, sc] all into the same stitch at the tip of the fin. Fasten off invisibly when you reach the first stitch of Row 7. Leaving a long tail for sewing.
Small Spots (make 5):
Rnd 1: In turquoise work 6 sc into a MR (6 sts).
Fasten off invisibly, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Big Spot (make 1):
Rnd 1: Ch 5, sc 3, 3 sc into last ch, continue on opposite side of ch, sc 2, 2 sc in last ch (10 sts).
Fasten off invisible, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Move on to assembly below!
Assembly:
Step 1: In MC, use the surface sliptstitch technique to crochet a curve along the front body panel where the light purple of the belly meets the dark purple of the body (shown by the red line in the photo below). To surface slipstitch, insert your hook through a stitch on the front panel, yarn over, and pull up a loop from underneath. Then insert your hook into a nearby stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop and pull through the loop on your hook. Repeat across. Check out this video tutorial for additional help! The tutorial is for a different pattern (my Zombie pattern) but uses the same technique!
Step 2: Insert a 9mm safety eye into the front panel between rows 11 and 12 of the Head and Neck.
Step 3: In black crochet thread, make three horizontal stitches next to each other starting underneath the eye and going toward the snout. Use a sewing needle and black sewing thread to stitch them in a wave pattern. If desired, add eyelashes, eyebrows, and/or cheeks now.
Step 4: Stitch three small spots onto the back area and the other two small spots and one large spot on the head/neck area to the left of the eye.
Step 5: Place the front and back panels together with the wrong sides facing. On the left side of the head, insert your hook through both panels and begin single crocheting around the edges to join them. Switch from MC to CC when you reach the belly. Continue crocheting down and around the belly and up the other side, switching back to MC where appropriate.
Work [Sc, ch, sc] all into the same stitch at the tip of the tail. After crocheting around the tail, stuff the body. Continue stuffing as you go.
Continue crocheting over the back, up the neck, and around the head. Remember to continue stuffing after every few stitches! Once you are satisfied with the stuffing, fasten off invisibly to the beginning stitch. Weave ends.
Step 6: Stitch the front fin and back fin onto the body by attaching it to the surface slipstitches along the belly. Weave ends.
You’re done!
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