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Chibi Dinosaur Desk Buddy Crochet Pattern

Before you start:

This pattern is completely written however is waiting on pictures of the step-by-step process, if you have any problems with the pattern please reach out and let me know and I’ll prioritise getting that step photographed!

Both dinosaurs pictured are made from the same pattern with different types of yarn / hook size

  1. The smaller dinosaurs are made with 8ply acrylic yarn; I personally use the Marvel brand from Spotlight stores in Australia

  2. The larger soft dinosaur is made with Himalaya dolphin, and a 4.5mm hook.

    1. A good alternative is Hobbii’s Honey Bunny yarn

Safety eyes are not suitable for small children as they may pose a choking hazard, if finished product is intended for a child please do not use safety eyes here and use one of the following insted:

  1. Using 100% Mercerised cotton in 4ply & a 1.5mm hook (a 2 - 2.5mm hook will be fine here too depending on personal preference)

    1. Crochet 8 HDC into a Magic Ring

    2. Crochet 2 HDC into each stitch around (16 stitches)

    3. You can use either SC or DC for either row depending on how big you want the eyes to be. I personally like to then loop some white through some stitches to make highlights, but this is personal preference.

  2. Felt and/or felting on eyes using a felting tool

A Glossary of Terms:

Pattern is written in US Terminology unless otherwise specified

  • Ch —> Chain

  • Slst —> Slip Stitch

  • SC —> Single Crochet

  • DC —> Double Crochet

  • HDC —> Half-double Crochet

  • TC —> Triple Crochet

  • INC —> Increase (Work 2 stitches into the same stitch to add one to the overall count)

  • DEC —> Decrease (crochet two stitches together to remove one fro the overall count)

  • MR —> Magic Ring (Work stitches into a tight circle)

This pattern is worked in the round, this means please don’t slip stitch at the end of the row to join, continue on in a spiral.

I generally will make all of the pieces and pin them in place before I attach anything, this is the best way for me personally to ensure I attach evenly and as symmetrically as I can.

You will need:

  • Small Dinosaur:

    • 3.25mm Crochet hook

    • Yarn Needle

    • 8ply yarn in any colours (minimal)

    • Black Embroidery thread for mouth (optional)

    • 9 mm Safety Eyes

    Larger Dinosaur:

    • 4.5 mm crochet hook

    • Yarn needle

    • Himalaya dolphin baby (minimal) in 2 colours

    • Black Embroidery thread for mouth (optional)

    • 12 - 15 mm safety eyes

Head & Body

The head and body are all the one piece, if you’re using safety eyes make sure you place them where the pattern asks you to, otherwise you’ll find it hard to get into the head to put the back on.

Row

Instruction

Final Stitch Count

1

MR6

(6)

2

Increase in each stitch around

(12)

3

(SC1, Inc) x6

(18)

4

(SC1, Inc, SC1) x6

(24)

5

(SC3, Inc) x6

(30)

6 – 11

SC in each stitch around

(30)

12

(SC3, Dec) x6

(24)

13

(SC1, Dec, Sc1) x6

If you're using safety eyes, place them before going any further between rows 10 & 11, approximately 4 visible stitches apart.

(18)

14

(SC1, Dec) x6

(12)

15 – 16

SC in each stitch around

(12)

17

(SC3, Inc) x6

(15)

18 - 22

SC in each stitch around

(15)


Whip stitch the base closed, leave a long tail to form the feet with.

Forming the Feet

The base should close as a flat rectangle. The feet are made by looping yarn of the same colour perpendicularly over the bottom and pulling it tight

This example is using contrasting yarn colours for ease of display, ideally you should use yarn of the same colour you’ve completed the body in.

  • I generally will go into 3 rows from the bottom for this, you can go higher or lower depending on how defined you want the feet to be

Arms

Row

Instructions

Stitch count at end of row

1

Magic Ring 6

(6)

2 - 4

SC in each stitch around

(6)

Whip stitch across the top to close, the tail from the magic ring is generally sufficient to stuff the arms, they’re quite small.

Tail

Row

Instructions

Stitch count at end of row

1

Magic Ring 4

(4)

2

SC in each stitch around

(4)

3

Inc in first 2 stitches, SC around

(6)

4

(SC, inc) x2, sc in last two stitches of round

(8)

5

SC in each stitch around

(8)

When attaching the tail, the side with the increases on it goes facing the TOP, the other side should be flatter, it should slightly be an uneven triangle.

Spines

For smaller dinosaur:

Chain 16.

Starting in the second chain from the hook, {SC1, [(DC, chain1,DC) into the one chain stitch], SC1, slst} repeat 4 times, don’t Slst at the end of the last one.

For the larger dinosaur (or for bigger spines on the smaller one?)

Chain 18.

Starting in the second chain from the hook, {SC1, [(DC, chain1,DC) into the one chain stitch], SC1, slst} repeat 3 times, {SC1, DC1, [(TC, ch1, TC) into the one stitch], DC1, SC1}

Attaching Everything

Rules for attaching things:

  1. Pin first, always.

    1. Don’t have pins? Use crochet or knitting needles as pins, your stitches have gaps in them no matter how tighly you crochet. Use Safety pins, stitch markers, chopsticks, toothpicks….

  2. If you’re not sure you’ve pinned everything in the right spot, have someone stand further away from you holding it, or place it on a table and walk a couple meters away to look at it. Sometimes Distance is the perspective you need to notice that one arm is higher than the other etc

  3. The direction of your needle should always go inside to the outside. Never pass the sewing thread from the outside in.

    1. Try both ways! If you go from outside —> Inside, you’ll be able to see the thread on the outside of the work, by passing inside —> Outside you hide the bulk of it inside the toy.

  4. Knot and wave every thread to lock it in place, even if it doesn’t look like it should be a super important one.

Photo instructions to come :(