This pattern creates an adorable mini dinosaur using DK cotton yarn and simple stitches. It’s beginner-friendly and fun to personalize with bright or pastel colors!
Materials Needed
- 8 ply (DK) cotton yarn in green (body) and blue (spikes)
- Black embroidery thread (mouth)
- Pink embroidery thread (cheeks)
- 3 mm crochet hook
- Yarn needle
- Polyester fiberfill stuffing
- 8 mm safety eyes
Abbreviations (UK Terminology)
- dc – double crochet
- inc – increase (2 dc in same stitch)
- dec – invisible decrease
- R – round
- st(s) – stitch(es)
- ch – chain
Head and Body (worked in one piece)
R1: 6 dc in magic circle [6]
R2: (inc) x 6 [12]
R3: (dc 1, inc) x 6 [18]
R4: (dc 1, inc, dc 1) x 6 [24]
R5: (dc 3, inc) x 6 [30]
R6: dc in each st [30]
R7: (dc 7, inc, dc 7) x 2 [32]
R8: (dc 15, inc) x 2 [34]
R9: (dc 8, inc, dc 8) x 2 [36]
R10: dc in each st [36]
R11: (dc 5, inc) x 6 [42]
R12–R15: dc in each st [42]
Insert safety eyes between R9 and R10 (at st 12 and 18). Embroider mouth and cheeks.
R16: dc 34, ch 8, skip 8 sts [42]
R17–R18: dc in each st [42]
R19: (dc 5, dec) x 6 [36]
R20: (dc 2, dec, dc 2) x 6 [30]
R21: (dc 3, dec) x 6 [24]
R22: (dc 1, dec, dc 1) x 6 [18]
Start stuffing.
R23: (dec) x 9 [9]
Finish stuffing. Fasten off, thread yarn through last 9 front loops and pull to close.
Tail
Re-join yarn to the first skipped stitch of R16 with standing dc.
R1: dc in each st [16]
R2: (dc 3, dec, dc 3) x 2 [14]
R3: (dc 5, dec) x 2 [12]
R4: (dc 2, dec, dc 2) x 2 [10]
Start stuffing.
R5: (dc 3, dec) x 2 [8]
R6: (dc 1, dec, dc 1) x 2 [6]
R7: (dc 1, dec) x 2 [4]
Finish stuffing. Fasten off and close with yarn tail.
Spikes
Small Spike (make 1)
R1: 4 dc in magic circle [4]
R2: (dc 1, inc) x 2 [6]
R3: (dc 1, inc, dc 1) x 2 [8]
Medium Spikes (make 3)
R1: 4 dc in magic circle [4]
R2: (dc 1, inc) x 2 [6]
R3: (dc 1, inc, dc 1) x 2 [8]
R4: (dc 3, inc) x 2 [10]
Extra Small Spike (optional, make 1)
R1: 4 dc in magic circle [4]
R2: (dc 1, inc) x 2 [6]
Assembly
- Sew small spike over R1 to R3 on the head.
- Sew 3 medium spikes in a line behind the small spike.
- (Optional) Sew extra-small spike at the end of the row.
That’s it! Your mini dino is now complete and ready to roar!
