Rawwwww! Meet Eduardo the amigurumi dinosaur, designed by Yan Schenkel of Pica Pau. He may try his best to project a fearsome image but, truth is, if you bumped into him at Jurassic Park, he’d probably be relaxing by the lake eating lemon drizzle cake rather than trying to munch on any passing humans. This crochet dinosaur pattern is made in a continuous spiral, from a foundation chain (instead of a magic ring) and worked in one piece – yep, he’s practically seamless. As it's a continuous spiral, it helps to place a stitch marker at the start of each round. The head, body and legs are made in one piece. The tail, spikes and spots are made separately and sewn together.

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You will need

DMC Natura Just Cotton, 100% cotton, 50g/155m,

  • two balls in Light Green (12)
  • one ball each in Coral (8)
  • Small quantity of Jade (20)

2.75mm (UK 11) crochet hook

Toy stuffing

Two 8mm black safety eyes

Stitch marker

Yarn needle

Tension

Tension is not critical for this projects, just ensure that the stitches of your amigurumi dinosaur are dense enough for no stuffing to poke through.

Abbreviations

You can find a full list of all abbreviations we use in our abbreviations and conversions guide. The free crochet dinosaur pattern is written in UK terminology but you can easily convert it to US terms using the guide.

Finished size

Approx. 19cm (7½") high

Free crochet dinosaur pattern - front

Free crochet dinosaur pattern

Head and Neck

Using light green yarn, ch8. Stitches will be worked around both sides of the foundation chain.

Round 1 2dc in 2nd ch from hook, 5dc, 4dc in next (last) st, continue on the other side of the foundation chain, 5dc, 2dc in last st [18sts]

Don’t forget to put the stitch marker at the first st in the beginning of each round.

How to crochet a dinosaur - step1

Round 2 2dc in next st, 7dc, 2dc in next 2 sts, 7dc, 2dc in next st [22sts]

Round 3 2dc in each of next 2 sts 8dc, 2dc in each of next 3 sts, 8dc, 2dc in next st [28sts]

Round 4 2dc in each of next 3 sts, 10dc, 2dc in each of next 4 sts, 10dc, 2dc in next st [36sts]

Round 5 (5dc, 2dc in next st) 6 times [42sts]

How to crochet a dinosaur - step2

Rounds 6–10 dc in each st around

Round 11 (5dc, dc2tog) 6 times [36sts]

Round 12 7dc, (2dc, dc2tog) 6 times, 5dc [30sts]

Round 13 (3dc, dc2tog) 6 times [24sts]

Round 14 4dc, (1dc, dc2tog) 6 times, 2dc [18sts]

Insert the safety eyes, using the image as a guide for placement. Fill the head firmly with stuffing and, from this point, continue stuffing
as you go.

How to crochet a dinosaur - step3

Round 15 8dc, 3dc2tog, 4dc [15sts]

Rounds 16–17 dc in each st around

Round 18 2dc, 2dc in next st, 12dc [16sts]

Round 19 dc in each st around

Round 20 3dc, 2dc in next st, 12dc [17sts]

Round 21 1dc in each st around

Round 22 3dc, 2dc in next st, 13dc [18sts]

Round 23 1dc in each st around

Round 24 4dc, 2dc in next st, 13dc [19sts]

Round 25 1dc in each st around

Round 26 5dc, 2dc in next st, 13dc [20sts]

How to crochet a dinosaur - step4

Round 27 7dc, ch8 (to form the backbone of the dinosaur), you now work around this ch8 in the same way as the first round of the head (both sides of the new foundation chain, plus the neck). Place your stitch marker in the next st (as this is going to be the beginning of each round from this point), inc in 2nd ch from the hook, 33dc, 2dc in the last st [37sts]

Round 28 2dc in each of next 2 sts, 33dc, 2dc in each of next 2 sts [41sts]

Round 29 2dc in each of next 3 sts, 36dc, 2dc in each of next 2 sts [46sts]

Round 30 (4dc, 2dc in next st) 9 times, dc in last st [55sts]

Round 31 dc in each st around

Round 32 (5dc, 2dc in next st) 9 times, dc in last st [64sts]

(At this point your critter will look just like Nessie emerging from the Loch)

Rounds 33–39 dc in each st around

How to crochet a dinosaur - step5

First back leg

Divide the work to crochet the four legs. In order to do this, you have to find the middle of the dinosaur body at the back. Continue crocheting 1dc around until that point (if you’re not already in there)...

How to crochet a dinosaur - step6

Then work 2dc, place the stitch marker in the next st, 9dc, ch6. Join the last ch and the dc with the stitch marker with an ss. The leg will be formed from the 9dc from the body and the new 6ch foundation chain.

Continue working the first back leg:

Round 1 15dc (9 from the body and 6 from the ch) [15sts]

Rounds 2–5 dc in each st around

Round 6 (dc, dc2tog) 5 times [10sts]

Round 7 dc2tog 5 times [5sts]

Fasten off leaving a long tail. Using your yarn needle, weave the yarn tail through the front loop of each remaining stitch and pull it tight
to close.

If you're in love with the super-cute stying of this free crochet dinosaur pattern, then you should deinitely check out the 'friends of Pica Pau' crochet pattern book by Yan Schenkel. You'll find 20 patterns for amigurumi friends to make, and if you really can't get enough there's a trilogy of 'friends of Pica Pau' books. Alternatively you can find some individual patterns on her Etsy store.
animal friends of pica pau

First front leg

Count 9 sts along from where the first back leg is (this will become the belly) and attach the yarn to the next st (10th st along).

Work 9dc, ch6 and join the last ch and the first dc with a ss.

Repeat Rounds 1-7 as the first back leg.

Second front leg

Count 5 sts along to the left from where the second front leg is (this is the space between the legs) and attach the yarn to the next st (6th st along).

Work 9dc, ch6 and join the last ch and the first dc with a ss.

Repeat Rounds 1-7 as the first back leg.

Second back leg

Count 9 sts along to the left from where the first front leg is (this is the other side of the belly) and attach the yarn to the next st (10th

st along).

Work 9dc, ch6 and join the last ch and the first dc with a ss.

Repeat Rounds 1-7 as the first back leg.

How to crochet a dinosaur - step7

Belly

Between the legs you have 9st spaces along the sides and 5st spaces at front and back. The belly is made by creating flaps from these sts.

Start with the 9st space between the back and the front legs. Attach the yarn to 1st st next to the first leg you made.

Row 1 9dc, turn

Rows 2-12 ch1 (does not count as st), 9dc, turn

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

How to crochet a dinosaur - step8

The back underbelly is made in the same way. Attach the yarn to the 1st st after the last leg you made.

Row 1 5dc, turn

Rows 2-3 ch1 (does not count as st), 5dc, turn

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Work the flap between the front legs in same way.

Using the tapestry needle, sew the front flap to both front legs and the back flap to both back legs.

How to crochet a dinosaur - step9

Fill each leg with stuffing. Using the tapestry needle, sew the wide belly flap to the other side of the dinosaur. Then sew the belly flap to both the legs and the flaps between them, stuffing the body as you go.

How to crochet a dinosaur - step10

Tail

Round 1 Using light green yarn, start with a crochet magic loop., 5dc in ring, pull ring tight [5sts]

Round 2 dc in each st around

Round 3 2dc in each st around [10sts]

Round 4 dc in each st around

Round 5 (dc, 2dc in next st) 5 times [15sts]

Round 6 dc in each st around

Round 7 (2dc, 2dc in next st) 5 times [20sts]

Round 8 dc in each st around

Round 9 (3dc, 2dc in next st) 5 times [25sts]

Round 10 dc in each st around

Round 11 (4dc, 2dc in next st) 5 times [30sts]

Rounds 12–14 dc in each st around

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing. Fill with stuffing.

Free crochet dinosaur pattern - back

Large spikes (make 6)

Round 1 Using coral yarn, start with a crochet magic loop, 5dc in ring, pull ring tight [5sts]

Round 2 1dc in each st around

Round 3 2dc in each st around [10sts]

Round 4 dc in each st around.

Fasten off leaving long tail for sewing. Don’t stuff.

Medium spikes (make 2)

Round 1 Using coral yarn, start with a crochet magic loop, 5dc in ring, pull ring tight [5sts]

Round 2 1dc in each st around

Round 3 2dc in each st around [10sts]

Fasten off leaving long tail for sewing. Don’t stuff.

small spikes (make 2)

Round 1 Using coral yarn, start with a crochet magic loop, 5dc in ring, pull ring tight [5sts]

Round 2 dc in each st around

Fasten off leaving long tail for sewing. Don’t stuff.

spots (make 6)

Round 1 Using jade yarn, start with a crochet magic loop, 6dc in ring, pull ring tight.

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Finishing

Stuff the tail and then sew it to the body. Sew the 10 spikes, descending from the largest to the smallest ones along the dinosaur back spine towards the tail.
Finally, sew the spots to the body using the image as a guide for placement. There you go – Your crochet dinosaur is ready for adventures!

If you're obseesed with dinosaurs, why not flex your crafty skills and try making our free dinosaur sewing pattern, or you can keep things small with our free quick dinosaur embroidery patterns!
a trio of dinosaur embroidery hoops
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We hope you’ve enjoyed this free crochet gnome pattern, why not make your crochet dinosaur some amigurumi friends by checking out the Top 40 amigurumi crochet patterns. Don’t forget if you need any help with your crochet stitches you can always check out our crochet for beginners guide. And if you’re looking to treat yourself, check out our list of the best crochet hooks and the best crochet kits for beginners.

Authors

Yan Schenkel
Yan SchenkelCrochet Designer

Toy maker, crochet designer, mother and illustrator, Yan is the founder of Pica Pau toys. She first began combining her drawings with crochet while waiting to pick her son up from school, and six years later has collaborated with several designers and top brands in Argentina, illustrated a children’s book and designed for stop motion animations. http://picapauyan.com/

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