Dinosaur Softie

-Sponsored by Fairfield World, this post may include affiliate links-

One thing that I don't think many people know about me is that as a kid I loved dinosaurs. I have a picture of, I think, my 6th birthday with a dinosaur birthday cake, I had dinosaur curtains in my bedroom, lots of dinosaur books, and my favorite stuffed animals were dinosaurs. In fact, one of the first stuffed animals that I crocheted was a dinosaur. I figured that as many patterns as I have designed  it was about time I made made a dinosaur.

I am excited to share this pattern as part of the 2018 Softie Crochet Along sponsored by Fairfield World. For 10 weeks starting earlier this month a different designer will share a new softie pattern each Monday, this week it is my turn. You can join in the fun on Facebook or Ravelry  and if you make one of the projects from the crochet along and share it you can win fun prizes so be sure to go check that out and join in the fun. You can find all of the details HERE.

I hope you enjoy this cute little guy as much as I enjoyed making him.

How to Crochet a Dinosaur Softie

Finished size: about 9 1/2" tall sitting (not including spikes)

You will need:

• worsted weight yarn in 2 colors (I used Red Heart Super Saver in Guava, and a yellow I had a little ball of in my stash, I think it was Loops and Thread Impeccable but I'm not 100% sure)
• G crochet hook
• 2- 12 mm safety eyes 
• Poly-Fil
• stitch markers
• yarn needle

Instructions:

All pieces are made starting with a magic ring and worked in the round. You do not join rounds, just continue working in a spiral. Stitch markers are very helpful to keep track of your stitch count. The head and body are made in one piece worked from the top down. The arms, legs, muzzle, tail, and spikes are made separately and sewn on at the end.

Head and Body

use green yarn

Round 1: in mr, ch 1, 6 sc (6 sc)
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch (12 sc)
Round 3:[2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next] 6 times (18 sc)
Round 4: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 2] 6 times (24 sc)
Round 5: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 3] 6 times (30 sc)
Round 6: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 4] 6 times (36 sc)
Round 7: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 5] 6 times (42 sc)
Round 8: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 6] 6 times (48 sc)
Rounds 9-19: 1 sc in each stitch (48 sc)

Place eyes between rounds 12 and 13, about 6 stitches apart

Begin stuffing the head and continue to stuff as you go

Round 20: [sc2tog, 1 sc in next 6 stitches] 6 times (42 sc)
Round 21: [sc2tog, 1 sc in next 5 stitches] 6 times (36 sc)
Round 22: [sc2tog, 1 sc in next 4 stitches] 6 times (30 sc)
Round 23: [sc2tog, 1 sc in next 3 stitches] 6 times (24 sc)
Round 24: sc2tog all the way around (12 sc)

Round 25: 2 sc in each stitch (24 sc)
Round 26: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 3] 6 times (30 sc)
Round 27: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 4] 6 times (36 sc)
Rounds 28-42: 1 sc in each stitch (36 sc)
Round 43: [sc2tog, 1 sc in next 4 stitches] 6 times (30 sc)
Round 44: [sc2tog, 1 sc in next 3 stitches] 6 times (24 sc)
Round 45: [sc2tog, 1 sc in next 2 stitches] 6 times (18 sc)
Round 46: [sc2tog, 1 sc in next stitch] 6 times (12 sc)
Round 47: sc2tog around (6 sc)

Finish off, weave in ends

Muzzle

Round 1: in mr, ch 1, 6 sc (6 sc)
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch (12 sc)
Round 3:[2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next] 6 times (18 sc)
Round 4: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 2] 6 times (24 sc)
Round 5: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 3] 6 times (30 sc)
Round 6: 1 sc in each stitch (30 sc)
Round 7: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 4] 6 times (36 sc)
Round 8: 1 sc in each stitch (36 sc)

Arms (make 2)

start with yellow yarn

Round 1: in mr, ch 1, 6 sc (6 sc)
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch (12 sc)
Round 3:[2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next] 6 times (18 sc)
Rounds 4-5: 1 sc in each stitch (18 sc)

switch to green yarn

Round 6: 1 sc in each stitch (18 sc)
Round 7: [sc2tog, 1 sc in next stitch] 6 times (12 sc)
Rounds 8-12: 1 sc in each stitch (12 sc)

Finish off, leave long tail for sewing

Legs (make 2)

start with yellow yarn

Round 1: in mr, ch 1, 6 sc (6 sc)
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch (12 sc)
Round 3:[2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next] 6 times (18 sc)
Round 4: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 2] 6 times (24 sc)
Rounds 5--7: 1 sc in each stitch (24 sc)

switch to green yarn

Round 8: 1 sc in each stitch (24 sc)
Round 9: [sc2tog, 1 sc in next 2 stitches] 6 times (18 sc)
Rounds 10-15: 1 sc in each stitch (18 sc)

Finish off, leaving long tail for sewing

Tail

Round 1: in mr, ch 1, 4 sc (4 sc)
Round 2: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next] twice (6 sc)
Round 3: 1 sc in each stitch (6 sc)
Round 4: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 2] twice (8 sc)
Round 5: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 3] twice (10 sc)
Round 6: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 4] twice (12 sc)
Round 7: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 5] twice (14 sc)
Round 8: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 6] twice (16 sc)
Round 9: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 7] twice (18 sc)
Round 10: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 8] twice (20 sc)
Round 11: 1 sc in each stitch (20 sc)

Finish off, leaving long tail for sewing

Spikes (make 6)

Round 1: in mr, ch 1, 4 sc (4 sc)
Round 2: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next] twice (6 sc)
Round 3: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 2] twice (8 sc )
Round 4: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 3] twice (10 sc)
Round 5: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 4] twice (12 sc)
Round 6: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 5] twice (14 sc)
Round 7: [2 sc in first stitch, 1 sc in next 6] twice (16 sc)

Assembly

Stuff the ends of the arms and legs lightly, I leave the top part unstuffed. Stuff the tail lightly.

Stitch the muzzle on the front of the dinosaur just under the eyes, stuffing as you go. You want it to be well stuffed as it will be on the face. 

Stitch the arms to the side of the body near the top.

Stitch the legs to the side of the body in a sitting position. 

Stitch the tail to the bottom back of the dinosaur.

Flatten the spikes so that they are a flat triangle shape and stitch on the back, one on the tail, one on the body back, and 4 on the head.