Dragons - Pattern

I've always enjoyed stories with magic and mythical creatures. As I got a little older I liked the idea of dragons. I still like dragons. So what better way to pass that interest on to my kids than making them dragons to play with.

I made these two with two different types of yarn. The larger blue one is made with worsted weight acrylic yarn and the smaller green one is made with a DK weight yarn that I have been wanting to try called CotLin from Knit Picks. I really enjoyed working with it. It is 70% Tanguis Cotton and 30% Linen. It is softer than 100% cotton and not prone to splitting. But back to dragons.

I actually wrote the pattern down as I was doing this guy since I knew I would need to make one for each child. In fact I really made both at the same time since I ran out of the blue after the legs. (That's what I get for using left over yarn.) So the pictures will be a mixture of both dragons.

Materials:
Worsted or DK weight yarn, two or three colors
Hook G (worsted weight) or F (DK weight)
stitch marker 
yarn needle
Stuffing of your choice

Abbreviations:
ch - chain
st(s) - stitch(es)
sl st - slip stitch
sc - single crochet
sc2tog - single crochet two together
BLO - back loop only

Note:
Done in continuous rounds, place stitch marker in the first stitch of round, moving it up each round to mark the beginning of the round

Head
using main color, ch 2
R1 -  in 2nd ch from hook, sc 6 
R2 - 2sc in each stitch (12 sts)
R3 - *sc, 2sc* x 6 (18 sts)
R4 - *sc 2, 2sc* x 6 (24 sts)
R5 - *sc 3, 2sc* x 6 (30 sts)
R6 - *sc 4, 2sc* x 6 (36 sts)
R7 - *sc 5, 2sc* x 6 (42 sts)
R8-12 - sc around (42 sts)
R13 - sc 26, ch 8 (34 sts)

R14 - sc into st with marker, place marker into that sc. sc 33 (sc in each ch st not around) (34 sts)
R15 - sc around (34 sts)
R16 - *sc2tog, sc 6* x 3, sc2tog, sc 8 (30 sts)
R17 - sc around (30 sts)
R18 - *sc 4, 2sc* x 6 (36 sts)
R19 - *sc 3, 2sc* x 9 (45 sts)
R20-22 - sc around (45 sts)
R23 - *sc2tog, sc 7* x 5 (40 sts)
R24 - *sc2tog, sc 6* x 5 (35 sts)
R25 - sc 2, *sc2tog, sc 5* x 4, sc2tog, sc 3 (30 sts)
R26 - sc2tog x 2, sc 15, sc2tog x 2, sc, sc2tog, sc, sc2tog, sc (24 sts)
R27 - sc, sc2tog, sc 13, sc2tog, sc, sc2tog, sc, sc2tog (20 sts)
R28 - *sc, sc2tog, sc* x 5 (15 sts)
R29 - *sc2tog, sc* x 5 (10 sts)
R30 - sc2tog x 5 (5 sts)
Fasten off and weave in end to close
Stuff nose and top portion of head

Neck and Body
continue using main color

R1 - join at 8th open st of head, sc in same st, sc 7, sc2tog (next sc and first ch st), sc in next 6 ch sts, sc2tog (last ch st and next sc), sc 6 (22 sts)
R2 - sc 7, sc2tog x 2, sc 4, sc2tog x 2, sc 3 (18 sts)
R3-4  - sc around (18 sts)
R5 - sc 7, 2sc, sc 6, 2sc, sc 3 (20 sts)
R6 - sc 8, 2sc, sc 7, 2sc, sc 3 (22 sts)
R7 - sc around (22 sts)
R8 - sc 10, 2sc, sc 5, 2sc, sc 5 (24 sts)
R9 - sc around (24 sts)
R10 - sc 9, *2sc, sc 2* x 5 (29 sts)
R11 - sc around (29 sts)
R12 - sc 10, *2sc, sc 3* x 4, 2sc, sc 3 (34 sts)
R13 - sc around (34 sts)
At this point you will want to stuff the rest of the head and neck. 
R14 - *2sc, sc 4* x 6, 2sc, sc 3 (41 sts)
R15 - *2sc, sc 5* x 6, 2sc, sc 4 (48 sts)
R16-19 - sc around (48 sts)
R20 - *2sc, sc 7* x 6 (54 sts)
R21-25 - sc around (54 sts)
R26 - *sc2tog, sc 7* x 6 (48 sts)
R27 - *sc2tog, sc 6* x 6 (42 sts)
R28 - *sc2tog, sc 5* x 6 (36 sts)
R29 - *sc2tog, sc 4* x 6 (30 sts)
R30 - *sc2tog, sc 3* x 6 (24 sts)
R31 - *sc2tog, sc 2* x 6 (18 sts)
Stuff the rest of the body 
R32 - *sc2tog, sc* x 6 (12 sts)
R33 - sc2tog x 6 (6 sts)
Fasten off and weave in end to close

Leg (make 2)
using accent color, ch2
R1 - in 2nd ch from hook sc 6
R2 - 2sc in each st (12 sts)
R3 - *sc, 2sc* x 6 (18 sts)
R4 - *sc 2, 2sc* x 6 (24 sts)
R5 - *sc 3, 2sc* x 6 (30 sts)
R6 - change to main color, in BLO sc around (30 sts)
R7-9 - sc around (30 sts)
R10 - *sc2tog, sc 3* x 6 (24 sts)
R11 - sc around (24 sts)
R12 - *sc2tog, sc 2* x 6 (18 sts)
R13-16 - sc around (18 sts)
R17 - *sc 2, 2sc* x 6 (24 sts)
R18 - sc 6, *2sc, sc* x 6, sc 6 (30 sts)
R19-21 - sc around (30 sts)
R22 - sc 6, *sc2tog, sc* x 6, sc 6 (24 sts)
R23 - *sc2tog, sc 2* x 6 (18 sts)
Stuff leg 
R24 - *sc2tog, sc* x 6 (12 sts)
R25 - sc2tog x 6 (6 sts)
Fasten off and weave in end to close

Arm (make 2)
using accent color, ch 2
R1 - in 2nd ch from hook sc 6
R2 - 2sc in each st (12 sts)
R3 - *sc, 2sc* x 6 (18 sts)
R4 - change to main color, in BLO sc around (18 sts)
R5-6 - sc around (18 sts)
R7 - *sc2tog, sc* x 6 (12 sts)
R8-10 - sc around (12 sts)
R11 - *sc, 2sc* x 6 (18 sts)
R12-14 - sc around (18 sts)
Stuff arm 
R15 - *sc2tog, sc* x 6 (12 sts)
R16 - sc2tog x 6 (6 sts)
Fasten off and weave in end to close

Tail
using main color, ch 2
R1 - in 2nd ch from hook, sc 4
R2 - sc, 2sc, sc, 2sc (6 sts)
R3 - *sc, 2sc* x 3 (9 sts)
R4-8 - sc around (9 sts)
R9 - *sc 2, 2sc* x 3 (12 sts)
R10-12 - sc around (12 sts)
R13 - *sc 3, 2sc* x 3 (15 sts)
R14 - sc around (15 sts)
R15 - *sc 4, 2sc* x 3 (18 sts)
R16 - sc around (18 sts)
R17 - *sc 5, 2sc* x 3 (21 sts)
R18 - *sc 6, 2sc* x 3 (24 sts)
R19 - sl st in next 3 sts to finish, leave long end for sewing to body
Stuff tail

Ear (make 2)
using main color, ch 4
R1 - in 2nd ch from hook 2sc, sc, 2sc, turn (5 sts)
R2 - ch 1, 2sc, sc 3, 2sc, turn (7 sts)
R3 - ch 1, 2sc, sc 5, 2sc, turn (9 sts)
R4 - ch 1, sc 7, 2sc, 2sc, turn (11 sts)
R5 - sl st in first sc, sl st in next sc, sc, [hdc, dc, hdc] in next sc, sc, sl st, sc, [hdc, dc, hdc] in next sc, sc, sl st, sc (15 sts)
Fasten off, leave long end for sewing to head

Wing (make 2)
ch 16
R1 - in 2nd ch from hook sc, sc 14, turn (15 sts)
R2 - ch 1, sc 12, ch 3, turn (12 sts + 3 ch)
R3 - sc in 2nd ch, sc 13, turn (14 sts)
R4 - st st 3, sc 7, ch 3, turn (10 sts + 3 ch)
R5 - sc in 2nd ch, sc 8, turn (9 sts)
R6 - sl st 2, sc 4, ch 3, turn (6 sts + 3 ch)
R7 - sc in 2nd ch, sc 4, sl st (6 sts)
Fasten off, leave long end for sewing to body

Now you have all the pieces, and it is time to start sewing them together.

First sew on the tail to the back of the dragon body, lining it up in the middle and at the bottom of the body.

 I added the ears next. Sew to the side of the head.

Next add the legs. I pressed the side of the legs against the body and sewed it on. Use pins to hold it in place if you wish, especially the second leg if you are having trouble lining the two legs up.

Next add the arms. Position the arms slightly forward and sew on.

Before adding the wings, I stitched down the middle from the top of the head to the tail with the accent color on the green dragon and with a second accent color on the blue dragon. I made the stitches three to five rows long, longer ones in the  middle and shorter ones at the top of the head and tail, with one or two rows between. This row of stitches will be used as a base for the spikes. Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of this. Although you can somewhat see part of them here.

Once I had the spike base stitched, I added the wings, again didn't get pictures (I was excited about being almost done). I sewed each wing on about a stitch or two away from the spike base.

Spikes
Now for the spikes. I made two different types of spikes. For the blue dragon I made traditional spikes by joining the second accent color to each of the spike base stitches. Sc around the yarn 4 to 10 times depending on the length of the base stitch. Turn and decrease the stitches. I did the following:

sc 4, turn                                     sc 6, turn
ch 1, sc2tog x 2, turn                ch 1, sc2tog, sc 2, sc2tog, turn
ch1, sc2tog                                 ch 1,  sc2tog x 2, turn
                                                     ch1, sc2tog

sc 8, turn                                     sc 10, turn
ch1, sc2tog x 4, turn                 ch 1, sc2tog x 2, sc 2, sc2tog x 2, turn
ch 1, sc2tog x 2, turn                ch 1, sc2tog, sc 2, sc2tog, turn
ch1, sc2tog                                  ch 1,  sc2tog x 2, turn
                                                      ch1, sc2tog

On the green dragon I made loops instead of spikes. Join the accent color to the top spike base. Sc around the yarn 4 to 10 times depending of the length of the base stitch. Once you get to the end of the stitch ch 3 and sc around the next base stitch, continue to sc around each base stitch with a ch 3 between each until you reach the end of the tail. Turn and begin making the loops by chaining 4 to 10 sts at each sc section of the previous row then sc 4 around each ch space of the previous row, sl st into the last sc of the previous row to finish. The more ch sts the bigger the loops will be. I started and ended with smaller loops and made larger loops in the middle.

Okay, now for the fun part, embellishments. Of course you want to add eyes, I added nostrils. Then some stitching along the top of the ears.

On the wings I slip stitched along the top of one dragon and sc along the top of the other. I added stitching between rows on the belly. If you want to do more or less use your imagination.

I hope you have fun making these. If you have questions or find a mistake please comment and ask or let me know.

This pattern is for personal use only. If you would like to sell a finished product, please credit me for the design. Happy Stitches!