When I was first trying to find my niche and my passion within crochet, I started making all the dinosaur plushies I could. I made ones like the Carnotaurus, Arsinoitherium, a Pteradon, and, of course, the Dilophosaurus. I was really good at it and even made a couple patterns for them. Now, here’s the thing. This dinosaur is an alteration of an already existing pattern that is not mine, so I will not and cannot in good conscience sell this as a PDF because that is just an ethical and legal nightmare I don’t want to throw myself into, but I will be posting the pattern for this Dilophosaurus here as a free pattern. The base pattern and inspiration for this dino is from Nicole Chase’s Toby the Tarbosaurus. Check her out and show her some love, she is an incredible fiber artist and deserves all the praise.
Anyway, I know you didn’t come here to hear my life story or how this whole pattern was created, so here is the pattern:
The Dilophosaurus is one of my favorite dinosaurs and one I was SO excited to make for my dinosaur amigurumi collection. It was inspired by the 1993 film Jurassic Park.
Difficulty: Moderate
What You’ll Need:
- Medium weight (4) Worsted yarn in Light Green, Chocolate Brown, Light Yellow, and Red.
- 5mm crochet hook
- Scissors
- Tapestry Needle
- Stitch Markers
- 12mm safety eyes
- Poly-fill stuffing
- (Optional) Quilting Pins
Stitches and Abbreviations:
St/sts = stitch/stitches
SC = Single Crochet
Dec = Decrease, Single Crochet 2 stitches together (back loop only)
Inc = Increase, 2 SC in same stitch
Slst = slip stitch
Fsc = foundation single crochet
MC = magic circle/magic ring
[*] = repeat until end of row
Note: At the end of each row, do not slip stitch into first stitch of the row and do not chain one. Mark the beginning of each row and start your next row at the first marked stitch. Just make one big spiral. No need to worry about any seams or lines or anything.
Body (using green)
R1: 6 SC in MC. (6 sts)
R2: *Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
R3: *Inc, sc in next (1) st. (18 sts)
R4: *Inc, sc in each of the next 2 sts (24 sts)
R5: *Inc, sc in each of the next 3 sts. (30 sts)
R6: *Inc, sc in each of the next 4 sts. (36 sts)
R7: *Inc, sc in each of the next 5 sts. (42 sts)
R8-18: SC evenly around. (42 sts)
R19: *Dec, sc in each of the next 5 sts (36 sts)
R20-21: SC evenly around around. (36 sts)
R22: *Dec, sc in each of the next 4 sts. (30 sts)
R23-R24: SC evenly around. (30 sts)
R25: *Dec, SC in each of the next 3 sts. (24 sts)
R26-27: SC evenly around. (24 sts)
R28: *Dec, sc in each of the next 2 sts. (18 sts)
Secure and fasten off your yarn. Leave a long tail for sewing.
Fill with stuffing.
Head (using green)
R1: 6 SC in a MC. (6 sts)
R2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
R3: *Inc, SC in next (1) st. (18 sts)
R4: *Inc, SC in each of the next 2 sts. (24 sts)
R5-6: SC evenly around. (24 sts)
R7: *Inc, SC in each of the next 3 sts. (30 sts)
R8-12: SC evenly around. (30 sts)
R12: *Inc, sc in each of the next 4 sts. (36 sts)
R13: SC evenly around. (36 sts)
R14: *Inc, SC in each of the next 5 sts. (42 sts)
R15: *Inc, SC in each of the next 6 sts. (48 sts)
R16: *Inc, SC in each of the next 3 sts. Repeat for a total of 6x. SC around evenly the rest of the way. (54 sts)
R17: *Inc, SC in each of the next 4 sts. Repeat for a total of 6x. SC around evenly the rest of the way. (60 sts)
R18: SC in each of the next 32 sts. Add a st marker to the last worked st. SC evenly for the rest of the row. (60 sts)
The stitch markers help to mark the front of the face, with the bottom of the head being the more flat part of your working. Line up the stitch markers and place a third stitch where the apex lies. This will indicate where the middle of the face should be. The eyes should be placed at about R14/15 with about 14 stitches apart OR you can set them a little farther back at about R15/16 about 15 stitches apart. This part is a bit tricky so I just put stitch markers where I think the eyes will go and do a few more rows of the head to see where the middle of the face will be, so it doesn’t come out all crooked and wonky.
R19-120: SC evenly around. (60 sts)
R21: *Dec, SC in each of the next 8 sts. (54 sts)
R22: *Dec, SC in each of the next 7 sts. (48 sts)
R23-24: SC evenly around. (48 sts)
R25: *Dec, SC in each of the next 6 sts. (42 sts)
R26: SC evenly around. (42 sts)
R27: *Dec, SC in each of the next 5 sts. (36 sts)
R28: *Dec, SC in each of the next 4 sts. (30 sts)
R29: *Dec, SC in each of the next 3 sts. (24 sts)
R30: *Dec, SC in each of the next 2 sts. (18 sts)
Fill head with stuffing.
R31: *Dec, SC in the next (1) st. (12 sts)
R32: *Dec 6 times around (6 sts)
Secure and tie off yarn. Cut a tail for sewing and sew the head shut the rest of the way.
Crest (chocolate brown yarn) – Make 2
R1: chain 6, 1 SC into 2nd st from the hook. 1 SC into each of the next 3 sts, SC increase into last chain space. Continue to crochet on underside of chain, 1 SC into each of the next 3 sts, SC increase in last chain space. Slip stitch into first stitch of the row (this is important, you will want to always slst into first st of the row on each row and chain one).
R2-3: 1 SC increase, 1 SC in each of next 3 sts. Repeat until end of row.
R4: 1 SC increase, 1 SC in each of next 4 sts. Repeat until end of row.
R5: 1 SC increase, 1 SC in each of the next 3 sts. Repeat until end of row.
R6: 1 SC increase, 1 SC in each of the next 4 sts. Repeat until end of row.
Do not fasten off yet. Fold in half and SC halfway around. Put a little stuffing in the middle like an empanada, and SC the rest of the way closed. Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing in later.
Frill (using green, yellow, and red) Make 4: 2 Multi-Colored and 2 Green.
R1: (starting with body color, or light green) make 14 fsc. Ch 1.
R2: Starting in next stitch, do 1 SC in each st across. Ch 1 and turn. (13 sts).
R3: Switch to yellow. SC increase, 1 SC in each of the next 11 sts, SC increase in last st. (15 sts)
Here’s where it can get a bit complicated.
R4: Inc in first st, 1 SC in next 2 sts, (Switch to Red but don’t cut off the yellow yarn off. Crochet over it in your work), 1 SC in red, 3 SC in yellow, 2 SC red, 3 SC yellow, 1 SC red, 1 SC yellow, 1 SC increase in final st. (17 sts)
Note: crochet in the yarn you aren’t using so it lies flat on the top of the stitches as you crochet over it, and then pick it up to switch colors and replace it with the other color.
R5: SC Inc yellow, 1 SC yellow in the next 2 sts, SC red in each of the next 3 sts, 2 yellow, 3 red, 4 yellow, SC Inc in yellow, (18 sts).
R6: SC Inc yellow, SC yellow in next 3 sts, SC red in the next 3 sts, SC yellow in next 3 sts, SC red in next 3 sts, SC yellow in next 3 sts, and a SC Inc in yellow in last stitch. (20 sts)
R7: SC Inc yellow, SC red in the next 2 sts, SC yellow in the next 3 sts, SC red in the next 4 sts, SC yellow in the next 3 sts, SC red in the next 2 sts, SC yellow in the next 3 st, (21 sts).
R8: SC Inc yellow, SC yellow in the next 2 sts, 2 red, 6 yellow, 1 red, 5 yellow, 2 red, 1 yellow, 1 SC in last st. Tie off yarn and weave in ends. Snip the yellow at the last st worked and it will stay snug in the stitches created by the row. (22 sts)
Note: The way I do this pattern may be odd, but if there doesn’t look to be a next stitch but there’s still a little room at the end of the row, go into what looks to be the top post loops of the stitch in the last row, It makes a smoother edge if you don’t chain 1 at the end of each row. This may look like a hot heap of garbage, but it turns out. I don’t know how, but it does, trust the process.
Arms (chocolate brown and green) – Make 2
Starting with Chocolate Brown
R1: 6 SC in MC. (6 sts)
R2: Inc in each st. (12 sts)
R3: *Inc, SC in next (1) st. (18 sts)
R4: *Inc, SC in each of the next 2 sts. (24 sts)
Switch to Green
R5-6: SC evenly around. (24 sts)
R7: *Dec, SC in each of the next 4 sts. (20 sts)
R8: SC evenly around. (20 sts)
R9: *Dec, SC in each of the next 3 sts. (16 sts)
R10-14: SC evenly around. (16 sts)
Fill with stuffing.
R15: Fold the arm closed. Working through both sides, 1 SC in each st across, leaving 1 unworked st on each side. (7 sts)
Cut yarn, leaving long tail for sewing. Fasten off.
Legs (chocolate brown and green) – Make 2
Starting with Chocolate Brown
R1: Begin with 6 SC in a magic ring. (6 sts)
R2: 2 SC in each st around. (12 sts)
R3: *2 SC in next st, 1 SC in next st. Repeat from * around. (18 sts)
R4: *2 SC in next st, 1 SC in each of the next 2 sts. Repeat from * around. (24 sts)
R5: *2 SC in next st, 1 SC in each of the next 3 sts. Repeat from * around. (30 sts)
Switch to Green
R6-7: 1 SC in each st around. (30 sts)
R8: *SC2tog, 1 SC in each of the next 3 sts. Repeat from * around. (24 sts)
R9-10: 1 SC in each st around. (24 sts)
R11: *SC2tog, 1 SC in each of the next 4 sts. Repeat from * around. (20 sts)
R12-19: 1 SC in each st around. (20 sts)
Fill with stuffing.
R20: Fold the leg closed. Working through both sides, 1 SC in each st across, leaving 1 unworked st on each side. See tutorial photos. (9 sts)
Tail (using green)
R1: Begin with 6 SC in a magic ring. (6 sts)
R2: 1 SC in each st around. (6 sts)
R3: *2 SC in next st, 1 SC in next st. Repeat from * around. (9 sts)
R4: 1 SC in each st around. (9 sts)
R5: *2 SC in next st, 1 SC in each of the next 2 sts. Repeat from * around. (12 sts)
R6-8: 1 SC in each st around. (12 sts)
R9: *2 SC in next st, 1 SC in each of the next 3 sts. Repeat from * around. (15 sts)
R10: 1 SC in each st around. (15 sts)
R11: *2 SC in next st, 1 SC in each of the next 4 sts. Repeat from * around. (18 sts)
R12: 1 SC in each st around. (18 sts)
R13: *2 SC in next st, 1 SC in each of the next 5 sts. Repeat from * around. (21 sts)
R14-15: 1 SC in each st around. (21 sts)
Cut yarn, leaving long strand for sewing. Fasten off.
Fill with stuffing.
ASSEMBLY:
Stitch the crests on top of head. From row 7 to 21
Attach frills to green frill backing with SCs around.
Attach head, legs, arms, and tail as detailed in Nicole Chase’s Toby the Tarbosaurus pattern.
