Dragon Eye Pillow | Free Crochet Pattern

Why not decorate your home with a crochet dragon eye pillow? This free crochet pattern teaches you how to make this 3-dimensional, realistic dragon eye on a textured pillow.

I adore dragons. What’s not to love!?

They are the symbol of strength and wonder — a magical creature that can be both ferocious and loyal, written into the lore of many fantasy worlds.

So of course, my house is decorated with dragon-themed designs. This dragon eye pillow pattern has been in my sketch book for a long time, and this year, I finally finished my project. It was the perfect addition to my Halloween crochet projects!

Construction

The crochet pillow is built to fit around an 18″ x 18″ square pillow form. The form is left in the pillow permanently, but if you are using it as a seasonal item, you can always add a zipper or buttons to make it a pillow cover only.

First, you’ll make the eye, then make the eyelids and attach them to the eyeball so you have one large eye piece to attach to the pillow base.

The pillow is full of textures, using bobble stitches, spike stitches, and amigurumi-style horns to create a realistic dragon eye for your home.

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Dragon Eye Pillow | Free Crochet Pattern

Pattern is written in English, in US terms, using Craft Yarn Council abbreviations.

You Need to Know

Chains (ch), slip stitch (sl st), single crochet (sc), half double crochet (hdc), double crochet (dc), Right side (RS), Wrong side (WS), increases and decreases, mattress stitch sewing. Be eager to learn and ready to have fun!

For a quick refresher of these basic skills, click here.

You Will Practice Intermediate Techniques:

• How to add texture to work with folds, spike sts, and bobbles
• How to use pins to perfectly place and attach parts
• How to attach parts without sewing
• How to use amigurumi skills to make home decorations

Supplies

• Big Twist Value yarn, 100% acrylic, worsted weight, 380 yds/6 oz/170 g,; Wine (WINE), 3 balls; Cream (CRM), < 1 ball; Burnt Orange (ORG), < 1 ball; Varsity Gold (GOLD), < 1 ball; Black (BLK), < 1 ball.
• Red Heart Super Saver yarn, 100% acrylic, worsted weight, 364 yds/7 oz/198 g, Cornmeal (CORN), < 1 ball.
• H (5.00 mm) Furls hook
• G (4.00 mm) Furls hook
• Polyfil stuffing
• 18” x 18” pillow form
• Tapestry needle
• Straight pins
• Stitch markers

Measurements

18” x 18” pillow

Gauge

In “(sc, dc) in next st, skip 1” pattern, with H hook

22 sts x 20 rows = 6” x 6”

Pattern Notes

• Work in continuous rounds. Do not slip stitch unless otherwise specified by the pattern.
• For best results, use standard decreases, not invisible ones.
• For best results, assemble parts in order as directed.
• Weave in attachment ends at very end of project in case pieces require repositioning.

Special Stitches

Spike-st – Spike stitch: Insert hook into st two rows below working st, yarn over, draw up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.

Picot – Picot: Ch 3, sl st in 3^rd ch from hook.

Bobble-st – Bobble stitch: [Yo, insert hook into st, yo, pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook] 5 times in same st, yo, pull through all 6 loops on hook.

Complete Video Tutorial

If video doesn’t play, use this link to open in YouTube.

Instructions

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Pillow Base

(Make 2)

(check gauge before beginning to ensure an 18” x 18” pillow)

With WINE, using H hook, ch 66.

Row 1: (Sc, dc) in second ch from hook, [skip 1, (sc, dc) in next st] 31 times, skip 1, sc in last st, turn. (65)

Row 2: Ch 1, [(sc, dc) in next st), skip 1] 32 times, sc in last st, turn. (65)

Rows 3-60: Repeat Row 2.

Bind off.

Set aside.

Eyeball

With ORG, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12)

Rnd 3: [Sc, inc] 6 times. (18)

Rnd 4: [2 sc, inc] 6 times. (24)

Rnd 5: [3 sc, inc] 6 times. (30)

Rnd 6: [4 sc, inc] 6 times. (36)

Rnd 7: [5 sc, inc] 6 times. (42)

Rnd 8: Change to GOLD, [sc, spike-st (see Special Stitches)] 21 times. (42)

Rnd 9: [6 sc, inc] 6 times. (48)

Rnd 10: [7 sc, inc] 6 times. (54)

Rnd 11: [8 sc, inc] 6 times. (60)

Rnd 12: Change to CORN, [sc, spike-st] 30 times. (60)

Rnd 13: [9 sc, inc] 6 times. (66)

Rnd 14: [10 sc, inc] 6 times. (72)

Rnd 15: [11 sc, inc] 6 times. (78)

Rnd 16: [12 sc, inc] 6 times. (84)

Rnd 17: [13 sc, inc] 6 times. (90)

Rnds 18-19: Sc evenly around.

Bind off, leaving long tail for sewing.

Set aside.

Eye Slit

With BLK, using G hook, ch 26.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook, 24 sc, turn. (25)

Rnd 2: (worked around Row 1) Do not chain, inc, 11 sc, (dc, picot (see Special Stitches), dc) in next st, 11 sc, inc, do not turn work, rotate so starting ch faces up, working in back of starting ch, inc, 11 sc, (dc, picot, dc) in next st, 11 sc, inc. (56)

Rnd 3: Change to ORG, inc, 13 sc, 3 sc in picot, 13 sc, 2 inc, 13 sc, 3 sc in picot, 13 st, inc, sl st in 1^st st to join. (66)

Bind off leaving long tail for sewing.

Set aside.

Small Horn

(Make 1)

With CRM, using G hook, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: [2 sc, inc] twice. (8)

Rnd 3: [3 sc, inc] twice. (10)

Rnd 4: Sc evenly around.

Bind off and weave in ends.

Set aside.

Medium Horns

(Make 2)

With CRM, using G hook, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: [2 sc, inc] twice. (8)

Rnd 3: [3 sc, inc] twice. (10)

Rnd 4: [4 sc, inc] twice. (12)

Rnd 5: Sc evenly around.

Bind off and weave in ends.

Set aside.

Large Horn

(Make 1)

With CRM, using G hook, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: [2 sc, inc] twice. (8)

Rnd 3: [3 sc, inc] twice. (10)

Rnd 4: [4 sc, inc] twice. (12)

Rnd 5: [5 sc, inc] twice. (14)

Rnd 6: [6 sc, inc] twice. (16)

Rnd 7: Sc evenly around.

Bind off and weave in ends.

Set aside.

X-Large Horn

(Make 1)

With CRM, using G hook, ch 2.

Rnd 1: 6 sc in second ch from hook. (6)

Rnd 2: [2 sc, inc] twice. (8)

Rnd 3: [3 sc, inc] twice. (10)

Rnd 4: [4 sc, inc] twice. (12)

Rnd 5: [5 sc, inc] twice. (14)

Rnd 6: [6 sc, inc] twice. (16)

Rnd 7: [7 sc, inc] twice. (18)

Rnd 8: [8 sc, inc] twice. (20)

Rnd 9: Sc evenly around.

Bind off and weave in ends.

Set aside.

Upper Eyelid

With WINE, using G hook, ch 58.

Row 1: Hdc in third ch from hook, 55 hdc. turn. (56)

Row 2: Ch 2 (does not count at st), 56 hdc, turn. (56)

Rows 3-5: Repeat Row 2.

Row 6: Ch 1, fold work in half longways, working through next st and back side of corresponding st of starting ch, 56 sc, turn. (56)

Row 7: Ch 1, sl st 15, [12 sc, inc] 3 times, leave 2 sts unworked, turn. (15 sl st, 42 sts)

Row 8: Ch 1, [3 sc, bobble-st (see Special Stitches)] 10 times, 2 sc, turn. (10 bobbles, 32 scs)

Row 9: Ch 1, [13 sc, inc] 3 times, turn. (45)

Row 10: Ch 1, 15 sc, hold eyeball behind work, RS facing WS of eyelid, working through last rnd of both eyelid and eyeball, 30 sc, turn. (15 sts on eyelid, 30 sts through both layers)

Row 11: Ch 1, [14 sc, inc] 3 times, turn. (48)

Row 12: Ch 1, [3 sc, bobble-st] 9 times, 10 sc, dec, turn. (9 bobbles, 38 scs)

Row 13: Do not chain, dec, 12 sc, inc, [15 sc, inc] twice, turn. (49)

Row 14: Ch 1, sc on eyelid only, hold X-Large Horn RS to RS to eyelid, working through ONE layer of horn and eyelid, 10 sc, sc on eyelid only, hold Large Horn RS to RS to eyelid, working through ONE layer of horn and eyelid, 8 sc, sc on eyelid only, hold Medium Horn RS to RS to eyelid, working through ONE layer of horn and eyelid, 6 sc, sc on eyelid only, hold Medium Horn RS to RS to eyelid, working through ONE layer of horn and eyelid, 6 sc, sc on eyelid only, hold Small Horn RS to RS to eyelid, working through ONE layer of horn and eyelid, 5 sc, 7 sc on eyelid only, dec, turn. (5 horns attached, 48 sts)

Row 15: Do not chain, dec, 6 sc, 5 sc on Small Horn only, sc, 6 sc on Medium Horn only, sc, 6 sc on Medium Horn only, sc, 8 sc on Large Horn only, sc, 10 sc on X-Large Horn only, sc, turn. (48)

Row 16: Ch 1, 46 sc, dec. (47)

Bind off leaving VERY long tail for sewing.

Push bobbles out to RS. Lightly stuff horns.

With eyeball facing up, count 12 sts down the left side. Place marker in 12^th st. Count 15 sts down right side. Place marker in 15^th st.

Lower Eyelid

With WINE, using G hook, ch 50.

Row 1: Hdc in third ch from hook, 47 hdc, turn. (48)

Row 2: Ch 2, 48 hdc, turn.

Rows 3-4: Repeat Row 2.

Row 5: Ch 1, fold work in half longways, working through next st and back side of corresponding st of starting ch, 48 sc, turn. (48)

Row 6: Ch 1, 3 sc, [bobble-st, 3 sc] 11 times, sc, turn. (11 bobbles, 37 scs)

Row 7: Ch 1, 6 sc, hold eyeball behind work, RS facing WS of lower eyelid, aligning sts between markers with lower eyelid, working through both layers, 33 sc, 9 sc on eyelid only, turn. (15 sts on eyelid, 33 sts through both layers)

Row 8: Ch 1, sc, [bobble-st, 3 sc] 6 times, bobble-st, sc, sl st, turn. (7 bobbles, 20 sc, 1 sl st)

Row 9: Do not chain, skip slipped st from previous row, sl st, 26 sc, turn. (26 sc, 1 sl st)

Row 10: Ch 1, 25 sc, sl st. (25 sc, 1 sl st)

Bind off and weave in ends.

Push bobbles out to RS.

Attaching Eye to Pillow

Lay eyeball and lids on one pillow base, angling the left side down slightly. Pin in place. Use long tail of Upper Eyelid to sew around top edge of eyelid to the pillow base. Leave folded hdc edge unattached to pillow.

With long strand of WINE, starting at last st of Upper Eyelid, sew to base along the back side edges of both the Upper and Lower eyelid and around the Lower Eyelid. Leave folded hdc edge unattached to pillow.

With the sewing tail of the eyeball, sew the right side of the eyeball to the pillow base.

Stuff the eyeball lightly.

With a strand of CORN, sew the left side of the eyeball to the pillow base.

Pin eye slit into place, vertically on the eyeball in relation to the pillow, each end under the eyelids. Slit will not be in alignment with eyelids, but it will be vertically in line on the pillow.

Use ORG tail to sew eye slit to eyeball.

Weave in all ends.

Pillow Assembly

Pin unworked pillow base to RS of pillow base (eyeball between the pieces). Using a strand of WINE, sc through both layers of edges on three sides, leaving bottom edge of the pillow open. Turn pillow inside out. Insert pillow form. Sc bottom edge to close.

Bind off and weave in all ends.

© Hooked by Kati LLC 2017-2025

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Find more free patterns like this at allfreecrochet.com.

I hope you love your crochet dragon eye pillow!

Here are a few more free dragon crochet patterns you might like:

CHARLIE THE CELESTIAL DRAGON

TOBY THE NEWBORD DRAGON

VINCENT THE DRAGON

DRAGON SCALE CLUTCH (OR PENCIL POUCH)

Yarn on, 

Kati

Kati Brown

Kati is the designer behind Hooked by Kati. With thousands of patterns sold around the world, Kati prides herself in creating innovative, easy-to-follow amigurumi patterns. She has designed for several publications, including Crochet!, Crochet World, Simply Crochet, and I Like Crochet. Kati finds her inspiration in science fiction, video games, and numerous visits to the zoo — all passions she shares with her husband and two boys.