Dragonling | Free Crochet Pattern

This simple baby dragon pattern is a great way to start out on your fantasy amigurumi journey. He’s small enough and fast enough to finish in a few days, and he makes a great gift or desk companion.

The Dragonling was my very first pattern I every published, back in 2016. Until now, the Dragonling pattern was only available as a Premium Pattern, because it was how I first published it. Now, I think it is past time for the Dragonling to be free on the blog, don’t you?

Construction

The Dragonling is made by making all the pieces first and then assembling them with a sewing needle. If you struggle with attachments, I have a great free guide to help you “Take the ‘Ew!’ Out Of Sewing Amigurumi Parts.”

This pattern is fairly simple, though it may challenge you with the skinny parts that make up the legs and horns.

This pattern is also available as a Premium Pattern! Premium Patterns are ad-free, printable .pdf files, professionally formatted and edited, with extra tutorial photos not available in the free version, and print-only perks, like checkboxes for every round*!

Premium Patterns are available in the Hooked by Kati Shop, Ravelry, and Etsy.

Dragonling | 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), treble crochet (tr), increases and decreases, mattress stitch sewing. Be eager to learn and ready to have fun!

For a quick refresher of these basic skills, go to www.hookedbykati.com/basics

You Will Practice Basic Techniques

• How to make a 3-dimensional object in crochet
• How to use pins to perfectly place and attach amigurumi parts
• How to shape using increases and decreases

Supplies

• Big Twist Value yarn, 100% acrylic, worsted weight, 380 yds/6 oz/170 g, Mustard (MUS), < 1 ball; Cream (CRM), < 50 yds.
• G (4.00 mm) hook
• Two 15mm colored slit-pupil safety eyes
• Polyfil stuffing
• Tapestry needle
• Straight pins (optional)

Measurements

8” long x 5” tall

Gauge

8 sts x 8 rows in sc = 2” x 2”

Pattern Notes

• Work in continuous rounds. Do not slip stitch unless otherwise specified by the pattern.
• For best results, assemble parts in order as directed.
• Weave in attachment ends at very end of project in case pieces require repositioning.
• Ch-2 at beginning of row counts as dc.

Special Stitches

• 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.

Instructions

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Head 

With MUS, ch 6.

Foundation Row: Sc in second ch from hook, 4 sc, turn. (5)

Rnd 1: Do not chain, inc, 3 sc, inc. Do not turn. Working in the bottom side of the starting chain, inc, 3 sc, inc.  (14)

Rnd 2: Inc, 5 sc, inc in next 2 sts, 5 sc, inc. (18)

 Rnd 3: 2 sc, bobble-st (see Special Stitches), 4 sc, bobble-st, 10 sc. (22)

Rnd 4-7:  Sc evenly around. (18)  

Rnd 8: Sc, [2 sc, inc] 3 times, 8 sc. (21)

Rnd 9: 4 sc, inc, sc, inc, 3 sc, inc, sc, inc, 8 sc. (25) 

Rnd 10:  6 sc, inc, sc, inc, 3 sc, inc, sc, inc, 10 sc. (29)

Rnd 11-13: Sc evenly around. (29)

Attach eyes between rows 9 and 10.  Place in line with nostrils. Make sure slit pupils are vertical.

Rnd 14: 2 sc, [3 sc, dec] 5 times, 2 sc. (24)

Rnd 15: [2 sc, dec] 6 times. (18) 

Stuff.

Rnd 16: [Sc, dec] 6 times. (12)

Rnd 17: Dec 6 times. (6)    

Cut yarn. Thread needle through front loops of remaining 6 stitches. Pull tight to close. Leave long tail for sewing.

Body

With MUS, 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 6-8: Sc evenly round. 

Rnd 9: [8 sc, dec] 3 times. (27)

Rnd 10-12: Sc evenly around.  

Rnd 13: [7 sc, dec] 3 times. (24)

Start stuffing.

Rnd 14-17: Sc evenly around. 

Rnd 18: [6 sc, dec] 3 times. (21)

Rnd 19-22: Sc evenly around. 

Rnd 23: [5 sc, dec] 3 times. (18)

Rnd 24-29: Sc evenly around. 

Rnd 30: [4 sc, dec] 3 times. (15)

Stuff.  If you want your dragon to bend at the waist, leave stuffing loose. The work will bend easily where there is less stuffing.

Rnd 31-33: Sc evenly around. 

Rnd 34: [3 sc, dec] 3 times. (12)

Rnd 35-38: Sc evenly around. 

Stuff loosely. 

Rnd 39: [2 sc, dec] 3 times. (9)

Rnd 40-46: Sc evenly around. 

Rnd 47: [Sc, dec] 3 times. (6)

Rnd 48-51: Sc evenly around. 

Finish stuffing loosely.

Cut yarn. Thread needle through front loops of remaining 6 stitches. Pull tight to close. Weave in ends

Manipulate the stuffing so that it has less stuffing where you want the body to be able to bend. 

Front Legs

(Make 2)

With MUS, ch 2. 

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

Rnd 2-14: Sc evenly around. 

Do not stuff.  Bind off, leaving a long tail for sewing.   

Back Legs

(Make 2)

With MUS, ch  2. 

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

Rnd 2-10: Sc evenly around. 

Rnd 11: Inc in each st around. (12)

Rnd 12: [Sc, inc] 6 times. (18)

Rnd 13: [2 sc, inc] 6 times. (24)

Rnd 14-15: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 16: [2 sc, dec] 6 times. (18)

Rnd 17: [Sc, dec] 6 times. (12)

Stuff round part loosely.  Do not stuff lower leg. 

Rnd 18:  Dec 6 times. (6)   Bind off leaving long tail.

Using needle, thread through the back loop of all 6 sts. Pull tight and tie off to close.  Leave long tail for sewing.    

Claws

(Repeat on the ends of all four legs)

Looking at the closed end of your legs, flattened out, find the center hole (over the middle) and two holes on each side to which you will attach claws.  

With MUS, sl st into top of the small end of the leg, one st to the right of center. 

Ch 4. Turn.  Sc in second ch from hook, 2 sc, sl st into first st. (First claw made.) Sl st in the center hole, ch 4. Turn. Sc in second ch from hook, 2 sc, sl st into first sl st. (Second claw made.) Sl st to the left of the center hole, ch 4. Turn. Sc in second ch from hook, 2 sc, sl st into first sl st. (Third claw made.) Bind off and weave in ends.

Back Ridges

With MUS, ch 48.

Row 1: 2 hdc into third chain from hook, [Sl st, 3 hdc in next ch] 5 times, [sl st, skip one st, 5 dc in next ch, skip one st] 4 times, [sl st, skip 2 st, 5 tr in next ch, skip 2 st] 3 times, sl st in last ch.  

Bind off with a long tail for sewing. 

Ears

(Make 2)

With MUS, ch 4.  

Rnd 1: (Dc, 2 tr, 2 dc) in 4^th ch from hook, sl st in base of starting ch. 

Bind off with a long tail. 

Eyebrows

(Make 2)

With MUS, ch 5.  

Rnd 1: Sc in second ch from hook, 2 sc, (sc, sl st) in last ch.

Bind off, leaving long tail for sewing. 

Horns

(Make 2)

With CRM, ch 2.  

Rnd 1: 4 sc into second ch from hook.  (4)  

Rnd 2: [Sc, inc] twice. (6)

Rnd 3: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 4: 3 hdc, 3 sc. (6)

Rnd 5: [2 sc, inc] twice. (8)

Rnd 6: 4 hdc, 4 sc. (8)

Rnd 7: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 8: 4 hdc, 4 sc. (8)

Rnd 9: [3 sc, inc] twice. (10)

Rnd 10: Sc, 5 hdc, 4 sc. (10)

Rnd 11: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 12: 2 sc, 5 hdc, 3 sc. (10)

Stuff.

Bind off leaving long tail for sewing.

Assembly

I recently did a YouTube Live putting together the entire Dragonling. It’s a long video, but it walks you through the whole process.

1. Laying the body on the table, stretched out, position the head on top. Pin as desired. Mattress stitch to body.
2. Attach ears to head between rows 11 and 13, about 8 sts apart. 
3. Attach eyebrows with the stitches facing out. Attach along edge of safety eyes.
4. Attach horns with hdc facing the top, so the horns angle back and down.  Attach horns between rows 14 and 16. 
5. Attach front legs low enough on the body that they bend at the “elbow” and rest in front of the dragon. Attach front leg to body all the way to the elbow. Thread the needle through the elbow, top to bottom. Pull tight. This will permanently bend the elbow. 
6. Attach back legs to body with the lower leg out front and the thigh touching the ground.  Whip stitch around outside of thigh to the body.  Thread needle from the thigh through lower leg two rows before thigh, top to bottom. Pull tight. This will permanently bend the hind leg.   

To attach ridges, pin them down the center of the back, with the larger ridges near the head. Whip stitch into place.  

Weave in all attachment ends when parts are positioned as desired.

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Post comments and pictures on social media with the hashtag #hookedbykati, or tag me @hookedbykati. You can also post pictures on the Facebook Page, or in the Hooked by Kati Crochet Community Facebook Group.

You may sell products made by this pattern, but please link back to hookedbykati.com or credit Hooked by Kati on the craft fair tag. Do not copy this pattern for distribution or sale; that’s not nice and also illegal.

If you run into a snag, drop me a line! I respond quickly and will help any way I can to clarify any confusion or challenging stitches.

Find more free patterns like this at allfreecrochet.com.

Here are some more wild animal crochet patterns for you:

Clark the Fox

Morris the Moose

Regal the Peacock

Hygge Squirrel