Schoolhouse Dragon | Free Crochet Pattern

Inspired by back to school season, this playful dragon is wrapped around an apple, holding a pencil in his mouth! This whimsical back-to-school project is perfect for teachers, students, or anyone who loves creative, themed crochet designs.

Whether you’re looking to decorate a classroom or give a special handmade gift, this dragon pattern will add a magical touch to your school supplies. Plus, it’s a great way to practice your amigurumi skills while crafting something that’s both adorable and functional.

Let’s dive into this back-to-school crochet pattern and bring your dragon to life!

The Schoolhouse Dragon was originally modeled after Wonder the Birthday Dragon, my pattern that took third place the Amigurumi.com design contest in 2020. I was cleaning up my studio and setting Wonder in his new display spot when I got the idea to wrap him around more things!

Since it was almost time for back to school, and since I always get a little extra motivation from that time of year, the Schoolhouse Dragon was born just in time to be the Back-To-School Treasure Hunt prize!

The Schoolhouse Dragon makes a great gift for teachers, for the beginning or end of the school year, or for Teacher’s Appreciation Week, if you school celebrates one. They also make great gifts for people who are in a time of life that requires a lot of studying. My first thought goes to college students or people studying for a huge test, like the bar exam or MCATs.

After all, everyone needs a study buddy!

Putting Your Dragon Together

The dragon for this pattern is identical to Wonder; the only thing that changed was the cupcake into an apple and the birthday candle into a pencil. Though I must say, the attachment for him to wrap around the apple is slightly different because apples have stems and cupcakes do not (unless you make some strange cupcakes).

The dragon body uses short rounds to create curves in the tube that allow him to make that adorable ‘C’ shape around the apple. The rest of his rather straightforward, with increases and decreases shaping his face, and bobble stitches creating his little toes.

More than 350 participated in the Back-To-School Treasure Hunt, Fall of 2024, and got his Premium Pattern 2.0 as a reward. It has rave reviews! Many people who have the Wonder pattern even said it was helpful to have photo tutorials for the apple shaping and attachments.

So if you’d like a little extra help with those parts that the text-only pattern below can’t provide, the Premium Pattern 2.0 may be the way to go.

You can get the Premium Pattern 2.0 on Ravelry or Etsy.

Schoolhouse Dragon | 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), back loops only (BLO), Right side (RS), Wrong side (WS), increases and decreases, mattress stitch sewing. Be eager to learn and ready to have fun!

You Will Practice Intermediate Techniques

• How to shape 3D objects using increases and decreases
• How to use pins to perfectly place and attach amigurumi parts
• How to curve 3D crochet using short rounds
• How to crochet on the surface of a 3D object

Supplies

• Big Twist Value yarn, 100% acrylic, worsted weight, 380 yds/6 oz/170 g, Red (RED), < 1 ball; Light Green (GRN), < 1 ball; Toffee (TOFF), < 50 yds; Aran (ARAN), < 100 yds; Light Pink (PNK), < 50 yds; Grey (GRY), < 50 yds; Gold (GOLD), < 100 yds; Black (BLK), < 50 yds.
• G (4.00 mm) hook
• Polyfil stuffing
• Tapestry needle
• Straight pins

Measurements

10” tall x 7” wide

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 piece require repositioning.
• Rounds labeled “Short Rnd” are worked back and forth and will end before the round is complete, leaving stitches deliberately unworked to be worked in later rounds as instructed. This will create the curve of the tail.

Pattern Stitches

• Bobble-st – Bobble stitch: [Yo, insert hook into st, pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook] 5 times in same st, yo, pull through all 6 loops on hook.
• Back stitch: Working in a line, insert needle through first st, bring up through next st, insert back through first st. Repeat.

Instructions

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Apple

With Red, 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: [6 sc, inc] 6 times. (48)

Rnd 9: [7 sc, inc] 6 times. (54)

Rnd 10: [8 sc, inc] 6 times. (60)

Rnds 11-18: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 19: [18 sc, dec] 3 times. (57)

Rnd 20: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 21: [17 sc, dec] 3 times. (54)

Rnd 22: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 23: [16 sc, dec] 3 times. (51)

Rnd 24: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 25: [15 sc, dec] 3 times. (48)

Rnd 26: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 27: [14 sc, dec] 3 times. (45)

Rnd 28: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 29: [13 sc, dec] 3 times. (42)

Start stuffing.

Rnd 30: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 31: [12 sc, dec] 3 times. (39)

Rnd 32: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 33: [11 sc, dec] 3 times. (36)

Rnd 34: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 35: [4 sc, dec] 6 times. (30)

Rnd 36: [3 sc, dec] 6 times. (24)

Rnd 37: [2 sc, dec] 6 times. (18)

Finish stuffing.

Rnd 38: [Sc, dec] 6 times. (12)

Rnd 39: Dec 6 times. (6)

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

Using a needle, Thread tail through center of last round, through apple, and out the center of the first round. Move over one stitch, and thread back down through apple to the bottom. Pull gently to shape apple, creating intention in top and bottom of apple. Knot around any stitch in last round to hold. Weave in ends.

Stem

With TOFF, ch 2.

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

Rnds 2-9: Sc evenly around.  

Bind off. Do not stuff.  Press last round flat.

Sew to apple in straight line along flattened last round, across the dent at the top of the apple. Bend stem slightly.

Dragon Head

With GRN, ch 2.

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

Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (8)

Rnd 3: [Sc, inc] 4 times. (12)

Rnd 4: [2 sc, inc] 4 times. (16)

Rnd 5: Bobble-st (see Pattern Stitches), 4 sc, bobble-st, 10 sc. (16)

Rnds 6-7: Sc evenly around.

Push bobbles inward to create nostrils.

Rnd 8: [2 sc, dec] 4 times. (12)

Rnds 9-10: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 11: [3 sc, inc] 3 times. (15)

Rnd 12: [4 sc, inc] 3 times. (18)

Rnd 13: [5 sc, inc] 3 times. (21)

Rnd 14: [6 sc, inc] 3 times. (24)

Rnd 15: [7 sc, inc] 3 times. (27)

Rnd 16: [8 sc, inc] 3 times. (30)

Rnds 17-20: Sc evenly around.

Stuff snout.

Rnd 21: [3 sc, dec] 6 times. (24)

Rnd 22: [2 sc, dec] 6 times. (18)

Rnd 23: [Sc, dec] 6 times. (12)

Finish stuffing head.

Rnd 24: Dec 6 times. (6)

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

Nostril Flairs

With GRN, surface sl st (see Pattern Stitches) in stitch on outside of nostril on Rnd 5, surface sc (see Pattern Stitches), 3 surface hdc (see Pattern Stitches) around upper edge of nostril, surface sl st in Rnd 5 on other side of nostril. 

Repeat on other nostril.

Weave in ends.

Sleepy Eyes

With BLK, using a tapestry needle, sew an arch from Rnd 13 to Rnd 18, with the highest point of the arch only one stitch higher than the end points. Arch should be in line with nostril.

Repeat on other side.

Weave in ends.

Eyebrows

(Make 2)

With GRN, ch 7.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook, 5 sc. (6)

Bind off leaving long tail for sewing.

Sewing through the starting chain, sew eyebrow in line with eye arch, one stitch above eye and in like with the back edge of the eye. The eyebrow should not cover across the whole eye. 

Horns

(Make 2)

With ARAN, ch 2.

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

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

Rnds 3-5: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 6: [2 sc, inc] twice. (8)

Rnds 7-9: Sc evenly around.

Stuff.

Bind of leaving long tail for sewing.

Pin two 2 x 2 squares on head, between Rnds 19 and 21, 2 sts apart, evenly spaced between eyebrows. Using pins as a guide, sew horns to head.

Dragon Body

With GRN, ch 2.

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

Rnd 2: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 3: [2 Sc, inc] twice. (8)

Rnds 4-5: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 6: [3 sc, inc] twice, turn. (10)

Rnd 7: (WS)(Short Rnd) (See Pattern Notes) Do not chain, 5 sc, leave remaining 5 sts unworked, turn. (5)

Rnd 8: (RS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 5 sc. (5)

Rnd 9: (RS) Continuing on unworked sts from previous rnd, 10 sc. (10)

Rnd 10: [4 sc, inc] twice. (12)

Rnd 11: Sc evenly around, turn.

Rnd 12: (WS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 6 sc, leave remaining 6 sts unworked, turn. (6)

Rnd 13: (RS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 6 sc. (6)

Rnd 14: (RS) Continuing on unworked sts from previous rnd, 12 sc. (12)

Rnd 15: [5 sc, inc] twice. (14)

Rnd 16: Sc evenly around, turn.

Rnd 17: (WS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 7 sc, leave remaining 7 sts unworked, turn. (7)

Rnd 18: (RS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 7 sc. (7)

Rnd 19: (RS) Continuing on unworked sts from previous rnd, 14 sc. (14)

Rnd 20: [6 sc, inc] twice. (16)

Rnd 21: Sc evenly around, turn.

Rnd 22: (WS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 8 sc, leave remaining 8 sts unworked, turn. (8)

Rnd 23: (RS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 8 sc. (8)

Rnd 24: (RS) Continuing on unworked sts from previous rnd, 16 sc. (16)

Rnd 25: [7 sc, inc] twice. (18)

Rnd 26: Sc evenly around, turn.

Rnd 27: (WS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 9 sc, leave remaining 9 sts unworked, turn. (9)

Rnd 28: (RS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 9 sc. (9)

Rnd 29: (RS) Continuing on unworked sts from previous rnd, 18 sc. (18)

Rnd 30: [8 sc, inc] twice. (20)

Rnd 31: Sc evenly around, turn.

Rnd 32: (WS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 10 sc, leave remaining 10 sts unworked, turn. (10)

Rnd 33: (RS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 10 sc. (10)

Rnd 34: (RS) Continuing on unworked sts from previous rnd, 20 sc. (20)

Rnd 35: [9 sc, inc] twice. (22)

Rnd 36: Sc evenly around, turn.

Rnd 37: (WS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 11 sc, leave remaining 11 sts unworked, turn. (11)

Rnd 38: (RS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 11 sc. (11)

Rnd 39: (RS) Continuing on unworked sts from previous rnd, 22 sc. (22)

Rnd 40: [10 sc, inc] twice. (24)

Rnd 41: Sc evenly around, turn.

Start stuffing.

Rnd 42: (WS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 12 sc, leave remaining 12 sts unworked, turn. (12)

Rnd 43: (RS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 12 sc. (12)

Rnd 44: (RS) Continuing on unworked sts from previous rnd, 24 sc. (24)

Rnd 45: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 46: Sc evenly around, turn.

Rnds 47-56: Repeat Rnds 42-46 twice.

Rnd 57: (WS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 12 sc, leave remaining 12 sts unworked, turn. (12)

Rnd 58: (RS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 12 sc. (12)

Rnd 59: (RS) Continuing on unworked sts from previous rnd, 24 sc. (24)

Rnd 60: [4 sc, dec] 4 times. (20)

Rnd 61: Sc evenly around, turn.

Rnd 62: (WS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 10 sc, leave remaining 10 sts unworked, turn. (10)

Rnd 63: (RS)(Short Rnd) Do not chain, 10 sc. (10)

Rnd 64: (RS) Continuing on unworked sts from previous rnd, 20 sc. (20)

Rnd 65: [8 sc, dec] twice. (18)

Stuff.

Rnd 66: [Sc, dec] 6 times. (12)

Rnd 67: Dec 6 times. (6)

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

Body will be curved around and twist. This is normal! You want it to wrap around an apple, after all. 

Mark Rnd 66 with several pins. Hold head against neck, aligned so the center st of the last rnd of the head are touching the top of Rnd 66, straight out from neck (follow curve), and the tip of the nose lines up with the tip of the tail.

Mark where head and neck touch at Rnd 66. Use pins as a guide to sew head to neck.

Tip: Do not cut sewing tail, you can use it to attach the head to the cupcake later!

Dragon will look like a ‘C’ with a twist caused by pointing the dragon’s nose at his tail.

Hind Legs

(Make 2)

With GRN, 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)

Rnds 5-7: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 8: Bobble-st, sc, bobble-st, sc, bobble-st, sl st, leave remaining sts unworked. (3 bobbles, 2 sc)

Bind off leaving long tail for sewing.

Set aside.

Front Legs

(Make 2)

With GRN, 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)

Rnds 4-6: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 7: Bobble-st, sc, bobble-st, sc, bobble-st, sl st, leave remaining sts unworked. (3 bobbles, 2 sc)

Bind off leaving lot tail for sewing.

Set aside.

Back Ridges

With GRN, ch 74.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook, hdc, 2 dc in next st, hdc, sc, sl st, [sc, hdc, 2 dc in next st, hdc, sc, sl st] 11 times. (12 ridges)

Bind off leaving long tail for sewing.

Ridges will curve.

Set aside.

Pencil

With PNK, ch 2.

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

Rnds 2-3: Sc evenly around.

Rnd 4: Change to GRY, sc evenly around.

Rnd 5: Working in BLO, sc evenly around.

Rnd 6: Change to GOLD, Working in BLO, sc evenly around.

Rnds 7-16: Working in both loops, sc evenly around.

Stuff every few rounds with small balls of stuffing.

Rnd 17: Change to TAN, [Sc, dec] twice. (4)

Rnd 18: Sc evenly around.

Cut yarn. Thread needle through front loops of remaining 4 stitches. Pull tight to close. Weave in ends.

Thread needle With BLK. Working through the last rnd of pencil, criss cross two layers over tip of pencil. Wrap yarn around base of last rnd once to leave defined edge. Weave in ends.

Assembly

1. Position body on apple so that last several rows of the tail are along the ground, the body swoops up the side, and the largest part of the dragon’s head rests on top of the apple with the head touching the apple on the outside of the cheek. Using remaining tail from head attachment, sew a few stitches attaching the cheek of the dragon to the apple, just to the side of the stem.

Use some scrap GRN to sew a few stitches attaching the end of the tail to the bottom rnd of dc on the apple.

• Optional: Use some scrap GRN to sew a few stitches attaching the body to the apple in a few places where they touch. This is not necessary, but helpful to hold the body tightly against the apple.
• Mark a 6 x 6 square on the front of the body between Rnds 25 and 31. Position Hind Leg so toes touch the apple. Mark where leg touches the pins and use the pins as a guide to attach the leg. Stuff leg before completing attachment. Repeat with other Hind Leg on other side of body, toes still touching the apple, also between Rnds 25 and 31.
• Hold Front Leg to body between Rnds 36 and 40 (5 rnds from Hind Legs), toes touching the apple, and mark where the leg touches the body with pins. Use the pins as a guide to attach the leg. Stuff leg before completing attachment. Repeat with other Front Leg on other side of body, toes still touching the apple, also between Rnds 36 and 40.
• Pin Back Ridges on to body from neck/head attachment to tip of tail. Ridges should run down the centerline of the back and around to the front of the tail so they are parallel to the ground at the tip of the tail.
• Use scraps of GOLD to sew the center of the pencil at a slight angle to the bottom of the dragon’s snout.

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

(c) Hooked by Kati LLC 2024

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Find more free patterns like this at allfreecrochet.com.

Here are some more free dragon crochet patterns for you:

Charlie the Celestial Dragon

Toby the Newborn Dragon

Vincent the Dragon

Wonder the Birthday Dragon