Dexter the Dinosaur – UPDATED Free Crochet Pattern

24/01/2019 11 Comments

This crochet dinosaur is an updated version of my first amigurumi pattern Dexter the Dinosaur,
everything looks the same but in this version the body is worked from the legs up. In addition,
this is more beginner-friendly pattern. However, if you like the original version better – you can
find it here.
In addition, there is also a new picture-tutorial on how to sew all the parts together – here.

You can also hook this free crochet dinosaur amigurumi pattern on Ravelry here! After that,
check out many other Dexters in the Projects section.

Dexter stands 6,7 inches (17cm) tall, and he is 13 inches (33cm) long. In short, if you want to
make him, here is what you need:

 crochet hook 4mm/US G

 2 yarns in contrasting colors(Aran weight) – I used Red Heart Soft Classic for the main
color, and Red Heart Niki for the light parts
 2 safety eyes (6mm)
 stuffing
 tapestry needle

This pattern also uses US terminology and these abbreviations:

 sc – single crochet
 ch – chain
 sc2inc – two single crochets in one stitch (single crochet increase)
 sc2tog – single crochet two stitches together (single crochet decrease)
 slst – slip stitch
 ML – magic loop/ring/circle
Let’s start!

The Legs

1. sc6 in ML (6)
2. sc2inc x 6 (12)
3. (sc, sc2inc) x 6 (18)
4. sc18 around (18)
5. (sc2, sc2inc) x 6 (24)
6. sc24 around (24)
7. (sc3, sc2inc) x 6 (30)
8. sc30 around (30)
9. (sc2inc, sc14) x 2 (32)
10. sc32 around (32) – fasten off and make three more.

The Body

I used different color yarn just to show the next step more clearly. IMPORTANT: Before you
start with the body, cut about 4 ft of yarn which will be used later for sewing the inside of the
legs together. Firstly, join the yarn to the first leg and do 16 single crochet stitches. Secondly,
hold the second leg next to the first one and just continue doing 16 sc stitches on that leg. After
that, do the same with third and fourth leg. Now you have a line of legs, 16 stitches on each leg,
64 stitches total.
Connect the first and the last leg as shown on the pictures #5 and #6 below.
1.(Start from the first sc stitch) sc16, sc2inc, sc31, sc2inc, sc15 (66)
2. – 9. sc66 around (66)
Sew the legs together as shown on the photos #7 and #8 above.
Do 6sc stitches to move your starting point to the middle of the leg and continue:

10. sc2dec, sc19, sc2dec, sc10, sc2dec, sc19, sc2dec, sc10 (62)
11. sc2dec, sc17, sc2dec, sc10, sc2dec, sc17, sc2dec, sc10 (58)
12. sc2dec, sc15, sc2dec, sc10, sc2dec, sc15, sc2dec, sc10 (54)
13. sc2dec, sc13, sc2dec, sc10, sc2dec, sc13, sc2dec, sc10 (50)
14. sc2dec, sc11, sc2dec, sc10, sc2dec, sc11, sc2dec, sc10 (46)
15. sc2dec, sc9, sc2dec, sc10, sc2dec, sc9, sc2dec, sc10 (42)
16. sc2dec, sc7, sc2dec, sc10, sc2dec, sc7, sc2dec, sc10 (38)
17. sc12, sc2dec x 2, sc15, sc2dec x 2, sc3 (34)
18. sc11, sc2dec x 2, sc13, sc2dec x 2, sc2 (30)
19. sc10, sc2dec x 2, sc11, sc2dec x 2, sc1 (26)
20. sc9, sc2dec x 2, sc9, sc2dec x 2 (22) – lastly, stuff the body with a lot of stuffing and sew it
shut.
The Tail

1.sc6 in MR (6)
2. – 5. sc6 (6)
6. sc2inc, sc5 (7)
7. sc 7 around (7)
8. (sc2inc) x 2, sc5 (9)
9. sc9 around (9)
10. sc, (sc2inc) x2, sc6 (11)
11. sc11 around (11)
12. sc2, (sc2inc) x2, sc7 (13)
13. sc13 around (13)
14. sc3, (sc2inc) x2, sc8 (15)
15. sc15 around (15)
16. sc4, (sc2inc) x2, sc9 (17)
17. sc17 around (17)
18. sc5, (sc2inc) x2, sc10 (19)
19. sc19 around (19)
20. sc6, (sc2inc) x2, sc11 (21)
21. sc21 around (21)
22. sc7, (sc2inc) x2, sc12 (23)
23. sc23 around (23)
24. sc8, (sc2inc) x2, sc13 (25)
25. sc25 around (25)
26. sc9, (sc2inc) x2, sc14 (27)
27. sc27 around (27)
28. sc10, (sc2inc) x2, sc15 (29)
29. sc29 around (29)
30. sc11, (sc2inc) x2, sc16 (31)
31. sc31 around (31)
32. sc12, (sc2inc) x2, sc17 (33)
33. sc33 around (33) – fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.

The Head

1. sc6 in MR (6)
2. sc2inc x 6 (12)
3. (sc, sc2inc) x 6 (18)
4. (sc2, sc2inc) x 6 (24)
5. sc24 around (24)
6. sc 24 (24)
7. sc24 (24)
8. (sc2inc) x 4, sc20 (28)
9. sc2, (sc2inc) x4, sc22 (32)
10. (sc2inc) x 2, sc8, (sc2inc) x 2, sc 20 (36)
11. sc16, (sc2tog) x 2, sc12, (sc2tog) x 2 (32)
12. sc16, sc2tog, sc12, sc2tog (30)
13. sc30 (30)
14. sc30 (30)
15. sc2, sc2tog, (sc3, sc2tog) x 2, sc8, (sc2inc) x 3, sc5 (30)
16. sc2, sc2tog, (sc2, sc2tog) x 2, sc8, (sc2inc) x 3, sc7 (30)
17. (sc, sc2tog) x 3, sc9, (sc2inc) x 3, sc9 (30)
18. sc, (sc2tog) x 3, sc10, (sc2inc) x 3, sc10 (30)
19. sc2, sc2tog, sc3, sc2tog, (sc4, sc2inc) x 3, sc3, sc2tog, sc (30)
 20. sc, sc2tog, sc3, sc2tog, (sc4, sc2inc) x 3, sc3, sc2tog, sc2 (30)
21. repeat row 20. (30)
22. repeat row 20. (30)
23. sc2tog, sc3, sc2tog, (sc4, sc2inc) x 3, sc3, sc2tog, sc3 (30)
24. repeat row 23. (30)
25. repeat row 23. (30)
26. sc30 (30)
27. sc30 (30)
28. (sc4, sc2inc) x 6 (36)

Note: Insert the safety eyes between rows 9 and 10, and 9 stitches apart.

The light parts

Front:

1.ch4 (4)
2. in 2nd chain from hook sc, sc2, *ch, TURN* (after every row chain and turn your work) (3)
3. sc, sc2inc, sc, (4)
4. – 5. sc4, (4)
6. sc, sc2inc x 2, sc (6)
7. – 10. sc6 (6)
11. sc, sc2inc, sc2, sc2inc, sc (8)
12. – 14. sc8 (8)
15. sc, sc2inc, sc4, sc2inc, sc (10)
16. – 18. sc10 (10)
19. sc1, sc2tog, sc4, sc2tog, sc (8)
20. sc1, sc2tog, sc2, sc2tog, sc (6)
21. sc, sc2tog x 2, sc (4)
22. sc2tog x 2 (2) – fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.

Back:

1.ch4 (4)
2. in 2nd chain from hook sc, sc2, *ch, TURN* (after every row chain and turn your work) (3)
3. sc3 (3)
4. sc,sc2inc, sc (4)
5. – 7. sc4 (4)
8. sc, sc2inc x 2, sc (6)
9. – 11. sc6 (6)
12. sc, sc2inc, sc2, sc2inc, sc (8)
13. – 15. sc8 (8)
16. sc, sc2inc, sc4, sc2inc, sc (10)
17. – 19. sc10 (10)
20. sc, sc2tog, sc4, sc2tog, sc (8)
21. sc, sc2tog, sc2, sc2tog, sc (6)
22. sc, sc2tog x 2, sc (4)
23. sc2tog x 2 (2) – fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.

Dots:

You can make as many as you like in different sizes. I made two big ones by sc6 in ML and than
sc2inc in all 6 stitches. Two by sc9 in ML, and four little ones by sc6 in ML. Certainly, you can
make your crochet dinosaur without dots. However you prefer.

How to assemble and sew Dexter the Dinosaur

If you’re done with the crochet part of Dexter the Dinosaur pattern, grab your tapestry needle
and some toy stuffing and let’s get to work. Basic sewing skills are required.
The new pattern for my crochet dinosaur, worked from legs up, can be found here.
If you prefer the old version worked from the top down, you can find it here.

Main parts of the dinosaur

Before you sew the head and the tail to the body, add more stuffing to make it firmer.

Head sewing
Tail Sewing

Light Parts Sewing

Have fun with the dots, make as many of those as you want in any size you want. It’s easier to
sew smaller dots with a sewing needle.