My next Doodle Zoo animal was made and named by my Train Your Dragon obsessed daughter!  I can’t tell you how many times she has watched those movies, and whilst watching the movie (again) I decided to add a dragon to the Doodle Zoo menagerie and so Ruby (or Ruben) the Dragon was born!

If you haven’t heard about Doodle Zoo it’s my mini challenge to myself this year to design 12 free little animals built on one simple base design so they all look related. For details about the other Doodle Zoo characters; see my posts about Doodle Duck, Rowan Rabbit, Finlay Frog, Ezra Elephant, Peggy Panda and Petunia Pig. Don’t forget to look out for the next addition to the Doodle Zoo next month!

So without further ado let me introduce you to my little dragon.

Ruby is a great little stash buster using roughly 30g / 90 yards of yarn. All the Doodle Zoo animals are designed to work up in less than an hour and because they are just the right hand size they become very steal-able so be prepared to make a few!  Ruby would make a cute additional gift for family and friends or an quick addition to a craft stall.

This is an easy pattern suitable for beginners looking to learn some new crochet techniques. Click here to add this pattern to your favourites / queue on Ravelry or click here to access on Craftsy or scroll down for the pattern.

Ruby the Dragon

Yarn: 8ply / yarn weight #3 or #4

30g / 90 yards of any colour double knit yarn

Hook: 4mm (US size G)

You will also need:

• Yarn needle
• Stitch marker
• 2 x 12mm cat safety eyes or 2 x black safety eyes
• Polyester toy stuffing

Gauge:

4 dc/sc = 1 inch / 2.5 cm

Size:

Finished dragon measures = 3.25 inches / 8.3 cm

These measurements are approximated, and actual subjects may vary. Pattern will work in other yarns though gauge/size will be different.

Stitch Guidance:

• Slip Stitch (sl st): Insert hook in st indicated, yarn over and pull through all loops.
• Double Crochet/Single Crochet (dc/sc): Insert hook in st indicated and pull up a loop (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.
• Half Double Treble / Half Double Crochet (htr/hdc): Yarn over, insert hook in next st and draw up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, draw through all three loops on hook.
• Treble / Double Crochet (tr/dc): Yarn over, insert hook in next st and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, pull through remaining two loops on hook.
• Popcorn Stitch (PC): Work 5 tr/dc in st indicated, remove hook completely, insert hook in 1st tr/dc (1st tr/dc of the 5), insert hook in loop that you just removed your hook from (5th tr/dc of the 5), yarn over and pull through both loops on hook.
• Double Crochet/Single Crochet 2 sts together (dc/sc2tog): Insert hook in st indicated and pull up a loop (two loops on hook), insert hook in next st, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through three loops on hook.
• Bobble (bo): Yarn over; (as you would with a tr/dc) not too tightly and draw up a loop 3 times in the st where your bobble is to be. Yarn over and draw through 6 loops. Yarn over and draw through last 2 loops on hook – bobble made.

Pattern Guidance:

Working without joining: All the parts of the dragon are worked without  joining using a stitch marker to keep track of the rounds.  Place the stitch marker in the top of the first st to mark start of round.

Pattern:

Body:

Rnd 1: Either make a magic ring (adjustable ring) to start or ch 2, crochet 6 dc/sc into the ring / 2nd ch from hook, use tail yarn to tighten centre ring closed if necessary (6 sts).

Rnd 2: 2 dc/sc in each st around (12 sts).

Rnd 3: *1 dc/sc in next, 2 dc/sc in next st *    repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (18 sts).

Rnd 4: * 1 dc/sc in next 2 sts,  2 dc/sc in next st, * repeat from * to *  until the end of the rnd(24 sts).

Rnd 5: * 1 dc/sc in next 3 sts, 2 dc/sc in next st, * repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (30 sts).

Rnd 6 – 10: 1 dc/sc in each st around (30 sts).

Rnd 11- Arms: PC in the next st, 1 dc/sc in the next 14 sts, PC in the next st, 1 dc/sc in the in each of the remaining sts (30 sts).

Rnd 12: 1 dc/sc in each st around (30 sts).

• Add your safety eyes in between rows 7 and 8 about 1.25 inches/ 3.3cm apart and in-between the PC arms.

Rnd 13: * 1 dc/sc in the next 3 sts, 1dc/sc2tog over next 2 sts * repeat from * to * until end of rnd, begin to stuff your dragon (24 sts).

Rnd 14: *1 dc/sc in the next 2 sts, 1dc/sc2tog over next 2 sts * repeat from * to * until end of the rnd (18 sts).

Rnd 15: *1 dc/sc in the next st, 1dc/sc2tog over next 2 sts * repeat from * to * until end of the rnd (12 sts).

• Finish off stuffing the body

Rnd 16: *1dc/sc2tog over next 2 sts * repeat from * to * until end of the rnd, cut thread         leaving a long tail (6 sts).

• Using your tail end and using your yarn needle sew the last 6 stitches closed, finish off and weave in ends.

Snout:

Rnd 1: Ch 4, 3 dc/sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 dc/sc in the next st, 3 dc/sc in the next st then working down the other side of your beginning ch 1 dc/sc in the next 2 sts (9 sts).

Rnd 2: * 1 dc/sc in the next st, 2 dc/sc in the next st * repeat from * to * around (12 sts).

Rnd 3: 1 dc/sc in the next st, 2 dc/sc in the next st, 1 dc/sc in the next 2 sts, 2 dc/sc in the next st, 1 dc/sc in the next 3 sts, 2 dc/sc in the next st, 1 dc/sc in the next 2 sts, 2 dc/sc in the next st (16 sts).

Rnd 4: 1 dc/sc in the next 2 sts, bo in the next st, 1 dc/sc in the next 10 sts, bo in the next, 1 dc/sc in the last 2 sts (16 sts).

Rnd 5: 1 dc/sc in each st around, finish off but leave a long yarn tail to sew snout to body (16 sts).

• Lightly stuff snout and using your tail end sew the snout to the body in-between the eyes.

Tail:

Rnd 1: Either make a magic ring (adjustable ring)

to start or ch 2, crochet 6 dc/sc into the ring / 2nd ch from hook, use tail yarn to tighten centre ring closed if necessary (6 sts).

Rnds 2-3: 1 dc/sc in each st around (6 sts).

Rnd 4: *1 dc/sc in next, 2 dc/sc in next st *    repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (9 sts).

Rnd 5: 1 dc/sc in each st around (9 sts).

Rnd 6: *1 dc/sc in next, 2 dc/sc in next st *    repeat from * to * until the end of the rnd (13 sts).

Rnds 7-8: 1 dc/sc in each st around, on the last st of rnd 7 finish off but leave a long yarn end to sew tail to body (13 sts).

• Lightly stuff tail and using your yarn end sew the tail on the rear of the body.

Spikes: 

Although I make my spikes a little differently the following link is an excellent video by Friendly Nettle to show you how to crochet a chain of  triangles: https://youtu.be/M_V13M2owHc

Row 1: * Ch 4, 1 dc/sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 htr/hdc in next st, 1 tr/dc in the next st * repeat from * to * five times (6 spikes in total), finish off but leave a yarn tail for sewing to the body.

• Sew spikes to the middle of the head (on rnd 1) running down the back and onto the tail (as photo below)

Feet (Make 2): 

Rnd 1: Ch 6, 1 dc/sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each st along until end (5 sts), then working down the other side of your sts work 1 dc/sc until end (10sts).

Rnd 2 – 6: 1 dc/sc in each st around, sl st to the next st to join but leave a long tail for sewing. (10 sts).

• Sew the sides of the feet together then sew onto the front of your dragon on rnd 13 approximately 0.25 inch / 1.5 cm apart.

And that’s it!  Simple, cute and addictive!