Knitting: Cute dinosaur toys

Body and tail

Worked from neck to tail.

body: With 3mm needles and bright Green, cast on 32 sts. beginning with a k row, ss 2 rows.

1st increase row: K5, up1, [k2, up1] 11 times, k5 – 44 sts. beginning with a p row, ss 9 rows.

2nd increase row: K7, up1, [k3, up1] 10 times, k7 – 55 sts. beginning with a p row, ss 9 rows.

1st decrease row: K7, [skpo, k3] 3 times, skpo, k7, [k2tog, k3] 3 times, k2tog, k7 – 47 sts. beginning with a p row, ss 5 rows.

2nd decrease row: K7, [skpo, k2] 3 times, skpo, k5, [k2tog, k2] 3 times, k2tog, k7 – 39 sts. beginning with a p row, ss 3 rows.

3rd decrease row: K7, [skpo, k1] 3 times, skpo, k3, [k2tog, k1] 3 times, k2tog, k7 – 31 sts. beginning with a p row, ss 3 rows.

4th decrease row: K4, skpo, k1, [skpo] 4 times, k1, [k2tog] 4 times, k1, k2tog, k4 – 21 sts.

Tail: beginning with a p row, ss 5 rows.

1st decrease row: K4, [skpo] 3 times, k1, [k2tog] 3 times, k4 – 15 sts. beginning with a p row, ss 5 rows.

2nd decrease row: K2, [skpo] 3 times, [k2tog] 3 times, k1 – 9 sts. beginning with a p row, ss 3 rows.

3rd decrease row: K2, skpo, k1, k2tog, k2 – 7 sts. beginning with a p row, ss 3 rows.

4th decrease row: K1, skpo, k1, k2tog, k1 – 5 sts. break off yarn, thread end through remaining sts, pull up tightly and secure.

Head

Worked from neck upwards.

With 3mm needles and bright Green, cast on 32 sts. beginning with a p row, ss 7 rows.

1st decrease row: K8, [skpo] 4 times, [k2tog] 4 times, k8 – 24 sts. beginning with a p row, ss 5 rows.

2nd decrease row: [Skpo] 6 times, [k2tog] 6 times – 12 sts.

3rd decrease row: [P2tog] twice, p4, [p2togb] twice – 8 sts. break off yarn, thread end through remaining sts, pull up tightly and secure. join row-ends of tail and body and row-ends on head. Stuff both pieces firmly. For safety eyes, mark position of eyes, remove stuffing and fix safety eyes at markers. replace stuffing and join head to body. With black, embroider a few straight sts for mouth and a ring of chain sts for each eye (if needed).

Back legs (make 2)

Worked from feet upwards.

Foot: With 3mm needles and bright Green, cast on 20 sts. beginning with a k row, ss 4 rows.

1st decrease row: K4, [skpo] 3 times, [k2tog] 3 times, k4 – 14 sts. P 1 row.

2nd decrease row: K5, skpo, k2tog, k5 – 12 sts. **

Beginning with a p row, ss 5 rows. Mark 6th st of last row with removable st marker or contrasting thread.

Leg: Increase row: K to marked st, up1, k2, up1, k to end – 2 sts increased. P 1 row.

Repeat the last 2 rows, once more, then repeat the increase row again – 18 sts.

Beginning with a p row, ss 3 rows.

1st decrease row: K2, skpo, k10, k2tog, k2 – 16 sts.

2nd decrease row: P2tog, p12, p2togb – 14 sts. Cast off.

Front legs (make 2)

Worked from feet upwards.

Foot: With 3mm needles and

Bright Green, cast on 16 sts. Beginning with a k row, ss 4 rows.

1st decrease row: K4, [skpo] twice, [k2tog] twice, k4 – 12 sts.

Leg: Beginning with a p row, ss 11 rows.

Decrease row: [K2tog] to end – 6 sts.

Break off yarn, thread end through remaining sts, pull up tightly and secure. Fold each leg in half and join row-ends and top edge on back feet only, stuff firmly then join cast-on edges for soles. Sew legs to sides of body. With Black, work 3 straight sts at front of each foot for claws.

Ruffle

With 3.25mm needles and Bright Green, cast on 17 sts.

Increase row: [Inc knitwise in next st] to end – 34 sts.

1st rib row: K2, [p2, k2] to end.

2nd rib row: P2, [k2, p2] to end. Last 2 rows form rib. Rib another 6 rows. Cast off in rib. Sew cast-on edge of ruffle to neck edge on top of body.

Back horns (make 2)

With 3mm needles and Beige, cast on 7 sts.

Beginning with a k row, ss 6 rows.

1st decrease row: K1, skpo, k1, k2tog, k1 – 5 sts. P 1 row.

2nd decrease row: Skpo, k1, k2tog – 3 sts.

Break off yarn, thread end through remaining sts, pull up tightly and secure.

Front horn

With 3mm needles and Beige, cast on 7 sts.

Beginning with a k row, ss 2 rows.

1st decrease row: K1, skpo, k1, k2tog, k1 – 5 sts. P 1 row.

2nd decrease row: Skpo, k1, k2tog – 3 sts. Break off yarn, thread end through remaining sts, pull tightly and secure. Join row-ends together on each horn and sew cast-on edge to top of head using photo as a guide to placement.

Head, body and tail

Head: With 3mm needles, cast on 6 sts.

1st increase row: [Inc knitwise in next st] to end – 12 sts. P 1 row. Work 1st increase row again – 24 sts. Beginning with a p row, ss 11 rows.

2nd increase row: K10, up1, [k1, up1] 4 times, k10 – 29 sts. P 1 row.

shape back of head: next 2 rows: K22, wrap1, turn, p15, wrap1, turn. next row: K14, skpo, wrap1, turn. next row: P14, p2tog, wrap1, turn. Repeat the last 2 rows, twice more.

next row: K to end – 23 sts. Beginning with a p row, ss 3 rows.

Decrease row: K8, skpo, k3, k2tog, k8 – 21 sts.

body: Beginning with a p row, ss 3 rows.

1st increase row: [K2, up1] twice, k13, [up1, k2] twice – 25 sts.

P 1 row.

2nd increase row: [K2, up1] 3 times, k3, skpo, k3, k2tog, k3,

[up1, k2] 3 times – 29 sts. P 1 row.

3rd increase row: [K2, up1] 3 times, k to last 6 sts, [up1, k2] 3 times – 35 sts. P 1 row.

Repeat the last 2 rows, once more – 41 sts.

4th increase row: K4, up1, k2, up1, k13, up1, k3, up1, k13, up1, k2, up1, k4 – 47 sts. Beginning with a p row, ss 11 rows.

1st decrease row: K4, skpo, k to last 6 sts, k2tog, k4 – 45 sts.

P 1 row.

Repeat the last 2 rows, twice more – 41 sts.

2nd decrease row: K4, skpo, k5, skpo, k4, skpo, k3, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k5, k2tog, k4 – 35 sts. P 1 row.

3rd decrease row: K4, skpo, k5, skpo, k2, skpo, k1, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k5, k2tog, k4 – 29 sts. P 1 row.

Tail: 1st decrease row: K4, skpo, k to last 6 sts, k2tog, k4 – 2 sts decreased. P 1 row.

Repeat the last 2 rows, 6 times more, then repeat the 1st decrease row again – 13 sts.

Beginning with a p row, ss 3 rows.

2nd decrease row: K4, skpo, k1, k2tog, k4 – 11 sts.

Beginning with a p row, ss 3 rows.

3rd decrease row: K3, skpo, k1, k2tog, k3 – 9 sts.

Beginning with a p row, ss 3 rows. 4th decrease row: K2, skpo, k1, k2tog, k2 – 7 sts.

Beginning with a p row, ss 3 rows.

5th decrease row: K1, skpo, k1, k2tog, k1 – 5 sts.

Break off yarn, thread through remaining sts, pull up tightly and secure. Gather cast-on edge tightly and secure. Join row-ends of head and stuff. Mark position of eyes, remove stuffing, fix safety eyes at markers and replace stuffing. Join row-ends of body and tail, leaving opening. Stuff firmly and close opening. With Black, embroider a few straight sts for mouth and a ring of chain sts for each eye (if needed).

Back legs (make 2)

Foot: With Plum, work as given for back leg of Triceratops to **.

P 1 row.

Mark 6th st of last row with removable st marker or contrasting thread.

Leg: Increase row: K to within

1 st of marker, up1, k2, up1, k to end – 2 sts increased. P 1 row.

Repeat the last 2 rows, 3 times more, then repeat the increase row again – 22 sts.

Beginning with a p row, ss 5 rows.

1st decrease row: K2, skpo, k14, k2tog, k2 – 20 sts.

2nd decrease row: P2tog, p16,

p2togb – 18 sts.

3rd decrease row: K2, skpo, k3, k2tog, skpo, k3, k2tog, k2 – 14 sts.

4th decrease row: P2tog, p10, p2togb – 12 sts.

Cast off. Fold each leg in half and join cast-on edge for sole, then join row-ends and top, leaving an opening. Stuff firmly and close opening. Sew top of legs to sides of body.

Arms (make 2)

With 3mm needles, cast on 7 sts. Beginning with a k row, ss 12 rows.

shape claws: next row: [Cast on 2 sts, cast off 4 sts, place st used in casting off back on to left-hand needle] twice, cast on 2 sts then cast off remaining sts. Fasten off. Join row-ends and sew top of arms to sides at top of body, just below neck.