Welcome to the second episode of mystery dino crochet-along! Meet Mike’s favourite, Dmitri the Dimetrodon! Known for the awesome sail on its back! Its construction is very similar to Stu the stegosaurus, with the same dumpling base :D
The prototype for Dmitri was made while we were waiting for our flight home at Calgary airport. The bulky light blue yarn was all I had, but I think it turned out great!
Fun facts about Dmitri: It is a Greek name that means earth-lover, and the name of my grade 12 math teacher, Ms. Dmitri :)
Fun facts about dimetrodon (from here and here):
- It’s actually not a dinosaur, but a prehistoric reptile! (but we love you anyway, Dmitri!)
- It used its sail to regulate body temperature
- Its name refers to its 2 different types of teeth, rather than its famous sail (and it’s a meat-eater!)
I didn’t have beads with me so the poor thing was eyeless the entire flight home :S
For the light blue one with chunky yarn, I used a 4mm hook for the body, and 2.5mm hook and a light worsted yarn for the sail on its back. It’s slightly bigger than the regular size one. Hook and yarn for the regular size is below.
Material:
- Small amount of worsted yarn — for body (green)
- Small amount of light worsted or sport weight yarn — for sail (pink)
- 3.5 mm hook — for body
- 2.5 mm hook — for sail
- Tapestry needle
- Sewing needle, black thread, black seed bead
Pattern:
It’s the same as stegosaurus for the body, tail and legs, so if you’ve made Stu the stegosaurus, you’d have no problem making Dmitri! But I’ll repeat the entire pattern here anyway so it’s easy. You might still want to check out the link for Stu though, because it has some explanatory photos that might help clarify the steps.
The body begins as a circle, and with larger hook and green yarn.
Round 1: ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd sc from hook, don’t join in round.
Round 2: 2 sc in each sc around (12 sc).
Round 3: [sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc] six times (18 sc).
Round 4: sc in each sc around (18 sc), don’t fasten off.
Next, we make the head: in the same sc where last sc was made, [yo, pull up a loop] three times, pull through all loops on hook, ch 1 (cluster made), sc in same sc as cluster. Don’t fasten off.
We now fold the piece in half, and from here on crochet through both layers across the back of the dinosaur.
Sail: sl st in next 2 sc, sl st in next sc and attach pink yarn when pulling up loop to finish the sl st.
Don’t fasten off green, carry it as you work across the back with pink.
The sail is worked in rows perpendicular to the back of the dinosaur.
Row 1: ch 3, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, sl st in next sc through both layers in body/back of dinosaur, turn.
Row 2: In front loops only (FLO), sc in next 2 sc, turn.
Row 3: ch 2, sc in 2nd ch from hook, in back loops only (BLO), sc in next 2 sc, sl st in next sc in body, turn.
Row 4: sc in next 3 sc FLO, turn.
Row 5: ch 1, sc in next 3 sc BLO, sl st in next sc in body, turn.
Row 6: sc in next 3 sc FLO, turn.
Row 7: Skip first sc, sc in next 2 sc BLO, sl st in next sc in body, turn.
Row 8: sc in next 2 sc FLO, turn.
Row 9: Skip first sc, sc in next sc BLO, sl st in body by pulling up a loop using the green yarn that you’ve been carrying, fasten off pink, continue with green for tail.
Tail: sl st in last st through both layers on back, ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sl st in next ch, sc in last 2 ch of tail, sl st in a space between the 3rd and 4th round in the body (belly part of the dinosaur). Remove hook and pull out the loop, as shown in the picture. Pull through enough yarn so that you have a 12″ tail. Cut yarn.
(You might want to check out the pictures in the stegosaurus post for the legs — it’s really easier than it looks in writing.)
Hind leg:
Thread the yarn tail through the tapestry needle, weave the needle through the belly of the dinosaur so that the needle comes out through the 2nd and 3rd rounds of body in the front. Pull the yarn tail through, remove the needle. Insert smaller hook (if you have it) through the stitch where the yarn tail came through, then pull up a loop using the yarn tail.
ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, remove hook and pull the yarn tail out.
Thread the yarn tail through the tapestry needle again, insert needle in a stitch between 1st and 2nd round in body, then come out in a stitch between 1st and 2nd round in body in the front on the opposite side.
Front leg:
Work as the same as hind leg, as follows: remove needle, insert hook through the stitch where the yarn tail came through, pull up a loop with the yarn tail. ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, pull out yarn tail, thread yarn tail back in tapestry needle, insert needle through a stitch between 2nd and 3rd round of body, then come out near the top on the back of the piece, fasten off.
Weave in all the ends. Pull the long yarn tail into the body of the dinosaur to fill it out a bit :)
Using sewing needle and black thread, sew on the seed bead as eye. Weave in thread end.
And it’s done! :D
Hope you enjoy making the dinosaurs! Don’t forget to share your creations by:
- Emailing genuinemudpie[at]gmail[dot]com
- Bloggers: leave a comment on any of the Mystery Dino CAL posts with a link to your blog post with the picture.
- Instagram: tag me @genuinemudpie and use the hashtag #mysterydinocal
- Join the Ravelry group
- Post your FOs to my Ravelry dino project pages!
If you’re just joining now, here’s the recap of what we got so far!
As the saying goes… May the road rise up to meet you, and may the wind always fill your sail :) Have a terrific week!