Before You Start

  • No sewing! This dinosaur is worked in one piece from start to finish. The legs are bobbles worked right into the body, and the spikes are crocheted onto the surface at the end.
  • A small hook on purpose. A 3.5 mm hook with super bulky plush yarn makes a very tight fabric, so no stuffing peeks through. If your stitches are too hard to work into, go up to a 4 mm (US G-6) hook.
  • Join each round with a sl st to the first st and ch 1. The ch 1 does not count as a stitch.
  • Stitch counts are in brackets at the end of each round. Count often. Plush yarn makes it hard to see stitches, so a stitch marker in the first stitch of every round really helps.

Special Stitches

  • Bobble (BO): In the same stitch, *yarn over, insert your hook, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops*; repeat from * 4 more times (6 loops on your hook). Yarn over and pull through all 6 loops. The bobble pops out on the right side and makes a little foot. Counts as 1 stitch.
  • Surface crochet (for the spikes): Hold the new yarn inside or behind the body, insert your hook through a stitch on the surface, and pull up a loop. Then work the spike instructions from stitch to stitch along the line you want.

With light green (MC). The head starts on a short chain, working along both sides of it.

Chart for Round 1: a chain of 6 with single crochets worked along both sides and 3 single crochets in the last chain
Round 1 chart: single crochet along both sides of the chain.
  1. Rnd 1: Ch 6. Starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, sc in the next 4 ch, 3 sc in the last ch. Now work along the other side of the chain: sc in the next 3 ch, inc in the last ch. (12)
  2. Rnd 2: Inc, sc in the next 3 sts, inc in the next 3 sts, sc in the next 3 sts, inc in the last 2 sts. (18)
  3. Rnd 3: Sc, inc, sc in the next 3 sts, *sc, inc*; rep 3 times, sc in the next 3 sts, *sc, inc*; rep 2 times. (24)
  4. Rnds 4–5: Sc in each st around. (24)
  5. Rnd 6: Sc in the next 7 sts, dec 5 times, sc in the next 7 sts. (19)
  6. Rnd 7: Sc in the next 6 sts, dec 3 times, sc in the next 7 sts. (16)
About the eyes: Place the eyes between Rnds 3 and 4, 8 stitches apart. The easiest way is to insert the safety eyes and snap on the backs before you stuff the head. If you prefer to add them at the very end, push them in and fix them with a small dab of hot glue. Glued eyes and safety eyes are not suitable for children under 3. For little ones, embroider the eyes with black yarn instead.

Stuff the head.

T-rex step photo: the head after Rnd 7
The head after Rnd 7

Part 2: Body and Arms

  1. Rnds 8–9: Sc in each st around. (16)
  2. Rnd 10: *Sc in the next 3 sts, inc*; rep 4 times. (20)
  3. Rnd 11 (arms): Sc in the next 4 sts, inc, BO, sc in the next 3 sts, inc, sc in the next 3 sts, BO, inc, sc in the next 4 sts, inc. (24)
  4. Rnd 12: *Sc in the next 2 sts, inc*; rep 8 times. (32)
  5. Rnd 13: Sc in each st around. (32)

Part 3: Tail and Bottom

  1. Rnd 14 (tail): Sc in each of the 32 sts. Ch 7. Starting in the 2nd ch from the hook, sc in the next 6 ch; then work along the other side of the chain, sc in the next 6 ch. (44: 32 body sts + 12 tail sts)
  2. Rnd 15: Sc in the next 11 sts, dec 5 times, sc in the next 14 sts, dec 3 times, sc in the next 3 sts. (36)
  3. Rnd 16 (feet): Sc in the next 8 sts, BO, dec, sc in the next 2 sts, dec, sc, BO, dec, sc in the next 11 sts, dec 2 times, sc in the next 2 sts. (31)
  4. Rnd 17: *Sc in the next 4 sts, dec*; rep 4 times, dec 3 times, sc. (24)
  5. Rnd 18: Dec 3 times, sc in the next 8 sts, dec 5 times. (16)

Stuff the body firmly, pushing a little stuffing into the tail too.

  1. Rnd 19: Dec around. (8)
  2. Rnd 20: Dec around. (4)

Fasten off, pull the last stitches closed with your yarn needle and weave in the end.

T-rex step photo: closing the last rounds
Closing the last rounds
T-rex step photo: arm bobbles and the tail
Arm bobbles and the tail
T-rex step photo: chain 7 for the tail
Chain 7 for the tail
T-rex step photo: working along the tail chain
Working along the tail chain
T-rex step photo: front view with the arms
Front view with the arms
T-rex step photo: the tail from the back
The tail from the back
T-rex step photo: working the tail decreases
Working the tail decreases
T-rex step photo: the tail taking shape
The tail taking shape
T-rex step photo: the body complete
The body complete
Susie’s tip: Press the bottom flat against the table while you stuff the last rounds. A flat base helps your T-rex sit up straight without tipping over.

Part 4: The Spikes

With green (CC), surface crochet the spikes in one line, starting at the top of the head (along the chain from Rnd 1) and working down the back to the tip of the tail.

  1. Spikes: *Ch 3, dc in the next st, sl st in the next st*; rep 11 times. (11 spikes)
T-rex step photo: join the green yarn at the head
Join the green yarn at the head
T-rex step photo: working down the back
Working down the back
T-rex step photo: spikes over the head
Spikes over the head
T-rex step photo: spikes to the tail tip
Spikes to the tail tip
T-rex step photo: spikes complete
Spikes complete
T-rex step photo: eyes and rosy cheeks
Eyes and rosy cheeks

Fasten off and weave in the end. Optional: embroider rosy cheeks under the eyes with a few stitches of pink yarn.

Collect the Whole Dino Family

This little one has three friends! The brachiosaurus, stegosaurus, triceratops and T-rex are all free no-sew patterns, and they look adorable lined up together on a shelf or tucked into a gift basket.

Four finished crochet dinosaurs together: a pink brachiosaurus, a purple triceratops, a pale green T-rex and a mint stegosaurus
The Dino Friends: brachiosaurus, triceratops, T-rex and stegosaurus.

Care and Safety

Hand wash in cool water with a little mild soap, gently squeeze out the water in a towel (don’t wring it), and let your dinosaur air dry. Plush yarn can shed if it’s tumbled in a dryer. If the toy is for a baby or young child, embroider the eyes and check the spikes are worked on securely.