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 horns and frill are crocheted in as you go.
  • 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.
  • Work in continuous rounds, or join each round with a sl st and ch 1 if you prefer. The stitch counts are the same either way.
  • 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.
Changing colors: The horns are the only white stitches. Before a white stitch, drop purple and complete the last yarn over of the stitch before it with white. After the horn, pick purple back up the same way. Keep the unused color on the inside of the head.

Part 1: Head and Horns

With purple (MC), starting at the nose.

  1. Rnd 1: In a MR, work 2 sc in purple, 2 dc in white (the nose horn), then 2 sc in purple. (6)
  2. Rnd 2: *Sc, inc*; rep 3 times. (9)
  3. Rnd 3: Sc in the next 2 sts, inc in the next 7 sts. (16)
  4. Rnd 4: Sc in the next 2 sts, *sc in the next 3 sts, inc*; rep 3 times, sc in the next 2 sts. (19)
  5. Rnd 5: *Inc, sc in the next 4 sts*; rep 3 times, inc, sc in the next 3 sts. (23)
  6. Rnd 6 (brow horns): Sc in the next 6 sts. With white, in the front loop of the next st: sl st, ch 3, turn, and sc in the next 2 ch back down the chain (first horn). With purple, sc in the next 7 sts. With white, make the second horn the same way in the front loop of the next st. With purple, sc in the next 8 sts. (23)
Triceratops step photo: the white nose horn in Rnd 1
The white nose horn in Rnd 1
Triceratops step photo: bringing in the white yarn
Bringing in the white yarn
Triceratops step photo: ch 3 in white
Ch 3 in white
Triceratops step photo: sc back down the chain
Sc back down the chain
Triceratops step photo: a finished brow horn
A finished brow horn
Triceratops step photo: all three horns done
All three horns done

Part 2: The Frill

The frill is worked in the front loops, so the back loops stay free for the next round. Each hdc and dc goes into its own stitch; the picots sit between them.

  1. Rnd 7: Sc in the next 2 sts, inc.
    FLO: hdc, dc, picot, dc.
    BLO: dc, picot.
    FLO: dc, *dc, picot, dc*; rep 3 times.
    BLO: dc, picot.
    FLO: dc, picot, dc, hdc.
    Working in both loops: sc in the next 2 sts, inc, sc in the next 2 sts. (25)
Triceratops step photo: starting the frill in the front loops
Starting the frill in the front loops
Triceratops step photo: dc and picots
Dc and picots
Triceratops step photo: working around the horn
Working around the horn
Triceratops step photo: the scallops forming
The scallops forming
Triceratops step photo: finishing the frill
Finishing the frill
Triceratops step photo: the frill complete
The frill complete
  1. Rnd 8: Sc in the next 4 sts. BLO: sc in the next 3 sts. Sc through the slip stitch at the base of the first horn from Rnd 6. BLO: *sc, inc*; rep 3 times, sc. Sc through the slip stitch at the base of the second horn from Rnd 6. BLO: sc in the next 3 sts. Sc in the last 6 sts. (28)
Susie’s tip: After Rnd 8, gently fold the frill forward and back a few times with your fingers. It helps the scallops stand up around the face, and it shows you the free loops clearly if you need to check your work.
About the eyes: Place the eyes between Rnds 5 and 6, 6 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.

Part 3: Body and Feet

  1. Rnd 9 (front feet): Sc, BO, sc in the next 3 sts, *inc, sc in the next 2 sts*; rep 6 times, sc, BO, sc in the next 3 sts. (34)
  2. Rnd 10: Sc, sc in the top of the bobble, sc in the next 28 sts, sc in the top of the bobble, sc in the next 3 sts. (34)
  3. Rnds 11–14: Sc in each st around. (34)
  4. Rnd 15 (back feet): Sc, BO, sc in the next 28 sts, BO, sc in the next 3 sts. (34)
  5. Rnd 16: Sc, sc in the top of the bobble, sc in the next 5 sts, *sc, dec*; rep 6 times, sc in the next 5 sts, sc in the top of the bobble, sc in the next 3 sts. (28)
  6. Rnd 17: *Sc in the next 2 sts, dec*; rep 7 times. (21)
  7. Rnd 18: Sc in the next 6 sts, dec 4 times, sc in the next 7 sts. (17)
Triceratops step photo: rnd 8 in the back loops
Rnd 8 in the back loops
Triceratops step photo: sc through the horn’s sl st
Sc through the horn’s sl st
Triceratops step photo: shaping the head
Shaping the head
Triceratops step photo: body with bobble feet
Body with bobble feet
Triceratops step photo: the body after Rnd 18
The body after Rnd 18
Triceratops step photo: ready to stuff
Ready to stuff

Stuff the head and body firmly.

Part 4: The Tail

  1. Rnd 19: Sc in the next 15 sts, dec. (16)
  2. Rnd 20: *Sc in the next 2 sts, dec*; rep 4 times. (12)
  3. Rnd 21: Sc in each st around. (12)
  4. Rnd 22: *Sc, dec*; rep 4 times. (8)

Stuff the tail lightly.

  1. Rnd 23: Sc in each st around. (8)
  2. Rnd 24: Dec around. (4)
  3. Rnd 25: Sc in each st around. (4)

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

Triceratops step photo: the finished tail
The finished tail
Triceratops step photo: eyes between Rnds 5 and 6
Eyes between Rnds 5 and 6

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.