Sprout the Dragon

Sprout the Dragon Crochet Toy by Alison Holloway

What is Being Made

Sprout the Dragon is a crocheted amigurumi-style toy designed by Alison Holloway. This downloadable PDF pattern creates a finished stuffed dragon approximately 23cm in size, suitable for display or play. The design combines colorwork techniques with traditional toy construction methods to produce a charming handmade dragon character.

Craft and Primary Technique

This project uses crochet as the primary construction method. The pattern is written in UK crochet terms, making it accessible to crocheters familiar with British terminology and stitch abbreviations. The intermediate difficulty level indicates that crafters should have foundational crochet skills and experience working with color changes and shaping techniques before beginning this project.

Crochet Stitches Used

The pattern employs a variety of fundamental crochet stitches to build the dragon's structure and details:

• Chain (ch) – used for foundation rows and stitch construction
• Double crochet (dc) – the primary stitch for building fabric density and form
• Half treble (htr) – used to create varied texture and drape
• Treble (tr) – incorporated for lighter, more open sections
• Slip stitch (sl st) – used for joining rounds and finishing edges
• Dc increase – 2 dc into next stitch, for shaping and expanding sections
• Dc2tog – double crochet 2 together, used for decreasing and shaping
• Tr crochet increase – 2 tr in next stitch, for expanding treble sections

Yarn Materials and Options

The pattern provides two distinct yarn options, allowing crafters to choose based on availability and preference:

Option 1: Hand-Dyed Yarn

• Yarn A: Made by Penguins hand-dyed 4 ply yarn – 2 x 20g minis. This option uses artisanal hand-dyed yarn for unique colorization
• Yarn B: Scheepjes Riverwashed DK weight; 26 meters per 10g ball; composition 78% cotton, 22% acrylic; 1 ball in Steenbras 942

Option 2: Commercial Yarn

• Yarn A: Scheepjes Stonewashed DK weight; 130 meters per 50g ball; composition 80% cotton, 20% acrylic; 1 ball in Carnelian
• Yarn B: Scheepjes Riverwashed DK weight; 26 meters per 10g ball; composition 78% cotton, 22% acrylic; 1 ball in Yarra 949

Both yarn options use DK weight or sport weight yarn, appropriate for the intermediate difficulty level and the detailed construction of a small toy. The cotton-acrylic blend provides durability and ease of care for a finished stuffed toy.

Additional Materials Required

• Tapestry needle – for weaving in yarn ends and seaming sections together
• Polyester toy stuffing – for filling the dragon body to create dimension and shape
• Cat eyes – 2 x 12mm green cat eyes for facial features, giving the dragon character and expression

Pattern Details

This pattern is provided as a downloadable PDF format, allowing immediate access upon purchase. The design is the intellectual property of Alison Holloway, © 2020, and is available through multiple platforms including Ravelry, Instagram (@alisonholloway_crochetdesigns), and Etsy (AlisonHollowayDesign). The pattern uses standard crochet abbreviations and includes finished size specifications to help crafters understand the scale of the completed project before beginning.