Amigurumi Cliff the Brontosaurus

Amigurumi Cliff the Brontosaurus

What Is Being Made

Cliff the Brontosaurus is a crocheted amigurumi toy designed by Stacey Trock. This stuffed animal stands 9 inches tall and was created in October 2010. Amigurumi is the Japanese craft of crocheting small, three-dimensional stuffed toys and figurines. Cliff represents a classic long-necked dinosaur character, complete with animal eyes and soft stuffing to create a cuddly, huggable finished piece.

Techniques Used

This intermediate-level crochet project employs fundamental amigurumi construction techniques. The pattern uses the method of crocheting flat pieces or working in continuous rounds, then stuffing and assembling the various body components to create the finished three-dimensional form. The designer incorporates shaping techniques through strategic increases and decreases to form the dinosaur's distinctive body structure, including the long neck characteristic of a brontosaurus. Assembly involves attaching the crocheted pieces together and securing safety eyes to create the toy's facial features.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes essential crochet stitches suitable for amigurumi construction:

• Chain (ch) – the foundation stitch used to begin the pattern
• Single crochet (sc) – the primary stitch for building dense, sturdy fabric in amigurumi
• Half double crochet (hdc) – used for varied texture and structure throughout the design
• Single crochet 2 together (sc2tog) – a decrease stitch for shaping and tapering sections
• Slip stitch (sl st) – used for joining rounds and finishing edges

Materials and Yarn

The pattern is designed with flexibility in yarn weight. The sample shown uses worsted weight yarn in light green (Ella Rae Classic, 100% wool, color #53), requiring approximately 190 yards to complete. The designer recommends using a Size H crochet hook, though the pattern notes that any yarn weight can be substituted by following the hook size recommended on the yarn ball band and adjusting gauge as needed. For a larger, extra-cuddly version, bulky weight yarn is suggested, though this will require additional yardage beyond the standard recommendation.

Additional materials needed include two 12mm black animal eyes for facial features, a tapestry needle for weaving in ends and assembling pieces, and a few handfuls of polyester fiberfill or similar stuffing material to fill the completed crocheted form and achieve the proper shape and firmness.