Dinosaurs, flowers and crochet patterns...

Hello there folks.

So what do dinosaurs, flowers and crochet patterns have in common?

With 2 young boys and many an hour spent reading dinosaur facts I'm pretty sure dinosaurs never even came across flowers, never mind the crochet! :)

But I've been busy this weekend with all 3...


This week saw me hugely excited about achieving one of my first major goals for my new venture which was to publish one of my own designs!   My pretty and practical Natural Jute and Cotton Boho Market Tote is now available as a pattern too :) Yay!!

But I didn't want to stop there!

This weekend I gave myself the mission of writing up a pattern to share here on my new blog.  Of course, instead of writing out one of the designs I've already worked through, I thought I'd give myself the added challenge of something brand new! (as if 2 kids parties, 3 different lots of sport and no hubby wasn't challenge enough!).


I LOVE the African flower motif and one of my most popular pieces is this beautiful little African flower turtle, which was adapted (only slightly) from a lovely little pattern by InArt, available here.

Also, as it happens, I had a stack of pre-made African flowers that were started for a much larger piece that I'd lost momentum with.  Given I also have an absolutely dino-mad 5 year old (that'll be Fred) and am surrounded by dinosaurs and dinosaur books everyday, the decision seemed obvious!

So here he is!!!  My African flower dino ❤️

I am sooo pleased with my resulting Diplodocus, that I'm hoping it will be the beginning of a full dinosaur series!

The head and neck were a little tougher than I'd anticipated!

Mainly because I was adamant that it would be a recognisable "long-neck", while also trying to cut corners and make the neck and head in one piece.  It kept turning out a little bit funky to say the least!


Altogether I think I redesigned the head and neck  parts about 9 times.

You can see my 'learnings' (never failures!) in my pea-headed attempt number 6 or 7 and from my chaotic scribbled notes!

Altogether though, it was a pleasure to design.

UPDATE:  The pattern has been downloaded over 800 times and is now available at a very small charge in my ravelry.com store, so if you'd like to give him ago, please download your copy and get started as soon as you've picked your yarn! :)

For those of you that like my little crochet dino, but are not necessarily keen to make it yourself, this little fella is also available to purchase  here :D.

I did ask Fred what he'd like me to make next, but he of course decided it should be an Ankylosaurus... which, for those of your less familiar with these things, looks a little bit like this =>

Hmmm! I may have to body-swerve that one for a while.  Not sure I could find anything more complicated if I tried!

So suggestions please!!  leave me a comment.  Let me know what you think of my design and what you think I should lend my hand at next -Triceratops? Stegosaurus? or even a Pterodactyl?!.  I think any of them would be a million times easier than this little spiky fella!

Hope you all have a great week

Lisa
@ElvieWithLove