Dragon

Dragon Knitted Toy by Scarlett Royale

Project Overview

This is an intermediate-level knitted toy pattern designed to create a dragon figure using loom knitting techniques. The Dragon project by designer Scarlett Royale offers crafters a fun and engaging way to produce a three-dimensional stuffed toy with wings and detailed construction. The pattern is provided as a downloadable PDF with accompanying video tutorials to guide makers through the creation process.

What Is Being Made

The pattern creates a complete dragon toy, including a main body and wings. The dragon is constructed as a stuffed toy, meaning it will be filled with polyester fiberfill to create a soft, plush finished piece. Video tutorials are provided for both the main dragon body and the wings separately, allowing crafters to learn each component thoroughly before assembly.

Craft and Technique

This project uses loom knitting, a technique that differs from traditional needle knitting. Rather than using hand-held needles, loom knitting employs a 24 peg loom as the primary tool. This method is accessible to many crafters and produces fabric through a series of looping and casting techniques. The loom knitting approach creates tubular and flat sections that can be shaped into three-dimensional toy forms.

Stitches and Techniques Used

The pattern employs several specialized loom knitting techniques:

• Draw String Cast On (DSCO): A casting method where working yarn is woven back and forth between pegs, with every other peg remaining empty during the initial setup. The working yarn is then laid over the empty pegs to establish the foundation stitches.
• Bind Off (BO): The finishing technique used to secure stitches and close off sections. This involves knitting pegs in sequence, moving loops between pegs, and tossing bottom loops over to gradually remove all stitches from the loom.
• Bring Original Loops Back (BOLB): A technique for recovering and repositioning stitches by locating un-worked pegs, following the bridge back to the next stitch, and pulling that stitch back onto the peg for continued working.
• Decreasing (D): A shaping technique where stitches are placed onto the next working peg, with directional arrows in the pattern indicating the direction of the decrease for proper shaping.

Materials Required

To complete this dragon toy project, crafters will need the following materials and tools:

• 24 Peg Loom: The primary tool for this loom knitting project
• Yarn: Aran weight yarn in an amount equivalent to the specified gauge for the pattern
• Looming Hook: A specialized tool used to manipulate loops on the loom during the knitting process
• Crafters Needles: For finishing, weaving in ends, and potentially seaming sections together
• Polyester Fiberfill: Stuffing material to fill the completed dragon body and create a soft, three-dimensional toy

Difficulty Level

This pattern is rated as intermediate difficulty, making it suitable for crafters with some loom knitting experience. While beginners to loom knitting may find the techniques manageable with careful attention to the video tutorials, familiarity with basic loom knitting concepts and terminology will enhance the crafting experience.