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In today’s Christmas gift plushie tester call, learn how to crochet this UNIQUE no-sew baby dinosaur Grinch in Christmas accessories plushie! This is a last-minute crochet plush gift you can make in under 30 minutes using super bulky yarn and DK cotton yarn.
Our little dinosaur is wearing a slouchy crochet Santa hat and a cute peppermint scarf that you can crochet in any thickness.
It also has the Grinch eyebrows that make it a must-have to crochet this Christmas. Now, continue reading for learning more about this NEW crochet Christmas buddy plushie for all skill levels!
Patterns to Crochet the Dino Grinch Plushies
Construction: The dinosaur body is worked continuously in one piece in a spiral from the flat base up to the top of the head (100% no-sew). The hat and scarf are crocheted separately using fine yarn and attached during assembly.
Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
Terminology: US Crochet Terms
Materials & Tools
Yarn for Dinosaur: Super bulky chenille / plush velvet yarn (e.g., Himalaya Dolphin Baby, Bernat Blanket, or Hobbii Honey Bunny) in Bright Lime / Grinch Green.
Yarn for Hat & Scarf: DK weight cotton yarn in Red and White.
Embroidery Material: Matching dark green or black embroidery floss/scrap yarn for the Grinch eyebrows.
Crochet Hooks:
4.0 mm – 5.0 mm hook (for the plush dinosaur body).
2.5 mm hook (for the DK cotton hat and scarf).
Safety Eyes: 1 pair of 6 mm – 8 mm black safety eyes with washer backings.
Stuffing: Polyester fiberfill.
Notions: Stitch marker (safety pin style), large-eye yarn/tapestry needle, scissors.
- Pom Pom ball in white
Abbreviations & Special Stitches
MR / First Loop: Magic Ring or Ch 2 method
ch: chain
st(s): stitch(es)
sc: single crochet
hdc: half double crochet
inc: single crochet increase (work 2 sc into the same stitch)
dec: single crochet decrease (invisible decrease recommended: pick up front loops of next 2 sts, yarn over, pull through, yarn over, pull through 2 loops)
hdc3tog (Foot / Bobble): Half double crochet 3 together worked into the same stitch to form a little foot:
Yarn over, insert hook into the stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook).
Yarn over, insert hook into the same stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (5 loops on hook).
Yarn over, insert hook into the same stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (7 loops on hook).
Yarn over and pull through all 7 loops on hook. Push the puff outward toward the right side.
[ ]: stitch count at the end of the round/row
Learn to Crochet the Dinosaur
Part 1: The Grinch Dinosaur (No-Sew Body & Head)
Using your 4.0 mm – 5.0 mm hook and bright lime/grinch green plush yarn, start with a slip knot on your hook.
Base & Feet
Round 1: Ch 2. Work 10 sc into the second chain from the hook (the first loop). (10 sts)
Round 2: (1 sc, 1 inc) × 5. Place your stitch marker in the first stitch of this round to track the beginning of rounds. (15 sts)
Tip: Pause here, thread the starting yarn tail onto your tapestry needle, weave it securely under the stitches on the back/inside of the circle, and trim the excess so the center doesn’t unravel.
Round 3 (Foot Round):
2 inc (4 sts)
hdc3tog (First foot)
2 sc
hdc3tog (Second foot)
1 sc
2 inc (4 sts)
hdc3tog (Third foot)
1 sc
1 inc (2 sts)
1 sc
hdc3tog (Fourth foot)
1 sc
(Total: 20 sts — make sure the 4 bobbles pop outward as legs)
Body
Rounds 4–5: Sc in each stitch around (2 rounds of plain sc). (20 sts per round)
Round 6: 15 sc, 1 dec, 3 sc. (19 sts)
Round 7: 14 sc, 2 dec, 1 sc. (17 sts)
Round 8: 1 dec, 9 sc, 3 dec. (13 sts)
Round 9: 11 sc, 1 dec. (12 sts)
Round 10: 1 dec, 8 sc, 1 dec. (10 sts)
Stuffing the Base: Pause here. Take small clumps of polyester fiberfill and stuff the rounded bottom and body firmly, ensuring the base stays flat enough to stand on its 4 little feet.
Neck
Rounds 11–14: Sc in each st around (4 rounds of 10 sc). (10 sts per round)
Stuffing the Neck: Lightly add fiberfill into the lower neck section.
Head Shaping
The increases and decreases in these rounds shape the forward-pointing snout and back of the head.
Round 15: 1 dec, 2 sc, 3 inc, 3 sc. (12 sts)
Round 16: 1 dec, 4 sc, 2 inc, 4 sc. (13 sts)
Round 17: Sc in each st around. (13 sts)
Round 18: 5 sc, 2 dec, 4 sc. (11 sts)
Round 19: 5 sc, 1 dec, 4 sc. (10 sts)
Safety Eyes & Stuffing
Do not cut the yarn yet. Pull the working loop large so it doesn’t unravel.
Placing the Eyes:
Count down from the top rim: place the safety eyes between Rounds 17 and 18 (2 to 3 rounds down from the top opening).
Space the eyes 5 stitches apart across the front/sides of the face.
Snap the safety washers securely onto the posts inside the head.
Final Stuffing: Firmly stuff the head, snout, and upper neck with fiberfill until evenly filled and plump.
Closing & Finishing
Pull the working loop back onto your hook and cut the yarn, leaving an 8–10 inch (20–25 cm) tail. Pull the tail completely through the last stitch.
Thread the yarn tail onto your tapestry needle.
Insert the needle through only the front loop of each of the remaining 10 stitches around the top opening, going from outside to inside.
Pull the tail firmly to cinch the hole tightly closed like a drawstring.
Secure with a small knot at the top, then insert the needle down into the center of the closure and bring it out through the back/side of the body.
Pull gently, snip the yarn flush with the fabric, and allow the end to pop back inside the plush.
Gently massage and shape the head, neck, and flat base so your dinosaur stands upright!
Part 2: Grinch Eyebrow Embroidery
To give your dinosaur that iconic mischievous Grinch expression seen in the reference image:
Thread your tapestry needle with dark green embroidery floss or leftover yarn.
Insert the needle from the back of the head and bring it out diagonally just above and slightly outside one safety eye.
Angle the stitch downward toward the center (forming a sharp, slanted, grumpy brow) and anchor it into the head fabric.
Repeat for the second eye to create a matching V-shaped scowl. Secure and weave in all loose ends inside the head.
Part 3: Santa Hat
Hook Size: 2.5 mm
Yarn: DK Cotton (Red & White)
Begin with Red yarn.
Rnd 1: 4 sc in magic ring [4]
Rnd 2: 4 sc [4]
Rnd 3: (sc, inc) 2 times [6]
Rnd 4: 6 sc [6]
Rnd 5: (2 sc, inc) 2 times [8]
Rnd 6: 8 sc [8]
Rnd 7: (3 sc, inc) 2 times [10]
Rnd 8: (4 sc, inc) 2 times [12]
Rnd 9: (5 sc, inc) 2 times [14]
Rnd 10: (6 sc, inc) 2 times [16]
Change to White yarn on the last pull-through of Rnd 10.
Rnd 11: 16 sc [16]
Rnd 12: (7 sc, inc) 2 times [18] Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing, and weave in loose ends. Add a small white pom-pom or French knot to the tip of the hat if desired.
Glue your small white pom pom ball with the tip of the hat!
Part 4: Santa Scarf
Yarn: DK Cotton (Red & White)
Begin with Red yarn.
Foundation: Ch 7
Row 1: Starting in the 2nd ch from hook, hdc in each ch across, turn. [6]
Row 2: Ch 1 (does not count as a st), hdc in each st across, turn. [6]
Row 3: Ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn. [6]
Change to White yarn on the final yarn-over of Row 3.
Rows 4–5 (or 6): With White, ch 1, hdc in each st across, turn. [6]
Continue repeating hdc rows, changing colors every 2 to 3 rows until the scarf reaches your desired length to wrap around the dino’s neck. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Part 5: Assembly & Styling
Positioning the Hat: Place the Santa hat slightly tilted on top of the Grinch dinosaur’s head. You can tack it down with a few stitches using the red yarn tail so it stays flooped over playfully to one side.
Draping the Scarf: Wrap the red-and-white striped scarf snugly around the dinosaur’s neck, crossing the ends over the chest just below the chin. Secure with a few discreet stitches to hold the drape in place.
[tispu key=”dino, grinch, christmas”]
