Neanderthal

The pattern for this dragon can be found here

Difficulty:

Medium

You will need:

• A 2.5mm crochet hook
• A 2mm crochet hook
• 4ply yarn in brown and grey/ silver
• Dk yarn in light brown, dark grey, fluffy grey
• Embroidery thread in black, brown, and white
• A darning needle
• An embroidery needle
• Toy stuffing
• A section of cardboard 10cm wide and one 6cm wide

Note:

• 'fasten off neatly' refers to a special way of fastening off which is neater and makes it easier to see where you should be crocheting on the next round (also known as invisible fastening off). This involves pulling up your yarn through your stitch, threading the yarn underneath the second stitch from where you pulled your yarn up, then threading your yarn back through the top of this stitch and down through the back of the work. There is a very helpful site that explains it clearly found here. Just make sure when you do this that you thread your needle through the SECOND stitch after the last stitch you made, otherwise you will end up with an extra stitch which may mean that all of the following rounds are out of line with each other.
• The 'loop behind the back loop' refers to the loop known as the 'third loop' in the diagram below

For the feet/ legs (make 2):
With a 2.5mm hook and light brown yarn ch5
Round 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook, sc in the next 2 chain sts, 3sc in the last chain st (the first one you made), sc in the back of each of the previous chain sts you crocheted into in turn, 2sc in the back of the first chain st you crocheted into (10sc)
Round 2: 2sc in the first st, sc2, 2sc in each of the next 3sts, sc2, 2sc in each of the next 2 sts (16sc)
Round 3: sc5, sc2tog 3 times, sc5 (13sc)
Round 4: sc3, sc2tog, sc3tog, sc2tog, sc3 (9sc)
Round 5 (this is slightly less than 1 round): sc8 (9sc)
Round 6: sc2tog, sc7 (8sc)
Round 7: sc4, 2sc in the next st, sc3 (9sc)
Round 8: sc, 2sc in the next st, sc7 (10sc)
Round 9: sc, 2sc in the next st, sc4, 2sc in the next st, sc3 (12sc)
Round 10: sc2, 2sc in the next st, sc10 (13sc)
Round 11: sc in each st
Round 12: 2sc in the first st, sc6, sc2tog, sc4 (13sc)
Round 13: sc2tog, sc11 (12sc)
Round 14: sc, sc2tog, sc9 (11sc)
Round 15: sc, sc2tog, sc3, sc2tog, sc3, (9sc)
Round 16: sc5, 2sc, 2sc, sc2 (11sc)
Round 17: sc, 2sc in the next st, sc3, sc2tog, sc2tog, sc2 (10sc)
Round 18: sc2, 2sc in the next st, sc7  (11sc)
Round 19: sc9, 2sc in the next st, sc (12sc)
Round 20: sc4, 2sc in the next st, sc7 (13sc)
Round 21: sc5, 2sc in the next st, sc6, 2sc in the next st (15sc)
Round 22: sc14, 2sc (16sc)
Round 23: sc7, 2sc, sc8 (17sc)
Rounds 24 - 26: (3 rounds) sc in each st
Round 27: sc9
Fasten off

For the body:
Rejoin yarn to the 5th st after new st of one of the legs (this is the st that will tighten if you pull the loose end).
Round 28: Sc in this st, sc13, sc in the 3rd st before the new st on the other leg, sc13 (28sc). These last 28sts form a new round
Round 29: sc10, 2sc in each of the next 2sts, sc5, 2sc in each of the next 2sts, sc9 (32sc)
Round 30: sc11, 2sc in each of the next 2sts, sc7, 2sc in each of the next 2sts, sc10 (36sc)
Rounds 31 - 33: (3 rounds) sc in each st
Round 34: sc13, sc2tog twice, sc6, sc2tog twice, sc9 (32sc)
Round 35: sc13, sc3tog, sc4, sc3tog, sc9 (28sc)
Round 36: sc14, sc2tog, sc10 (25sc)
Rounds 37 - 46: (10 rounds) sc in each st
Round 47: sc9, sc2tog 3 times, sc6, sc2tog twice (20sc)
Stuff
Round 48: sc2tog, sc5, sc2tog 3 times, sc4, sc2tog 3 times (14sc)
Round 49: sc4, sc2tog, sc4, sc2tog (12sc)
Rounds 50 - 51: (2 rounds) sc in each st
Round 52: slip5, ch1, sc6
Fasten off

Sew up the crotch section

Use a darning needle and yarn to make repeated stitches through the centre of the body to make a belly button. Putt the stitches tight to pull them into the body.

For the arms (make 2):
For the upper arm:
Make a magic loop with 6sc
Round 1: 2sc in each st
Round 2: (sc3, 2sc in the next st) 3 times to end (15sc)
Rounds 3 - 7: (5 rounds) sc in each st
Round 8: Sc2tog, sc6, sc2tog, sc5 (13sc)
Rounds 9 - 10: (2 rounds) sc in each st
Round 11: Sc2tog, sc5, sc2tog, sc4 (11sc)
Rounds 12 - 13: (2 rounds) Sc in each st
Fasten off

For the lower arm and hand:

Make a magic loop with 6sc
Round 1: 2sc in each st (12sc)
Rounds 2 - 4: (3 rounds) Sc in each st
Round 5: sc4, sc2tog, sc4, sc2tog (10sc)
Round 6: sc in each st
Round 7: sc3, sc2tog, sc3, sc2tog (8sc)
Rounds 8 - 10: (3 rounds) sc in each st
Round 11: Sc2, sc2tog, sc2, sc2tog (6sc)
Stuff
Round 12: 3sc in the first st, sc2, 2sc in the next st, sc2 (9sc)
Rounds 13 - 14: (2 rounds) sc in each st

For the first finger:
Row 15: Sc through both the 1st and 3rd st from the hook at the same time. ch1, turn

Row 16: Sc, ch1, turn
Row 17: Sc
Fasten off

For the second finger:
Row 15: Sc in row 14 in the st before and after this last finger you made simultaneously. Ch1, turn

Row 16: Sc, ch1, turn
Row 17: Sc, ch1, turn
Row 18: Sc
Fasten off

For the third finger:
Row 15: Sc in row 14 in the st before and after this last finger you made simultaneously. Ch1, turn
Row 16: Sc, ch1, turn
Row 17: Sc
Fasten off

For the last finger:
Row 15: Sc in the final 2sts of round 14 simultaneously. Ch1, turn

Row 16: Sc
Fasten off

For the thumb:

Round 1: Sc4 in a circle around the side of the hand just underneath where you made the first finger
Round 2: Sc4
Fasten off


Sew this lower arm section to the upper arm section, then sew the upper section to the shoulder of the neanderthal.

For the head:
With a 2.5mm hook and light brown dk yarn ch4
Round 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook, sc in the following chain st, 3sc in the next chain st (the first one you made), sc in the back of the previous chain st you crocheted into, then 2sc in the back of the first chain st you crocheted into (8sc)
Round 2: 2sc in the first st, sc, 2sc in each of the next 3sts, sc, 2sc in each of the next 2sts (14sc)
Round 3: sc, 2sc in the next st, sc2, (2sc in the first st, sc) 3 times, sc2, 2sc in the next st, sc, 2sc in the last st (20sc)
Round 4: sc6, in loops behind back loops: sc2tog, sc, sc2tog, in both loops: sc9 (18sc)
Round 5: sc7, 2sc in the next st, sc10 (19sc)
Round 6: sc7, 2sc in the next st, sc11 (20sc)
Round 7: sc, sc2tog, sc5, 2sc in the next st, sc6, sc2tog, sc3 (19sc)
Round 8: sc, 2sc in the next st, sc2, sc3tog, sc2, 2sc in the next st, sc5 (19sc)
Round 9: sc2tog twice, sc9, sc2tog, sc2, sc2tog (16sc)
Stuff
Round 10: sc2tog twice, sc, sc2tog 3 times, sc, sc2tog twice (9sc)
Round 11: sc2tog 3 times
Fasten off

For the face:
You will now need to shape the face. Using a darning needle and yarn make stitches through the nose to shape it. You may also want to make stitches through the head to accentuate the eye sockets or the forehead.

After you are happy with the face shape embroider the eyes onto the face. First embroider the whites of the eyes using white embroidery thread, then embroider brown circles into the centre of these for the irises before finally adding the pupils using black embroidery thread. Embroider also the mouth onto the face.

For the ears (Make 2):
With light brown dk yarn ch3
Row 1: 2sc in the 2nd chain st from hook, sc in the next chain st.
Fasten off



For the beard and hair:
Wind the brown 4ply yarn around the 6cm piece of cardboard then cut these strands at both ends so you have a bundle of 6cm strands of yarn. Fold each of these in half and attach them to the face and head of the neanderthal by pulling the looped end through a stitch in the head and then threading the loose ends through the loop created to secure.


Sew the head to the body

For the toga:

With grey dk yarn ch30
Round 1: sc in the first chain st you made, then sc in every following chain st (30sc)
Rounds 2 - 3: (2 rounds) sc in each st
Round 4: (sc14, 2sc in the next st) twice (32sc)
Round 5: sc in each st
Round 6: (sc15, 2sc in the next st) twice (34sc)
Round 7: sc in each st
Round 8: (sc16, 2sc in the next st) twice (36sc)
Round 9: sc in each st
Round 10: (sc17, 2sc in the next st) twice (38sc)
Round 11: sc in each st
Round 12: (slip1, sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc) 6 times, slip2
Fasten off

For the strap:

With grey dk yarn ch6
Row 1: sc in the 2nd st from hook, the sc in every following chain st. ch1, turn
Rows 2 - 29: (28 rows) sc in each st. ch1, turn
Row 30: sc in each st
Fasten off

Sew the ends of this to the cast on edge of the other section of the toga so that it fits nicely over the shoulder

Wind the fluffy grey yarn around the 10cm section of cardboard, then cut both ends so that you are left with a large bundle of 10cm long strands.
Fold each of these in half and attach them to the toga by pulling the looped end through a stitch in the head and then threading the loose ends through the loop created to secure.

For the boots:
With a 2.5mm hook and brown 4ply yarn ch8
Round 1: sc in the 2nd chain st from hook, sc in the next 5 chain sts, 3sc in the last chain st (the first one you made), sc in the back of each of the previous 5 chain sts you crocheted into in turn, 2sc in the back of the first chain st you crocheted into (10sc)
Round 2: 2sc in the first st, sc5, 2sc in each of the next 3sts, sc5, 2sc in the last 2sts (22sc)
Round 3: sc, 2sc in the next st, sc6, (2sc in the first st, sc) 3 times, sc5, 2sc in the next st, sc, 2sc in the last st (28sc)
Fasten off neatly

Fasten on to the loop behind the back loop.of the next st after the 'new' st you created when fastening off neatly (the one that tightens when you pull the loose end)
Round 4: Sc in the loop behind the back loop of each st (28sc)
Round 5: Sc8, sc2tog 3 times, sc10, sc2tog, sc2 (24sc)
Round 6: Sc6, sc2tog, sc3tog, sc2tog, sc7, sc3tog, sc (18sc)
Round 7: Sc5, sc2tog 3 times, sc7 (15sc)
Round 8: Sc5, sc2tog twice, sc5 (13sc)
Rounds 9 - 10: (2 rounds) Sc in each st
Round 11: 2sc in the first st, Sc5, 2sc in the next st, sc6 (15sc)
Round 12: 2sc in the first st, sc6, 2sc in the next st, sc7 (17sc)
Round 13: Sc, 2sc in the next st, sc7, 2sc in the next st, sc7 (19sc)
Fasten off

For the spear:
For the handle:
With a 2mm hook and brown 4ply yarn make a magic loop with 6sc
Round 1: (sc, 2sc in the next st) 3 times (9sc)
Rounds 2 - 25: (24 rounds) sc in each st
Round 26: (sc, 2sc2tog) 3 times (6sc)
Fasten off

For the blade:
With a 2mm hook and grey/ silver ply yarn make a magic loop with 4sc
Round 1: (sc, 2sc in the next st) twice (6sc)
Round 2: (sc2, 2sc in the next st) twice (8sc)
Round 3: (sc3, 2sc in the next st) twice (10sc)
Round 4: (sc4, 2sc in the next st) twice (12sc)
Round 5: (sc5, 2sc in the next st) twice (14sc)
Round 6: sc in each st
Round 7: Sc3, sc5tog, sc2, sc5tog (6sc)
Round 8 - 9: (2 rounds ) sc in each st
Round 10: 3sc in the first st, sc2, 3sc in the next st, 2sc (10sc)
Fasten off

Attach the blade to the handle using brown 4plty yarn. Wind the yarn around the narrower bit of the blade as you do this to make it look more authentic.



I hope you have enjoyed this pattern. If you have any queries please feel free to contact me either below or via my Instagram or Ravelry pages.

You are very welcome to sell finished products but I do ask that you don't re-post this pattern or claim it as your own. Thank you!