Handsew Dino-Dragon Toy

OPTIONAL Double Side Interfacing

If you are using double-sided interfacing, draw the relevant pieces as shown. 

If you are using several different colors (or if you’d like the Eyes and Pupils a different color to the rest of the pieces), draw these separately.

Iron each of the double-sided interfacings onto their color fabric. 

TIP – Make sure to use the manufacturer’s instructions for ironing in place. We would also suggest you place a pressing cloth between the fabric and your iron to protect your iron. Occasionally the glue used in the interfacing can leak out and can mark your iron. If you do not have a pressing cloth, a clean thin tea towel or scrap of 100% cotton can suffice. 

For Spines, Horn A, Horn B, and Horn C, peel back facing off and iron onto another piece of fabric. Now, they are double-sided.

You should have two Pupil pieces and two Eye pieces. 

Iron the double-sided interfacing on to the fabric, then cut out each one.

Peel the paper backing off and place the Pupils as desired onto the Eyes.

Iron in place.

TIP – Make sure to use the manufacturer’s instructions for ironing in place. We would also suggest you place a pressing cloth between the fabric and your iron to protect your iron. Occasionally the glue used in the interfacing can leak out and can mark your iron. If you do not have a pressing cloth, a clean thin tea towel or scrap of 100% cotton can suffice.

Peel off the backing from the Eyes and place onto the Body in the desired position. There are markings on the pattern piece for a dino/dragon type look, however, if you like them in a different place, do this now.

If you would like to add any gems or decoration to the Eye, do it now.

OPTIONAL – Hand sew around the Eye to secure it to the Body. The double-sided interfacing should be sufficient, but if you are uncertain if it will stick and/or you know the finished toy may be played with roughly, stitch to secure.

If you are not adding optional wings to your dino/dragon, skip to step 3. If you are adding optional wings, follow below.

GLUE OPTION – If you are gluing the wings, skip to step 2.2.

DOUBLE-SIDED INTERFACING OPTION – If you are adding optional Wings, cut 1x pair of Wings from your double-sided interfacing you ironed onto the fabric.

Cut a second pair of Wings from just the fabric (no double-sided interfacing).

For each Wing you should have 1x Wing with interfacing, 1x Wing without, 4x Feather A, 5x Feather B, 5x Feather C.

Align a Feather C piece (the longest feather) onto the bottom inside edge Wing. 

The longest straight edge is the top, the shortest straight edge Is the inside of the Wing. Use this shortest edge to line up the side of the Feather. 

The Feather should overlap approximately ¼ inch onto the Wing so that you can stitch or glue it in place.

Stitch or glue the Feather in place. 

If stitching, thread your needle with matching thread and tie ends together in a knot. 

Attach the thread to the Wing by stitching through the Wing very close to the Feather. Slip the needle through the knotted section. Pull tight. This will knot the thread onto the Wing.

To stitch, you can either use your favorite hand stitch, or follow as below. 

Put your needle through the Wing, then through the Feather. Pull taut. This creates a little loop stitch.

Repeat again approximately ⅛ to ⅟₁₆ away from the first stitch.

Knot the thread after you have stitched the first Feather but do not cut the thread.

Line up the other four Feathers so they are evenly distributed along the curved edge of the Wing, making sure last one is in line with the straight long edge.

To evenly distribute the Feathers, place the last Feather on the other end of the curved Wing edge, then one in the middle. Then, tuck the other two in between.

Stitch or glue all the Feathers in place. 

If stitching, be sure to knot after each Feather. That way, if the thread ever breaks during play, only one Feather would fall off.

Repeat steps 2.2 – 2.4 to stitch or glue a row of Feathers B. 

Feather B should be positioned approximately halfway between the top of Feather C and the raw edge. Overlap and cover up the stitching/top edge of Feather C. 

Follow the previous scheme: edge Feathers first, then tuck middle ones in place.

Stitch or glue all in place. 

And as before, if stitching, knot after each Feather. 

Repeat to stitch and glue in place 3x Feather A. Leave the last Feather A for the next step. 

Align these three so that the last Feather A will cover the top edges in the next step (see step 2.9)

Lay the last Feather on top. 

Depending on how you laid the previous row of Feathers, you may need to trim it slightly in line with the Wing so that it fits perfectly.

Either glue or stitch the two edges of the top Feather in place.

GLUE OPTION – Skip to step 2.12.

DOUBLE-SIDED INTERFACING OPTION – Unpeel the paper backing from the double-sided interfacing on matching piece from pair of Wings.

GLUE OPTION – Glue the Wing onto the back of the Wing to give stability and cover any glue marks.

DOUBLE-SIDED INTERFACING OPTION – Iron the Wing onto back of the Wing to cover all the stitches.

Repeat steps 2.2 – 2.12 for the other Wing.

If you have pieces of felt that are too small to fit the body piece, cut it where suits and follow below.

If you cut the Body as one piece, skip to step 4. 

If you cut the Body and Tail in in two pieces stitch these together now. 

 Use your favorite hand stitch or use the same stitch as in step 2.

Repeat for other Body piece.

TIP – If you are using the same stitch as used in step 2, if you stitch from the wrong side of the Body, the stitches will be more hidden in the final toy.

OPTIONAL – If you want to use doll joints for the Legs, apply the leg section of the joint as per the manufacturer’s instructions to four of the Leg pieces. 

Place two Legs wrong sides together. Stitch around, leaving the straight edge open. 

If you are using doll joints, make sure to use 1x leg piece with a joint and 1x without for each Leg.

When you finish stitching, knot the thread but leave the thread attached. We will use it to attach the Hoof. 

Stuff it solidly but not too much as will need to stitch through top of Leg with button using left over thread.

Push the stuffing inside the Leg so it does not spill over the top.

Place the Hoof on the end of the Leg. Pin in place.

Stitch the Hoof to bottom of the Leg, using the same stitch as the Wings.

Push needle inside the Leg and bring it out the other side.

Pull the thread hard so it pulls the fabric slightly. Once it is taut, carefully snip it close to the fabric. 

Allow the thread tail to slip back inside Leg so it is hidden. 

Repeat for three more Legs so that you have four in total.

If you are not adding optional Tail Feathers to your dino/dragon, skip to step 5. If you are adding optional Tail Feathers, follow below.

GLUE OPTION – If you are using glue, glue each of your five pairs of Tail Feathers wrong sides together and set aside to dry. Skip to step 6.

DOUBLE-SIDED INTERFACING – If you are doing the Tail Feathers, cut each of these from the double-sided interfacing, peel the paper backing away from all five Feathers.

Continue below.

Place the Feather interfacing side down onto your fabric. Iron per the manufacturer’s instructions. Use a pressing cloth to protect the fabric and your iron.

Cut around the feather. Now, it is two layers of fabric glued together.

Repeat to create the remaining four Tail Feathers so that you have five double-sided in total.

If adding Tail Feathers, pin them as desired to the wrong side of one of the Tail pieces.

If you would like them in a fan style configuration like in the cover photo, place the center Feather first, then the two outside Feathers, then the remaining Feathers in the center.

Stitch or glue the Feathers in place.

If you are not adding optional Spines to your dino/dragon, skip to step 6. If you are adding optional Spines, follow below.

Repeat steps 4.1 – 4.3 to glue, or use double-sided interfacing, to create the Spines.

Place one Body piece wrong side up and arrange the Spines in place. The Spines will overlap the Body by approximately ¼ inch, so you can stitch them on.

You can place the Spines however you would prefer. For the look in the photos, the first and last three Spines are graduated further into the Body, so they are shorter.

TIP – You can have as few or as many Spines as you wish. Use your imagination to tailor the creature to you. If you like the Spines bigger or different shaped, go for it. The sky is the limit!

Stitch or glue the Spines to the Body. 

If you are stitching, use your favorite hand sew technique to sew. For the look in the photos, poke your needle all the way through the Spine from the wrong side to the right side, about ⅛ inch away from the edge of the Body. Then, poke the needle from the right side to the wrong side back through the Spine just off the raw edge. Move along a little and repeat to make short little stitches.

Continue to sew or glue all the Spines to the Body.

Note – If you are stitching, you will sew through the Spines again later when we stitch the two Body pieces, that way they will be securely attached.

If you are not adding optional Horns to your dino/dragon, skip to step 7. If you are adding optional Horns, follow below.

Repeat steps 4.1 – 4.3 to glue or use double-sided interfacing to create the Horns.

Place Horns either at the markings or where you prefer them. The largest Horn goes closest to the nose, then the middle Horn, then the shortest one is furthest from the nose.

The Horns will need to be sewed, not glued on.

To sew the Horns so that they stand up somewhat on their own, from the wrong side of the fabric, pinch the fabric securely around the Horn. Make sure it is pulled taut and the Horn is butted right up inside the fold.

Stitch from the wrong side of the fabric, through the Body, then one side of the Horn, then the other side of the Horn, then back down through the fabric to the wrong side again. This way, you catch all the layers.

Keep the thread pulled taut and tighten it fully before knotting and cutting your thread at the end of each Horn.

Repeat step 6.2 for all three Horns on both Body pieces.

If you are not adding the optional Wings to your dino/dragon, skip to step 9. If you are adding the optional Wings, follow below.

Place Wings either at the markings or where you want them. The longest edge is the free edge, the shorter edge is what attaches to the Body.

Stitch the Wings (using the same pinching technique as in step 6.2) from the wrong side of the fabric so that they stand outwards from the Body.

OPTIONAL – If you want to use doll joints for the Legs, apply the Body section of the joint to each body piece where you want the Legs, per the manufacturer’s instructions.

Pin the two Bodies pieces wrong sides together.

Start stitching the two layers together from approximately where the straight section starts under the tummy.

Then, stitch to the tip of the Tail.

If you have done the Tail Feathers, as you pass them, stitch through all layers a few times to secure.

Then, stitch along the top of the Tail to approximately where the Body starts.

Make sure to knot occasionally so is secure.

Once the Tail is mostly stitched, use a chopstick or blunt knitting needle to gently stuff the tail.

Make sure not to overstuff the Tail so that it is lumpy or too hard, however, do stuff it firm (or, less firm if you want it cuddlier).

TIP – If you want the Tail to be moldable (e.g. to stay in a curl or shape you want), you can insert a pipe cleaner into the Tail and stuff around it. This method might only be suitable for older children.

Continue to stitch all the way along the top of the Tail.

Carry on stitching along the back. 

As you get to the Spines, stitch all the way through from one side of the Body to the other. That way you catch the Spines as well as both sides of the Body. 

Do not stuff the Body yet.

Stitch up over the head, down under the chin, and to the base of the neck.

When you get to this point, stuff the head.

Stitch down the chest and along to where the flat section on the underside of the belly starts.

Once the Body is mostly enclosed, stuff the Body.

Continue to stitch all the way back to the start so that the Body is fully stuffed and completely enclosed.

Once you knot off your stitching, push the needle into the Body and all the way out the other side. Pull it taut and then snip it close to the Body. Let the thread tail slip back inside the Body.

If you have used doll joints, attach the Legs as per the manufacturer’s instructions.

TIP – Check your placement of the joint to ensure you will have enough room from the fabric edge.

If you have not used doll joints, stitch a pair of Legs on either side of the front of the Body.

If using buttons, stitch all the way from one side of the Body to the other side of the Body to secure.

Go through several times so that it is secure. Pull tight, knot, and tie off. Again, put the needle all the way through the Body and bring it out somewhere random, pull the thread tight and snip so the thread tail goes back inside the Body.

Repeat with the other pair of Legs at the back of the Body.