A beautifully balanced creature, the Diplodocus is one of the longest of the known dinosaurs. Because of its long neck, the Diplodocus had a vast heart in order to breathe, and used its long tail as a whip to deter predators. For years, ‘Dippy’, a Diplodocus fossil, has greeted visitors in the entrance hall of the Natural History Museum in London.
This is one of the simplest dinosaurs to knit, but perhaps a little more tricky to put together.
Length: 55cm (21½in)
Height to centre back: 17cm (6¾in)
Pair of 3¾mm (US 5) knitting needles
Double-pointed 3¾mm (US 5) knitting needles (for holding stitches)
50g (2oz) of Rowan Pure Wool Worsted in Hazel 128 (hz)
30g (1¼oz) of Rowan Pure Wool Worsted in Hawthorn 141 (ha)
Small amount of Rowan Felted Tweed in Ginger 154 (gn)
2 small black beads for eyes and sewing needle and black thread for sewing on
57cm (22½in) of 2mm armature wire for head, body and tail
2 pipecleaners for legs
See here.
See for Colour Knitting.
With hz, cast on 15 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 2 rows st st.
Row 3: Inc, k4, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k4, inc. (15 sts)
Row 4: Purl.
Rep rows 3–4 once more.
Row 7: K2tog, k11, k2tog. (13 sts)
Work 7 rows st st.
Row 15: K5, inc, k1, inc, k5. (15 sts)
Work 3 rows st st.
Row 19: K6, inc, k1, inc, k6. (17 sts)
Row 20: Purl.
Row 21: Inc, k6, inc, k1, inc, k6, inc. (21 sts)
Work 3 rows st st.*
Join in ha.
Row 25: K9hz, inchz, k1ha, incha, k9hz. (23 sts)
Row 26: P8hz, p4ha, p11hz.
Row 27: K11hz, k5ha, k7hz.
Row 28: P5hz, p7ha, p11hz.
Row 29: Cast (bind) off 11hz sts, k1hz icos, k7ha, k4hz (hold 12 sts on spare needle for Right Side of Body).
Work as for Right Back Leg to *.
Join in ha.
Row 25: K9hz, incha, k1ha, inchz, k9hz. (23 sts)
Row 26: P11hz, k4ha, p8hz.
Row 27: K7hz, k5ha, k11hz.
Row 28: P11hz, p7ha, p5hz.
Row 29: K4hz, k8ha, cast (bind) off 11hz sts (hold 12 sts on spare needle for Left Side of Body).
With hz, cast on 13 sts.
Beg with a k row, work 2 rows st st.
Row 3: Inc, k3, k2tog, k1, k2tog, k3, inc. (13 sts)
Row 4: Purl.
Rep rows 3–4 once more.
Row 7: K2tog, k9, k2tog. (11 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Row 13: K4, inc, k1, inc, k4. (13 sts)
Work 5 rows st st.
Row 19: K5, inc, k1, inc, k5. (15 sts)
Work 2 rows st st.**
Join in ha.
Row 22: P7hz, p2ha, p6hz.
Row 23: Inchz, k5hz, k4ha, k4hz, inchz. (17 sts)
Row 24: P5hz, p5ha, p7hz.
Row 25: Cast (bind) off 8hz sts, k1hz icos, k5ha, k3hz (hold 9 sts on spare needle for Right Side of Body and Head).
Work as for Right Front Leg to **.
Join in ha.
Row 22: P6hz, p2ha, p7hz.
Row 23: Inchz, k4hz, k4ha, k5hz, inchz. (17 sts)
Row 24: P7hz, p5ha, p5hz.
Row 25: K3hz, k6ha, cast (bind) off 8hz sts (hold 9 sts on spare needle for Left Side of Body and Head).
Legs and spine
Use pipecleaners to stiffen the legs and armature wire to act as a spine running through the body. Armature wire is very easy to manipulate and holds up the head and tail.
Row 1: With ha, cast on 2 sts, with RS facing k9 from spare needle of Right Front Leg, cast on 8 sts. (19 sts)
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: Inc, k18, cast on 7 sts, with RS facing p1, k11 from spare needle of Right Back Leg, cast on 50 sts. (89 sts)
Row 4: Cast (bind) off 12 sts, p49 icos, k1, p27, cast on 18 sts. (95 sts)
Row 5: Inc, k44, p1, k47, k2tog. (95 sts)
Row 6: Cast (bind) off 7 sts, p41 icos, k1, p46, cast on 12 sts. (100 sts)
Row 7: Inc, k57, p1, k39, k2tog. (100 sts)
Row 8: Cast (bind) off 6 sts, p34 icos, k1, p59, cast on 8 sts. (102 sts)
Row 9: K68, p1, k31, k2tog. (101 sts)
Row 10: Cast (bind) off 5 sts, p27 icos, k1, p33, cast (bind) off 28 sts, p to end. (61 sts and 7 sts)
Row 11: Working on 7 sts for head only, knit.
Row 12: P5, p2tog. (6 sts)
Row 13: K2tog, k2, k2tog. (4 sts)
Cast (bind) off.
Row 14: Rejoin ha to rem 61 sts, k2tog, k32, p1, k24, k2tog. (59 sts)
Row 15: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, p20 icos, k1, p32, p2tog. (54 sts)
Row 16: Cast (bind) off 2 sts, k32 icos, p1, k17, k2tog. (51 sts)
Row 17: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, p12 icos, k2, p31, p2tog. (46 sts)
Row 18: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, k40 icos, k2tog. (41 sts)
Row 19: Cast (bind) off 3 sts, p36 icos, p2tog. (37 sts)
Row 20: Cast (bind) off 6 sts, k29 icos, k2tog. (30 sts)
Row 21: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, p24 icos, p2tog. (25 sts)
Row 22: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, k19 icos, k2tog. (20 sts)
Row 23: Cast (bind) off 2 sts, p16 icos, p2tog. (17 sts)
Row 24: Cast (bind) off 2 sts, k13 icos, k2tog. (14 sts)
Row 25: Cast (bind) off 2 sts, p10 icos, p2tog. (11 sts)
Row 26: K2tog, k7, k2tog. (9 sts)
Cast (bind) off.
Row 1: With ha, cast on 2 sts, with WS facing p9 from spare needle of Left Front Leg, cast on 8 sts. (19 sts)
Row 2: Knit.
Row 3: Inc, p18, cast on 7 sts, with WS facing k1, p11 from spare needle of Left Back Leg, cast on 50 sts. (89 sts)
Row 4: Cast (bind) off 12 sts, k49 icos, p1, k27, cast on 18 sts. (95 sts)
Row 5: Inc, p44, k1, p47, p2tog. (95 sts)
Row 6: Cast (bind) off 7 sts, k41 icos, p1, k46, cast on 12 sts. (100 sts)
Row 7: Inc, p57, k1, p39, p2tog. (100 sts)
Row 8: Cast (bind) off 6 sts, k34 icos, p1, k59, cast on 8 sts. (102 sts)
Row 9: P68, k1, p31, p2tog. (101 sts)
Row 10: Cast (bind) off 5 sts, k27 icos, p1, k33, cast (bind) off 28 sts, k to end. (61 sts and 7 sts)
Row 11: Working on 7 sts only for head, purl.
Row 12: K5, k2tog. (6 sts)
Row 13: P2tog, p2, p2tog. (4 sts)
Cast (bind) off.
Row 14: Rejoin ha to rem 61 sts, p2tog, p32, k1, p24, p2tog. (59 sts)
Row 15: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, k20 icos, p1, k32, k2tog. (54 sts)
Row 16: Cast (bind) off 2 sts, p32 icos, k1, p17, p2tog. (51 sts)
Row 17: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, k12 icos, p2, k31, k2tog. (46 sts)
Row 18: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, p40 icos, p2tog. (41 sts)
Row 19: Cast (bind) off 3 sts, k36 icos, k2tog. (37 sts)
Row 20: Cast (bind) off 6 sts, p29 icos, p2tog. (30 sts)
Row 21: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, k24 icos, k2tog. (25 sts)
Row 22: Cast (bind) off 4 sts, p19 icos, p2tog. (20 sts)
Row 23: Cast (bind) off 2 sts, k16 icos, k2tog. (17 sts)
Row 24: Cast (bind) off 2 sts, p13 icos, p2tog. (14 sts)
Row 25: Cast (bind) off 2 sts, k10 icos, k2tog. (11 sts)
Row 26: P2tog, p7, p2tog. (9 sts)
Cast (bind) off.
With hz, cast on 2 sts.
Row 1: [Inc] twice. (4 sts)
Row 2: Purl.
Row 3: K1, [inc] twice, k1. (6 sts)
Row 4: Purl.
Row 5: K2, [inc] twice, k2. (8 sts)
Row 6: Purl.
Row 7: K3, [inc] twice, k3. (10 sts)
Work 3 rows st st.
Row 11: K2tog, k6, k2tog. (8 sts)
Row 12: P2tog, p4, p2tog. (6 sts)
Row 13: K2, [inc] twice, k2. (8 sts)
Work 9 rows st st.
Row 23: Inc, k6, inc. (10 sts)
Row 24: Inc, p3, inc, p4, inc. (13 sts)
Row 25: K6, p1, k6.
Row 26: P6, k1, p6.
Rep rows 25–26 once more.
Row 29: K5, inc, p1, inc, k5. (15 sts)
Row 30: P7, k1, p7.
Row 31: K7, p1, k7.
Rep rows 30–31, 7 times more.
Row 46: P7, k1, p7.
Row 47: K2tog, k5, p1, k5, k2tog. (13 sts)
Row 48: P2tog, p4, k1, p4, p2tog. (11 sts)
Row 49: K3, k2tog, p1, k2tog, k3. (9 sts)
Row 50: P4, k1, p4.
Row 51: K4, p1, k4.
Rep rows 50–51 twice more.
Row 56: P4, k1, p4.
Row 57: K2, k2tog, p1, k2tog, k2. (7 sts)
Row 58: P3, k1, p3.
Row 59: K1, k2tog, p1, k2tog, k1. (5 sts)
Row 60: P2, k1, p2.
Row 61: K2, p1, k2.
Row 64: P2tog, p1, p2tog. (3 sts)
Row 65: K3tog and fasten off.
SEWING IN ENDS Sew in ends, leaving ends from cast on and cast (bound) off rows for sewing up.
LEGS With WS together, fold each leg in half and sew up on RS, starting at feet.
HEAD AND BODY With WS together and starting 3cm (1¼in) from front of front legs, sew around head, along back and around tail to 2.5cm (1in) from back of back leg. Using pliers, fold over 2.5cm (1in) at each end of the armature wire. Insert wire into the tail, up through body along spine and up the neck into the head. The wire hangs loose within the main body.
TUMMY With RS of body and WS of tummy (reverse st st side) together, sew cast on row of tummy to top of tail, and sew cast (bound) off row to front of front legs. Ease and sew tummy to fit body, leaving a 2.5cm (1in) gap between front and back legs on one side.
STUFFING Pipecleaners are used to stiffen the legs and help bend them into shape. Fold a pipecleaner into a ‘U’ shape and measure against front two legs. Cut to approximately fit, leaving an extra 2.5cm (1in) at both ends. Fold over the ends. Roll a little stuffing around pipecleaner and slip into body, one end down each front leg. Repeat with second pipecleaner and back legs. Starting at the head, stuff the Diplodocus firmly, using the end of a knitting needle to ease the stuffing into tail and neck, then sew up the gap. Mould body into shape.
SPINES With gn, make approx 22 2-loop French knots, about 1cm (½in) apart, along the spine.
EYES Sew on black beads positioned as in photograph.
