A few years back, I began to appreciate the beauty of dragonflies. I was on vacation with my family at the Outer Banks in North Carolina and realized that these creatures were more than just "bugs". These were beautiful, multi-colored, many-sized and tempered (some friendlier than others) critters!
One Summer in particular, there were so many that I got a LOT of photos of them interacting with me, like this one as I sat on the deck looking out over the ocean.
I enjoy quick knitting and crochet projects and so it should be no surprise that I sought out a pattern for a dragonfly.
I tested out a few, but really liked this one by Momo's Creative World. I found the video simple and easy to follow, but also transcribed the pattern so it's quick and easy to access, but be sure to show Momo's Creative World some love by LIKING her dragonfly video.
First, let me share some photos of the dragonflies I crocheted from this pattern.
Fun fact: I scrounged the beads for my first dragonfly (the purple one), then went to Michael's with a coupon in hand and bought several more bags of beads.
Here's Momo's pattern:
Materials
Yarn scraps of your choice
I used cotton, cotton blends and acrylic
Yarn weight: I used mostly worsted weight, but also did a DK weight with pearl beads.
when using the DK weight yarn, I sized down by 2 beginning chains for each piece.
Crochet hook that corresponds with your yarn choice (I used F, G and H)
Beads that can accommodate a darning needle with yarn strands doubled
Finishing touches (key ring, clips, etc.)
Scissors
Darning needle
Pattern
Larger wing
Using Worsted Weight yarn, Ch 20
Make a DC in the 3rd chain from hook; then make 6 DC, 1 SC (in the middle stitch)' DC to the end of the chain.
At the END of the chain, place 2 more DC sts in the last chain (total of 3), and then turn so you can work back across the starting chain on the opposite side.
Follow the same pattern, placing a DC in the next 7 sts and a SC right across form the SC in the first row/side. DC to the end, placing 2 DC at the base of the initial turning chain. (the base pattern is Ch 17 + 3).
Trim yarn and weave in ends.
Smaller wing
Using Worsted Weight yarn, Ch 16
Make a DC in the 3rd chain from hook; then make 5 more DC, 1 SC (in the middle stitch)' DC to the end of the chain.
At the END of the chain, place 2 more DC sts in the last chain (total of 3), and then turn so you can work back across the starting chain on the opposite side.
Follow the same pattern, placing a DC in the next 6 sts and a SC right across form the SC in the first row/side. DC to the end, placing 2 DC at the base of the initial turning chain (the base pattern is Ch 13 + 3).
Trim yarn and weave in ends.
Assembly
Using a darning needle, thread 2 to 4 beads for body/bottom of dragonfly. Then fold each wing so that the middle SC stitch lines up and pass needle/yarn through the tops of the 2 SC sts in the bottom (smaller) wing, and then the top (larger) wing.
Take largest (head) bead, and pass yarn/needle through it, loop through a key ring or other fastener and back down through the bead.
Continue on retracing the initial threading through the wings and smaller beads.
Tie off at bottom of smallest/bottom bead.
Here's one I made just last night with Lily's Sugar & Cream cotton yarn.
Finishing
Some of these I have attached to key rings, while others I finish with a knot (or the ring shown above) at the top and then hot glue a small, round magnet to the back.
These make delightful decorations for a backpack, wrapped gift, or refrigerator/office cabinet magnet.
Mostly, they are easy and fun to make - and if, like me, you have a special relationship or memory around dragonflies, they will make you smile each time you look at them!
(C) 2023 Stitch 'n Dish
Here are the beads I used for these items:
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