Every year I try to take on one project that genuinely scares me. The thing big enough that finishing it changes what I believe I can make. This year it has scales, a very long body, and an appetite for my yarn budget: I’m building a dragon. A big one.
Why a dragon?
Because I love them! Who wouldn’t love a giant fire breathing lizard that can fly? Dragons featured prominently in all my favorite books and movies growing up. One of my favorites was Pete’s Dragon, and for a while I carried a stuffed version of him everywhere I went. Some obsessions you grow out of. This one, clearly, I did not.
Meet Blossom
My dragon is an eastern dragon, so no wings. Some people call them noodle dragons, and honestly, the plan is a big noodle with fancy flare. She has a spring vibe, so I’ve named her Blossom, and once she’s complete I’d like to add some crochet flowers to her.
The plan
I’m following the Eastern Dragon pattern by one of my favorite designers, Megan Lapp of Crafty Intentions. The pattern starts with the tail and works its way up the body to the head. Then you get to pick which flare pieces you want to add to decorate your dragon. I haven’t chosen my flare yet, and I’m looking forward to that decision more than I probably should be.
The finished size should come in well over two feet.
Materials and tools
- Yarn: Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn, in Spun Sugar for the body
- Flare colors: Soft Blue, Soft Pink, and Periwinkle, same brand
- Hook: 4mm
- Wire for structure (more on that below)
Where it stands today
What I have worked up so far already measures 24 inches, and that’s mostly tail. The majority of the tail is finished and I’m moving into the body rounds now.
One hiccup so far: when I was shopping for materials I couldn’t find the wire gauge the pattern recommends, so I had to go with something smaller. The risk is that the shape may not hold properly, so I’ve started doubling the wire up to make it thicker, in the hopes it holds the shape better. We’ll find out together whether that works.
What I want out of this
Part of why I’m writing this log is accountability. I hope to gain new skills that I can reflect back into my own art, and the encouragement to tackle bigger and bigger pieces. Mostly, I want to show myself that I have what it takes to finish a piece all the way to the end instead of letting it fall to the wayside unfinished. A public record makes quiet abandonment much harder, which is exactly the point.
I’ll be posting every chapter of this build here in the Dragon Log, and the in-between moments in Ponkie’s Place. If you’ve ever taken on a project that was slightly too big for you, you’ll feel right at home here.
Leave a Reply