DINOSAUR BOOTS

A friend’s son wanted a pair of dinosaur boots, and as usual, I loved this challenge.

There are several boot patterns freely available on the net – so I looked through a few of them and am working on a variation / combination of some of them.   As always, here are my notes as I make my own project. 

Yarn Inspiration Bernat Slipper boots is a good pattern for a great range of shoes / boots. 

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Materials used : Today I’ve used the superb Indian 4-ply Oswal acrylic yarn with a 4.5 mm crochet hook ; fabric glue to seal ends 

I’ve held two strands together for the whole project.

This yarn is not specific for this project.

You can use any yarn with a suitable hook to make this project to any size.

For Indians : You could use Anchor , Red rose  ; Red rose metallic , 4-ply knitting cotton or  unbranded  knitting cotton as well as Vardhaman acrylic yarns; Ganga Spectrum

International yarns :  Among the international yarns I have used, I’d suggest Aunt Lydia Cotton 10, Aunt Lydia Bamboo-Viscose 10, DMC Petra, Sullivans knitting cotton (Australia), Milford Soft, Hilaza Rustica Eclat , Alize cotton yarn and Alize bamboo yarn , Lily Sugar n Cream, Caron Simply Soft , ICE Batik yarn

Size made : For an 8 yr old (8” foot length)

Skill level :  Intermediate

Abbreviations used : (Using U.S terminology)

dc : Double crochet           rep : Repeat

ch : chain                           ch-sp : chain space

sp : space                                                                    
fsc : Foundation single crochet

hdc 2-tog : Half double crochet 2-together

Stitches used :

Starting slip knot :  https://youtu.be/lJcqsVcs8cw

Starting slip knot 1 or the Sloppy Slip knot :  https://youtu.be/YfC7KmGpifs

What is a crochet slip stitch :  https://youtu.be/weB3QNbA8Iw

What is a chain stitch ? https://youtu.be/pXx5ukBjKkY

Foundation Single Crochet : fsc :  https://youtu.be/mcT85fwh4mA 

How to do the crocodile stitch :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4in7seykYc

hdc 2-tog :  [yo, insert hk in st or ch-sp, yo and pull up a lp] (3 lps on hk) ; insert hk in st or ch-sp, yo and pull up a lp (4 lps on hk) ; yo, draw through all 4 lps on hk.  One hdc 2-tog made.

Half double crochet 2-tog : hdc 2-tog : [yo, insert hk in st or ch-sp, yo and pull up a lp] (3 lps on hk) ; insert hk in st or ch-sp, yo and pull up a lp (4 lps on hk) ; yo, draw through all 4 lps on hk.  One hdc 2-tog made.

Check the video tutorial at https://youtu.be/jdaXTr7Lcig

Instructions

Please note that I start all my rows with a ch 1, turning chain for ease.

Please check the top of this blog for easy video tutorials on all stitches used in today's pattern.  

Please read through all my notes before you pick up your hook, so you know just where we're heading in our pattern.

In my patterns I work with the principle of stitch count and body measurement.  This means that you need to work the stitch count in pattern, till you get the measurement (length and/or width) that you need for your project. 

For our boot / shoe, I’ve decided to do a basic shoe pattern first, and then add on the embellishments to make it ‘dino-like’.

So for the base of the shoe, I’ve used my original pattern for an easy fit slip on shoe here.  Right, so off we go.

So once you’ve got the basic foot part of the boot done, let’s work on the top.

Please read through to finishing information now so that maybe you can reduce the trial n errors I made.  Cheers.

So once you have made the basic foot part, we'll work the top part now.

Re-attach your yarn at the back (heel top) of the shoe at the joint.  

Neatly work a round of sc all around the top of the shoe.  

Join with a sl-st to the 1^st sc.

Calculations : Now as I’m not sure what size you’re working on, I’m going to write this as a general note.  

The best way to ensure that you get this part right, is to measure the heel and/or round lower foot of the child for whom you’re making this.  

Ensure also that you work this first row a little looser so that it is not constricting when the foot is being slipped in.  

Other than that, there is no *correct* number of stitches.

For the following rows, you will work an sc / hdc or dc (depending on what stitch you’ve used for the base of the shoe) all around till you get the height you need for your boot.

Just continually ensure that you are working a little looser than usual, as the longer the boot, the harder it *may* get for the little child to ‘slip’ the foot in.

Dino toes and scales :

For the Dino toes and scales, I’ve used the crocodile stitch. 

A lovely video link by Tamara Kelly is given at the top of the blog.

So one row of crocodile stitches for the toes and one for the scales at the back of the boot should suffice.

Dino eye whites  : Make four using white

Half Double Crochet : Hdc :  yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk) ;

yo, draw through all 3 lps.  One hdc made. 

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/sDiELJdB2Dg

Chainless start for Half Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 start, and this is what I do to start my row of hdc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/lWXpl1KdbZ8

Magic circle : https://youtu.be/ISC39yOqWro

Start with a magic circle and 8 hdc in that circle.  

Pull to close and join with a sl-st to the 1^st hdc.

Round 1 : 2 hdc in the 1^st hdc ; 
2 hdc in each hdc till end 
and join with a sl-st to the 1^st hdc.

Round 2 : hdc in the 1^st hdc ; 
hdc in each hdc till end 
and join with a sl-st to the 1^st hdc.

Half double crochet 2-tog : hdc 2-tog : [yo, insert hk in st or ch-sp, yo and pull up a lp] (3 lps on hk) ; insert hk in st or ch-sp, yo and pull up a lp (4 lps on hk) ; yo, draw through all 4 lps on hk.  One hdc 2-tog made.

Check the video tutorial at https://youtu.be/jdaXTr7Lcig

Round 3 : hdc 2-tog over the 1^st 2 hdc ; 

*hdc 2-tog over the next 2 hdc* ; 

rep *to* till end 
and join with a sl-st to the 1^st hdc.

Now you have this partial sphere with a hole on one end.  
We will first stuff this eye ball in and then sew up this open end.  
So fasten off leaving a long tail for the fastening and joining of this eyeball to the dino foot.

Make two whites for eyeballs of Dino eyes.

Dino eyes pupil : Make four using black

This is that little black circle inside the whites of the eye.  
So you can embroider this in as well, but just thought we’d do it a *simpler* way (I hope)

Start with a magic circle and 12 hdc in that circle.  
Pull it into a circle.  
Fasten off and leave a long tail to sew in. 

Finishing : Lots of little things to sew in before we get our awesome Dino boot.  So, I made the whole boot first, and then attached on the parts that made it Dino-like.  It was a bit tricky to push the hand up and down the boot to get it all right, so I may attach these parts on first before I work on the top of the boot, the next time I make a similar pattern.

1.  Attach your three scaled toes to the front of the boot.  Fold your boot in half and find the centre – then flatten it out and pin your toes before attaching. There is a very convenient row for attachment and I love how the toes seeming pop out pretty Dino-like.

2.  Attach your Dino scales to the back of the shoe.  Follow the join line along the back of the boot and neatly mask that line with these scales as well as have that convenient line to follow.  As before, ensure you pin the scales down before sewing in.

3.  Attach your wobbly Dino eyes to the front of the boot just above the toes.

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