Step-by-Step Instructions to Crochet Dora

A slipknot makes a loop you can pull bigger or smaller. It’s the first loop you’ll put on your hook. Let’s make one together!

A slipknot makes a loop you can pull bigger or smaller. It’s the first loop you’ll put on your hook. Let’s make one together!

Learn how to hold your yarn so it can slide through your fingers without getting too loose or too tight. Try a few simple tricks to keep your fingers relaxed.

🪝 More help holding your yarn and hook

Learn how to hold your yarn so it can slide through your fingers without getting too loose or too tight. Try a few simple tricks to keep your fingers relaxed.

🪝 More help holding your yarn and hook

Get to know the parts of your crochet hook, then try holding it like a knife or a pencil. Choose the hold that feels comfortable in your hand.

🪝 More help holding your yarn and hook

Get to know the parts of your crochet hook, then try holding it like a knife or a pencil. Choose the hold that feels comfortable in your hand.

🪝 More help holding your yarn and hook

Learn to make a chain stitch, then make two chains to create a chain-2 start for your plushie’s first round. Keep these two chains, or make extras for practice—the next lesson shows how to undo the extras.

🧶 Written pattern:
- Foundation: Chain-2 Start

🪝 Alternative: a magic ring is an adjustable starting loop you can pull closed to avoid a hole in the center.

Learn to make a chain stitch, then make two chains to create a chain-2 start for your plushie’s first round. Keep these two chains, or make extras for practice—the next lesson shows how to undo the extras.

🧶 Written pattern:
- Foundation: Chain-2 Start

🪝 Alternative: a magic ring is an adjustable starting loop you can pull closed to avoid a hole in the center.

Learn to undo stitches, called frogging, so you can fix mistakes. If you made extra practice chains, undo the extras and keep your first two for the first round.

Learn to undo stitches, called frogging, so you can fix mistakes. If you made extra practice chains, undo the extras and keep your first two for the first round.

Learn to make a single crochet stitch and find the little V at its top to count your stitches. Use six single crochets to make your first round.

🧶 Written pattern:
Round 1: 6 sc (6)

🧶 Found a knot or need to join a new yarn strand?

Learn to make a single crochet stitch and find the little V at its top to count your stitches. Use six single crochets to make your first round.

🧶 Written pattern:
Round 1: 6 sc (6)

🧶 Found a knot or need to join a new yarn strand?

Learn to make an increase (inc): two single crochet stitches in the same stitch. Each increase adds one stitch to your round, helping your plushie grow wider.

Learn to make an increase (inc): two single crochet stitches in the same stitch. Each increase adds one stitch to your round, helping your plushie grow wider.

Use increases and single crochet to widen Dora’s body, following the rounds below.

🧶 Written pattern:
Round 2: 6 inc (12)
Round 3-4: 12 sc (12)
Round 5: [sc, inc] x 6 (18)
Round 6-9: 18 sc (18)
Round 10: [2 sc, inc] x 6 (24)
Round 11: 24 sc (24)

Use increases and single crochet to widen Dora’s body, following the rounds below.

🧶 Written pattern:
Round 2: 6 inc (12)
Round 3-4: 12 sc (12)
Round 5: [sc, inc] x 6 (18)
Round 6-9: 18 sc (18)
Round 10: [2 sc, inc] x 6 (24)
Round 11: 24 sc (24)

Learn to make a decrease (dec), turning two stitches into one. Each decrease removes one stitch from your round, making your crochet narrower.

Learn to make a decrease (dec), turning two stitches into one. Each decrease removes one stitch from your round, making your crochet narrower.

Use decreases in Dora’s pattern to crochet the remaining body rounds before the closing lesson.

🧶 Written pattern:
Round 12: [2 sc, dec] x 6 (18)
Round 13–15: 18 sc (18)
Round 16: [4 sc, dec] x 3 (15)
Round 17: 15 sc (15)
Round 18: [3 sc, dec] x 3 (12)
Round 19: 12 sc (12)
Round 20: 6 dec (6)
- Cut the yarn, leaving a 4-inch tail for sewing.

Use decreases in Dora’s pattern to crochet the remaining body rounds before the closing lesson.

🧶 Written pattern:
Round 12: [2 sc, dec] x 6 (18)
Round 13–15: 18 sc (18)
Round 16: [4 sc, dec] x 3 (15)
Round 17: 15 sc (15)
Round 18: [3 sc, dec] x 3 (12)
Round 19: 12 sc (12)
Round 20: 6 dec (6)
- Cut the yarn, leaving a 4-inch tail for sewing.

Thread the yarn tail through the front loop of each stitch around the opening and gently pull it closed. Hide the yarn tail inside your plushie.

Thread the yarn tail through the front loop of each stitch around the opening and gently pull it closed. Hide the yarn tail inside your plushie.

Learn how to crochet the top and bottom of Dora’s shell, including the ruffled edge. Keep the pieces separate until the assembly video.

🧶 Written pattern:
Top Part
- Chain-2 Start or Magic Ring
Round 1: 6 sc (6)
Round 2: 6 inc (12)
Round 3: [sc, inc] x 6 (18)
Round 4: [2 sc, inc] x 6 (24)
Round 5: [3 sc, inc] x 6 (30)
Round 6–8: 30 sc (30)
Round 9: [3 sc, dec] x 6 (24)
Round 10–11: 24 sc (24)
Round 12: [2 sc, dec] x 6 (18)
Round 13: [3 ch, sc] x 10, 8 sc
Bottom Part
- Chain-2 Start or Magic Ring
Round 1: 6 sc (6)
Round 2: 6 inc (12)
Round 3: [sc, inc] x 6 (18)
- Cut the yarn, leaving a 12-inch tail for sewing.
- Invisible Fasten Off

🪝 Help starting this part
Chain-2 start
Magic ring alternative

Learn how to crochet the top and bottom of Dora’s shell, including the ruffled edge. Keep the pieces separate until the assembly video.

🧶 Written pattern:
Top Part
- Chain-2 Start or Magic Ring
Round 1: 6 sc (6)
Round 2: 6 inc (12)
Round 3: [sc, inc] x 6 (18)
Round 4: [2 sc, inc] x 6 (24)
Round 5: [3 sc, inc] x 6 (30)
Round 6–8: 30 sc (30)
Round 9: [3 sc, dec] x 6 (24)
Round 10–11: 24 sc (24)
Round 12: [2 sc, dec] x 6 (18)
Round 13: [3 ch, sc] x 10, 8 sc
Bottom Part
- Chain-2 Start or Magic Ring
Round 1: 6 sc (6)
Round 2: 6 inc (12)
Round 3: [sc, inc] x 6 (18)
- Cut the yarn, leaving a 12-inch tail for sewing.
- Invisible Fasten Off

🪝 Help starting this part
Chain-2 start
Magic ring alternative

Learn to finish with a sewn stitch that blends into the surrounding stitches. Gently adjust your new V until it matches the size of the others.

Learn to finish with a sewn stitch that blends into the surrounding stitches. Gently adjust your new V until it matches the size of the others.

Crochet two matching eye pieces and learn how to secure a safety eye inside each one.

🧶 Written pattern:
Eyes x 2
- Chain-2 Start or Magic Ring
Round 1: 6 sc (6)
Round 2: 6 inc (12)
Round 3-4: 12 sc (12)
- Insert the eye in the center of round 1
- Fasten Off
- Cut the yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail for sewing.

🪝 Help starting this part
Chain-2 start
Magic ring alternative

Crochet two matching eye pieces and learn how to secure a safety eye inside each one.

🧶 Written pattern:
Eyes x 2
- Chain-2 Start or Magic Ring
Round 1: 6 sc (6)
Round 2: 6 inc (12)
Round 3-4: 12 sc (12)
- Insert the eye in the center of round 1
- Fasten Off
- Cut the yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail for sewing.

🪝 Help starting this part
Chain-2 start
Magic ring alternative

Learn how to join and stuff the shell, sew it onto Dora’s body and attach the two eye pieces.

🧶 Written pattern:
- Match stitches 1:1. Insert the needle through the back loop of the top piece and the front loop of the bottom piece, then return through the next stitch in the opposite direction. Always go through both parts (not over) to hide the seam. Stuff before closing.
- Sew the bottom of the shell to the top part. Then sew the shell to the body.
- Attach the shell so the snail’s head aligns with the front edge of the shell and the bottom of the shell sits on the back, leaving the ruffle at the sides and back.
- Sew the eyes symmetrically to the top of the body, between rounds 1 and 3.

Learn how to join and stuff the shell, sew it onto Dora’s body and attach the two eye pieces.

🧶 Written pattern:
- Match stitches 1:1. Insert the needle through the back loop of the top piece and the front loop of the bottom piece, then return through the next stitch in the opposite direction. Always go through both parts (not over) to hide the seam. Stuff before closing.
- Sew the bottom of the shell to the top part. Then sew the shell to the body.
- Attach the shell so the snail’s head aligns with the front edge of the shell and the bottom of the shell sits on the back, leaving the ruffle at the sides and back.
- Sew the eyes symmetrically to the top of the body, between rounds 1 and 3.

Learn how to use a strand of yarn and a needle to sew Dora’s smile onto the face.

🧶 Written pattern:
- Using a 4-inch piece of yarn, insert the needle at the point where the smile should begin and bring it out at the point where the smile should end.
- Pull both yarn tails, tie a knot close to one exit point, then using the needle push the knot inside to finish the smile.

Dora, made by you. A finished plushie, and new skills to take into your next project.

Learn how to use a strand of yarn and a needle to sew Dora’s smile onto the face.

🧶 Written pattern:
- Using a 4-inch piece of yarn, insert the needle at the point where the smile should begin and bring it out at the point where the smile should end.
- Pull both yarn tails, tie a knot close to one exit point, then using the needle push the knot inside to finish the smile.

Dora, made by you. A finished plushie, and new skills to take into your next project.