Crochet Menorah Tops || Free Crochet Pattern
Have a dino-mite Hanukkah with Turquoise Crochet Menorah Tops + dino egg to store the candles! This playful prehistoric triceratops friend is ready to celebrate the Festival of Lights. The adorable “Menorasaurus” is a free crochet pattern on marlybird.com and makes a truly unique gift for Hanukkah!
This is a great kid’s Hanukkah decoration that you can crochet. The unique candles let you light the menorah safely with your kids. AND, the best part is you can store the candles in the dino egg so you won’t lose them!
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Grab your favorite yarn and crochet Bea the Menorah Tops this holiday season. The perfect kids’ Hanukkah toy.
Looking for an ad-free PDF? This free crochet menorah pattern will be part of the Holiday Pattern Collection vol. 2 to be released Nov. 17, 2022, on MarlyBird.com.
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Menorah Tops Crochet Pattern || The NEW “Menorah-saurus” for Hanukkah
Designed by Megan Kreiner of MK Crochet for MarlyBird.com
SKILL LEVEL
Intermediate
MEASUREMENTS
Finished Measurements
Toy is 11.5” [29.21 cm] from nose to tail
Gauge
7 sc by 7 rounds = 2” [5 cm] by 2” [5 cm]; use any size hook to obtain the gauge. Note: Gauge is not critical in this project.
MATERIALS
Yarn
Patons Classic Wool Worsted (100% wool, 194 yds / 177 m, 3.5 oz/ 100 g, CYCA #4 worsted)
Color A: #77219 Seafoam, 2 skeins
Color B: #00201 Winter White, 1 skein
Color C: #77750 Coral Peach, 1 skein
Color D: #77791 Cool Gray, 1 skein
Hook
Size H/8 (5.0 mm)
Notions
- Large Steel Tapestry Needle
- Polyester Fiberfill
- Straight Pins
- Stitch markers
- 12mm plastic safety eyes with plastic backings (for children 3 and older)
- Black embroidery thread, black felt, or black yarn (alternative eye options)
ABBREVIATIONS
- BLO – Back Loop Only
- BPsc- Back Post Single Crochet
- Ch – Chain(s)
- FLO – Front Loop Only
- RS – Right Side
- Sc – Single Crochet
- Sc2tog – Single Crochet Two Together
- Sl st – Slip Stitch
- Sp(s) – Space(s)
- St(s) – Stitch(es)
- WS – Wrong Side
SPECIAL STITCHES
Back Post Single Crochet (bpsc): Insert hook from back to front to back around post of stitch indicated, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook.
Single Crochet 2 Together (sc2tog): *Insert hook into indicated stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop; repeat from * in next stitch indicated, yarn over and draw through all 3 loops on hook. (1 decrease)
NOTES
- Hold 2 strands of yarn when working all pieces.
- Rounds are not joined at the end, but worked in a spiral. Place a marker in the first stitch throughout to keep track of the star of each round. Do not turn at the end of any round, unless otherwise noted.
CROCHET MENORAH TOPS PATTERN
CROCHET MENORAH TOPS LEGS
Make 4
Make an adjustable ring with color B.
Round 1: Ch 1, 6 sc into ring, pull ring closed.
Round 2: 2 sc in each sc around–12 sts.
Round 3: *Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc; repeat from * around– 18 sts.
Round 4: Sc in first sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc; repeat from * around to last 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in last sc, change color to A, fasten off B–24 sts.
Round 5: BPsc around the post of each sc around.
Round 6: Sc in each sc around, fasten off A.
Note: On 4th leg, do not fasten off A and continue to belly directions.
CROCHET MENORAH TOPS BELLY
Continue working with color A connected to the fourth leg.
Row 1: Sc in first sc of leg, place marker, sc in next 11 sts of leg (leave remaining 12 sts unworked), sc in next 12 sts on a 2nd leg (leave remaining 12 sts unworked), turn–24 sts.
Row 2: Ch 1, sc2tog over first 2 sts, sc in each sc across to last 2 sts, sc2tog over last 2 sts– 22 sts.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc2tog over first 2 sts, sc in each sc across to last 2 sts, sc2tog over last 2 sts– 20 sts.
Row 4: Ch 1, sc in each sc across, turn.
Row 5: Ch 1, sc in each sc across, place marker in last st, turn.
Row 6: Ch 1, sc in each sc across, turn.
Row 7: Ch 1, 2 sc in first sc, sc in each st across to last sc, 2 sc in last sc, turn– 22 sts.
Row 8: Ch 1, 2 sc in first sc, sc in each st across to last sc, 2 sc in last sc, turn– 24 sts.
Row 9: Ch 1, sc in each sc across, turn.
Row 10: Hold 3rd leg edge against the edge of belly row 9. Match up the stitches and sc through both the belly row and the edge of the 3rd leg 12 times (leaving the remaining 12 sts of the leg edge unworked). Pick up the 4th leg, line up the leg edge to the edge of belly row 9, and sc through both the belly row and edge of the 4th leg 12 times (leaving the remaining 12 sts of the 4th leg edge unworked). Fasten off A.
CROCHET MENORAH TOPS BODY
Round 1: Holding legs and belly with the bottom of the feet facing up, locate marker from row 5 of belly. Join A with sl st to marked st, ch 1, sc in same st, place marker (to mark the start of the round), (working along belly front edge) sc 3 times evenly along side edge until you reach the first unworked stitch of a leg, sc in each sc leg (12 sts), sc twice along belly side edge between the leg edges, sc in each sc of leg (12 sts), ch 16, skip over back belly edge (will create opening for tail), sc in each sc of next leg (12 sts), sc twice along belly side edge between the legs, sc in each sc of last leg (12 sts), sc 4 times evenly along front belly edge. (76 sts)
Round 2: Sc in each sc to ch-sp, 12 sc in ch-16 sp, sc in each sc to end– 72 sts.
Round 3: Sc in next 30 sc, sc in blo of next 12 sc, place marker in front loop of last st, sc in each sc to end.
Rounds 4-6: Sc in each sc around.
Round 7: *Sc in next 7 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts; repeat from * around–64 sts.
Round 8: Sc in each sc around.
Round 9: *Sc in next 6 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts; repeat from * around–56 sts.
Round 10: Sc in next 3 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts, *sc in next 5 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts; repeat from * around to last 2 sts, sc in last 2 sts–48 sts.
Round 11: Sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts, *sc in next 4 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts; repeat from * around to last 2 sts, sc in last 2 sts–40 sts.
Round 12: Sc in first sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts, *sc in next 3 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts; repeat from * around to last 2 sts, sc in last 2 sts–32 sts.
Round 13: *Sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts; repeat from * around–24 sts.
Round 14: *Sc2tog over next 2 sts, sc in next sc; repeat from * around–16 sts.
Stuff legs and front of body.
Round 15: Sc2tog over next 2 sts around, fasten off A– 8 sts.
CROCHET MENORAH TOPS TAIL
Round 1: Turn body so tail opening is facing you and the belly/legs are facing up. Join A with sl st to front loop of marked st from round 3 of body, ch 1, sc in same st, sc in the remaining 11 front loops, sc 16 times evenly along remaining back edge to form tail opening– 28 sc.
Round 2: Sc in each sc around.
Round 3: *Sc in next 5 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts; repeat from * around–24 sts.
Round 4: Sc in each sc around.
Round 5: Sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts, *sc in next 4 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts; repeat from * around to last 2 sts, sc in last 2 sts–20 sts.
Round 6: Sc in each sc around.
Round 7: Sc in first sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts, *sc in next 3 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts; repeat from * around to last 2 sts, sc in last 2 sts–16 sts.
Round 6: Sc in each sc around.
Stuff back of body.
Round 7: *Sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts; repeat from * around–12 sts.
Round 8: Sc in each sc around.
Round 9: *Sc in next sc, sc2tog over next 2 sts; repeat from * around–8 sts.
Rounds 10-11: Sc in each sc around.
Stuff tail.
Round 12: Sc2tog in next 2 sts around, fasten off and weave in ends– 4 sts.
To reduce the splay of the legs, run a length of color A yarn back and forth between the inside surfaces of legs with a tapestry needle and pull gently to draw the inside surfaces of the legs towards each other. Fasten off and use the leftover yarn tails to tidy up any remaining gaps along the belly and legs.
CROCHET MENORAH TOPS HEAD
With color A, make an adjustable ring.
Round 1: 6 sc into ring, pull ring closed.
Round 2: 2 sc in each sc around– 12 sc.
Round 3: 2 sc in each sc around– 24 sc.
Round 4: *Sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc; repeat from * around– 28 sc.
Round 5: Sc in first 3 sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 6 sc; repeat around to last 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in last 3 sc– 32 sc.
Round 6: Sc in each sc around.
Round 7: Sc in next 14 sc, ch 4, skip 4 sc, sc in last 14 sc– 28 sc + ch-4 sp.
Round 8: Sc in each sc to ch-4 sp, 4 sc in ch-4 sp, sc in each sc around– 32 sc.
Round 9: Sc in next 8 sc, [sc2tog over next 2 sts] 8 times, sc in last 8 sc– 24 sc.
Rounds 10-11: Sc in each sc around.
If using 12 mm plastic safety eyes, install between rnds 9-10 with 8 sts of sp between them and the horn opening facing up.
Round 12: *Sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc; repeat from * around– 28 sc.
Round 13: *Sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc; repeat from * around– 35 sc.
Rounds 14-18: Sc in each sc around.
Round 19: *Sc in next 5 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc; repeat from * around– 30sc.
Rounds 20-23: Sc in each sc around.
Round 24: *Sc in next 4 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc; repeat from * around– 25sc.
Rounds 25-28: Sc in each sc around.
Round 29: *Sc in next 3 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc; repeat from * around– 20sc.
Stuff head firmly (between rnds 1-17).
If you have not installed plastic safety eyes, embroider on eyes with black yarn or cut 12 mm black felt circles and sew to the side of the head between rnds 9-10 with 8 sts of sp between them.
Define the top of the head by sewing a running stitch of color A in an arch shape starting 4-5 rnds behind the left eye, stitching in the curved line up to the center of rnd 17, and stitching in a curved line down to 4-5 rnds behind the right eye.
Round 30: *Sc2tog over next 2 sc, sc in next 2 sc; repeat from * around– 15sc.
Round 31: *Sc in next sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc; repeat from * around, fasten off leave long tail for seaming– 10sc.
Add some scant stuffing to crown area above the head. Flatten and sew opening shut at the top of the crown.
CROCHET MENORAH TOPS SMALL HORNS
Make 2
With color B, make an adjustable ring.
Round 1: 6 sc into ring, pull ring closed.
Round 2: Sc in blo of each sc around.
Round 3: Sc in each sc around.
Lightly stuff small horn.
Round 4: Sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc, sc in next 2 sc– 5 sc..
Round 5: Sc in next sc, skip next sc, sc in next sc, skip next sc, sl st in last sc, fasten off, weave in ends– 3 sts.
Hold horn so the pointy side is facing up and locate the exposed front loops on rnd 2. Insert hook into one of these front loops. Join A with sl st in any front loop st, ch 1, 2 sc in same st, 2 sc in each remaining front loop, sl st to first sc to join, fasten off leave long tail for seaming — 12 sc.
Sew the small horn bases to the top of the head, 3 rnds behind the eyes and with 2 sts of sp between them.
CROCHET MENORAH TOPS CANDLE BASE
Make 9
With color A, make an adjustable ring.
Round 1: 8 sc into ring, pull ring closed.
Round 2: Sc in blo of each sc around.
Round 3: Sc in each sc around.
Round 4: 2 sc in flo of each sc around, sl st to first sc to join, fasten off leave long tail for seaming–16 sc.
Insert one horn base into the horn hole in head and sew in place to secure. Position, pin, and sew the other 8 candle horn bases around the edge of the crown, taking care to angle the openings to face up.
CROCHET MENORAH TOPS CANDLE
Make 9
With color B, make an adjustable ring.
Round 1: 6 sc into ring, pull ring closed.
Round 2: Sc in blo of each sc around.
Rounds 3-7: Sc in each sc around.
Lightly stuff candle horn.
Round 8: Sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc, sc in next 2 sc– 5 sc..
Round 9: Sc in next sc, skip next sc, sc in next sc, skip next sc, sl st in last sc, fasten off, weave in ends– 3 sts.
FLAME
Make 9
With color C, make an adjustable ring.
Round 1: 5 sc into ring, pull ring closed.
Round 2: (Sl st, ch 2, sl st) in next st, sl st in next st, fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.
Weave yarn down to the base of the flame. Secure flame to pointy side of candle yarn tails.
CROCHET MENORAH TOPS DINO EGG
With color D, make an adjustable ring.
Round 1: 6 sc into ring, pull ring closed.
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around– 12 sc.
Round 3: *Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next st; repeat from * around– 18 sc.
Round 4: *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc; repeat from * around– 24 sc.
Round 5: Sc in first 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc, *sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc; repeat from * around to last 2 sc, sc in last 2 sc– 28 sc.
Round 6: Sc in each sc around.
Round 7: Sc in first sc, 2 sc in next sc, *sc in next 6 sc, 2 sc in next sc; repeat from * around to last 5 sc, sc in last 5 sc– 32 sc.
Round 8: Sc in each sc around.
Round 9: Sc in first 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc, *sc in next 7 sc, 2 sc in next sc; repeat from * around to last 4 sc, sc in last 4 sc– 36 sc.
Rounds 10-14: Sc in each sc around.
Round 15: Sc in first 3 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc, *sc in next 7 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc; repeat from * around to last 4 sc, sc in last 4 sc– 32 sc.
Round 16: Sc in next 13 sc, ch 6, skip 6 sc, sc in last 13 sc– 26 sc + ch-6 sp.
Round 17: Sc in first 3 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc, sc in next 6 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc, 6 sc in ch-6 sp, sc2tog over next 2 sc, sc in next 6 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc, sc in last 3 sc– 28 sc.
Round 18: Sc in first 4 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc, *sc in next 5 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc; repeat from * around to last sc, sc in last sc– 24 sc.
Round 19: Sc in first 2 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc, *sc in next 4 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc; repeat from * around to last 2 sc, sc in last 2 sc– 20 sc.
Round 20: *Sc in next 3 sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc; repeat from * around — 16 sc.
Round 21: *Sc2tog over next 2 sc, sc in next 3 sc; repeat from * around — 12 sc.
Round 22: *Sc in next sc, sc2tog over next 2 sc; repeat from * around — 8 sc.
Fasten off, weave yarn through stitches and pull to close
CROCHET MENORAH TOPS FINISHING
Using color B, embroider white spots on the sides of the body and egg. Insert candles into egg for safekeeping when not being used. Candles are easier to insert into the bases when twisted into place.
EVIE THE KNIT MENORAH TOPS || FREE KNIT PATTERN
Bea the Crochet Menorah Tops Kids Hanukkah Toy has a knit companion!
Get Evie the Knit Menorah Tops Kids Hanukkah Toy here on MarlyBird.com
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