Crocheted TINY Dragonfly

Above, the crocheted Dragonfly earrings are shown with a dime to show their size. These Dragonflies were worked with size 20 yarn and a size 12 crochet hook.

Click here to buy Energized Dragonfly Earrings

The Dragonfly is worked in one piece, starting at the tip of the tail. The body is just a string of chains. The head/eyes are all stitches worked in the second to last chain of the body/tail. I work a slip stitch around the chain just below the head/eyes, to pull things together tightly.

Wings begin by slip stitching into one side of the body chain, chaining out to the tip of the wing, then working chains and half-double crochets back toward the body. The front wings start in the first easily seen chain of the body below the head/eyes. The back wings start centered between the beginning and ending of the front wings and end in the body chain next to the end of the front wing.

I work the front wings followed by the back wings. The first wing starts by the head and works away from it. The second wing starts straight across from where the first wing ends and works toward the head. The third wing crosses back to the first side and begins in the space between the beginning and the end of the first wing, then the fourth wing again crosses over and starts next to the end of the second wing, ending in the space between the beginning and end of the second wing. In other words, the wings on the left side of the body are worked starting closest to the head and ending working toward the tail, and the wings on the right side of the body are worked from farther away from the head and moving toward the head.

Legend:
CH = chain
HDC = half double crochet 
SL ST = slip stitch

Pattern:

This begins with the bottom tip of the Dragonfly's tail.

CH 15. SL ST in 2nd chain from hook.  Then in same stitch work (CH 1, HDC, CH1, SL ST, CH 1, HDC, CH 1, SL ST, CH1, SL ST ).  This creates the head and eyes.

SL ST around base of head to pull it tight.  CH 1.

Wings are worked starting on the edge of chains near head.

First Wing (top left of body):
SL ST in edge if next easily seen chain of body.  CH 9.  HDC in 2nd CH from hook.  *CH 2.  Skip next 2 CH.  HDC in next CH.  Repeat from * one more time.  CH2.  SL ST in edge of next chain of body. First Wing complete.

Second Wing (top right of body):CH 1.  SL ST in other side of same chain as last SL ST (across body).  CH 9.  HDC in 2nd CH from hook.  *CH 2.  Skip next 2 CH.  HDC in next CH.  Repeat from * one more time.  CH2.  SL ST in edge of next chain of body. Second Wing complete.

Third Wing (bottom left of body):
CH 1.  SL ST in space on body between beginning and ending of First Wing.  CH 9.  HDC in 2nd CH from hook. *CH 2.  Skip next 2 CH.  HDC in next CH.  Repeat from * one more time.  CH2.  SL ST in edge of next chain of body, next to end of First Wing.  Third Wing complete.

Fourth Wing (bottom right of body):
CH 1.  SL ST in other side of same chain as last SL ST (across body, next to Second Wing). CH 9.  HDC in 2nd CH from hook. *CH 2.  Skip next 2 CH.  HDC in next CH.  Repeat from * one more time.  CH2.  SL ST in space on body between beginning and ending of Second Wing. Fourth Wing complete.  Finish off.

I generally crop the ends close and put a spot of glue on them to keep them from unraveling.

I stiffen these with Stiffy (found near the Mod Podge in craft stores). Just use a sponge brush, apply to both sides and allow to dry.