Knitted Doll Patterns

Sunburst Bobble Dragon Knit Free Pattern

CargoFits: Chunky Sweaters, Warm Fits & Knitted Apparel • October 29, 2026

Introduction

Meet the Sunburst Bobble Dragon: a palm-sized, egg-shaped friend worked in smooth black and white sport weight cotton. It is a wonderful project for advanced beginners who are ready to try increases, decreases, and a little seaming, and it comes together quickly in just 100 yards of black and 50 yards of white. The real star is the chest medallion, where eight white bobbles radiate from a black satin-stitch center like an art deco sunburst. The finished dragon is about 6 inches tall and 4 inches wide, firm and squishy in the hand, with a clean stockinette surface that makes the raised bobbles pop.

Materials Needed

Yarn: Sport weight (CYC 2) cotton. Main color (MC) black: 100 yd. Contrast color (CC) white: 50 yd.
Needles: 3.25 mm (US 3) knitting needles.
Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch markers (optional), polyester fiberfill for stuffing, scissors.
Finished size: Approximately 6 inches tall and 4 inches wide.

Abbreviations

MC: main color (black)
CC: contrast color (white)
K: knit
P: purl
Kfb: knit into the front and back of the same stitch, which makes one new stitch
K2tog: knit two stitches together, which turns two stitches into one
St(s): stitch(es)
[ ] x6: repeat the instructions inside the brackets six times

Gauge

24 sts and 32 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch. Knit a small swatch in stockinette, lay it flat without stretching, and count the stitches and rows over 4 inches to check that your dragon will come out the right size.

Tips Before You Start

Work the body first and stuff it firmly before adding the medallion, bobbles, ears, wings, and tail so everything sits in the right place on a rounded surface.
Cotton has little stretch, so keep your tension relaxed on the kfb and k2tog rows to avoid a tight, puckered fabric.
Mark the center front of the body with a pin before picking up the medallion stitch, so the sunburst stays centered.
Leave long yarn tails on every small piece; they make sewing the bobbles, ears, wings, and tail much easier.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Body (MC)

Cast on 6 sts.

Row 1: Purl (6 sts).

Row 2: Kfb each st (12 sts).

Row 3: Purl (12 sts).

Row 4: [K1, kfb] x6 (18 sts).

Row 5: Purl (18 sts).

Row 6: [K2, kfb] x6 (24 sts).

Row 7: Purl (24 sts).

Row 8: [K3, kfb] x6 (30 sts).

Row 9: Purl (30 sts).

Row 10: [K4, kfb] x6 (36 sts).

Row 11: Purl (36 sts).

Row 12: [K5, kfb] x6 (42 sts).

Row 13: Purl (42 sts).

Row 14: [K6, kfb] x6 (48 sts).

Row 15: Purl (48 sts).

Rows 16-35: Work in stockinette stitch, knitting on right-side rows and purling on wrong-side rows (48 sts).

Row 36: [K6, k2tog] x6 (42 sts).

Row 37: Purl (42 sts).

Row 38: [K5, k2tog] x6 (36 sts).

Row 39: Purl (36 sts).

Row 40: [K4, k2tog] x6 (30 sts).

Row 41: Purl (30 sts).

Row 42: [K3, k2tog] x6 (24 sts).

Row 43: Purl (24 sts).

Row 44: [K2, k2tog] x6 (18 sts).

Row 45: Purl (18 sts).

Row 46: [K1, k2tog] x6 (12 sts).

Row 47: Purl (12 sts).

Row 48: [K2tog] x6 (6 sts).

Cut yarn, thread through remaining sts, and pull tight. Sew the side seam. Stuff firmly. Sew the bottom closed.

Bobble Medallion (CC)

Work on the front of the body, centered, 10 rows above the bottom. Using CC, pick up and knit 1 st at the center.

Row 1: [Kfb] x3 (3 sts).

Row 2: Purl (3 sts).

Row 3: [Kfb] x3 (6 sts).

Row 4: Purl (6 sts).

Row 5: [Kfb] x6 (12 sts).

Row 6: Purl (12 sts).

Row 7: [K1, kfb] x6 (18 sts).

Row 8: Purl (18 sts).

Row 9: [K2, kfb] x6 (24 sts).

Row 10: Purl (24 sts).

Bind off all sts. Sew the medallion to the body. Embroider a black center circle with MC using satin stitch, covering the center 1 inch in diameter.

Bobbles (CC)

Make 8 bobbles.

Bobble: Cast on 3 sts.

Row 1: Purl (3 sts).

Row 2: Kfb each st (6 sts).

Row 3: Purl (6 sts).

Row 4: [K2tog] x3 (3 sts).

Row 5: Purl (3 sts).

Bind off. Sew bobbles evenly around the medallion, radiating from the center.

Ears (MC)

Make 2.

Cast on 4 sts.

Row 1: Purl (4 sts).

Row 2: Kfb each st (8 sts).

Row 3: Purl (8 sts).

Row 4: [K2tog] x4 (4 sts).

Bind off. Sew ears to the top of the head.

Wings (MC)

Make 2.

Cast on 6 sts.

Row 1: Purl (6 sts).

Row 2: Kfb each st (12 sts).

Row 3: Purl (12 sts).

Row 4: [K2tog] x6 (6 sts).

Bind off. Sew wings to the back.

Tail (MC)

Cast on 4 sts.

Row 1: Purl (4 sts).

Row 2: Kfb each st (8 sts).

Row 3: Purl (8 sts).

Row 4: [K2tog] x4 (4 sts).

Bind off. Sew the tail to the back bottom.

Eyes (MC)

Embroider two French knots with black yarn above the medallion, 1 inch apart.

Assembly and Finishing

If you have not already done so, sew the body side seam and close the bottom after stuffing firmly. Sew the medallion flat to the center front, then stitch the eight bobbles evenly around its edge so they radiate outward from the black satin-stitch center. Attach the two ears to the top of the head, the two wings to the back, and the tail to the back bottom, using the cast-on and bound-off edges as your guide. Embroider the two French-knot eyes above the medallion, 1 inch apart. Weave in all ends on the wrong side, using a tapestry needle to hide the tails inside the body. Lightly steam block the finished dragon, shaping the bobbles and medallion with your fingers, and let it dry completely before displaying.

Pro Tips and Variations

Swap the black and white for a deep navy and cream, or a forest green and gold, for a different art deco palette.
Make the bobbles in a metallic or sparkly cotton for extra sunburst shine.
Knit the body in a slightly larger needle size for a softer, squishier dragon, or a smaller size for a firmer, more sculptural one.

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