Knitting Baby Dragons
- Shellie Smith
- Sep 14
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 22
Michaelmas, celebrated each year on September 29, is a festival woven into the rhythms of the seasons, the bounty of the harvest, and the timeless story of courage in the face of darkness. In Waldorf schools, it often comes alive with pageants, games of strength and teamwork, and the sharing of dragon bread. These traditions remind both children and adults of the gifts Archangel Michael brings—courage, strength, will, and love. Beyond the stories and festivities, Michaelmas invites us to look inward, to recognize and gently tame our own “inner dragons” of fear, greed, and judgment, so that as the days grow shorter, we can shine our light more brightly in the world.
If you’d like to dive deeper into the meaning of Michaelmas and the journey of taming our dragons, you can read more here: Michaelmas – A Festival for Our Time.
In the classroom, Michaelmas is a festival children eagerly look forward to, year after year. One of my favorite ways to celebrate with my second graders is by bringing a sweet little baby dragon knitting project to their hands. It’s a simple but magical pattern that I’ve used for several years, and now I’m delighted to share it with all of you!
This pocket-sized dragon makes a perfect early-year project, giving second graders a chance to refresh their garter stitch skills before moving on to stockinette. Unlike the simple projects of first grade, second graders are ready for more challenge—they’re stretching, growing, and eager for new skills. This dragon meets them right where they are. The body and head begin with garter stitch and gently introduce decreasing with knit two together. The wings add the excitement of both decreasing and increasing (knit front back), while the scales come alive with stacked blanket stitches. It’s just the right balance of simple and adventurous—exactly what makes it so thrilling for eight-year-olds!
This little dragon also makes a wonderful craft for parent circles or festival gatherings—a way for the whole community to bring the spirit of Michaelmas to life with our hands and hearts. And as you knit and share these dragons, may they remind you to carry Michael’s gifts of courage, love, and light into your own daily life.
Baby Dragon Pattern
Materials:
1 pair size US 8 (5mm) knitting needles and worsted weight yarn in dragon colors
OR 1 pair size US 10 (6mm) knitting needles and bulky weight yarn in dragon colors
Yarn sewing needle
Wool stuffing
Knitting Instructions:
Body:
Cast on 15 stitches
Knit 4 ridges (8 rows)
Knit 2 together at the beginning of the row, then knit the rest of the row plain for the next 2 ridges (4 rows) until you have 11 stitches left
Knit 2 ridges (4 rows)
Cast off
Sew up the side seam
Use a gathering stitch to close the top of the body
Stuff firmly with wool
Use a gathering stitch to close the bottom of the body
Head:
Cast on 10 stitches
Knit 3 ridges (6 rows)
Knit 2 together at the beginning of the row, then knit the rest of the row plain for the next 2 ridges (4 rows) until you have 6 stitches left
Cast off
Sew up the side seam
Use a gathering stitch to close the top of the head
Stuff firmly with wool
Use a gathering stitch to close the bottom of the head
Tail:
Cast on 14 stitches
Knit 3 ridges (6 rows)
Cast off
Fold tail in half lengthwise
Sew the side seam and stitch ends closed
Do not stuff the tail
Wings:
Cast on 5 stitches
Knit 2 ridges (4 rows)
Decreasing - Knit 2 together at the beginning of the row, then knit the rest of the row plain until you have only one stitch left (4 rows)
Increasing - Knit front back on the first stitch of each row, then knit the rest of the row plain until you have 5 stitches (4 rows)
Knit 2 ridges (4 rows)
Cast off
The wings introduce 2 exciting new skills; decreasing with knit 2 together and increasing with knit front back! Click the video links below to learn how to teach these 2 techniques to your students.
Dragon Scales:
The dragon scales are created using the blanket stitch to stack up stitches and create points for scales. Click the link below for a video tutorial on this technique.
Happy Michaelmas!
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