Dinosaur Cocoon

I love when I have customers who request items I haven't made before.  It challenges me and I love watching a new design unfold.  I recently had a customer who asked for a baby cocoon set with a dinosaur applique.  I have struggled in the past to find a good dinosaur patten, but I ran across this one the other day from Coats and Clark:

I have to admit--the sweater itself is ugly.  I can't say that I would ever crochet a boy a sweater with a massive dinosaur applique.  Ugh.  A little too cheesy for me.  However, a baby cocoon is a different story!  Also, why is it  that some of the free patterns from yarn sites show the final product in such awful colors?  Does anyone else feel like that? 

The pattern itself calls for an H hook, but I chose to use an F hook, and I am glad I did.  It is a large applique and a baby cocoon isn't that big.  The customer wanted blues, white, and orange, so I had fun playing around with colors and a design.  This is what I came up with:

I like the idea of the dinosaur wrapping around the side of the cocoon, rather than straight on.  I think it makes it more visually appealing. 

I have had many people ask which pattern I use for the cocoon.  I actually use a basic beanie pattern and make it longer.  I increase up to 54 stitches and then make it about 18-20 rows in length.  My new niece born a few weeks ago was a good reminder of how tiny newborn are and that I don't have to make cocoons too wide or long.  Babies are supposed to fit snuggly inside!