Pattern
You will need:
- Cotton yarn: yellow, brown, dark orange and a bit of black thread (for the eyes);
- Hook: 3mm
- Needle: for sewing parts together
- Filler
Difficulty:
- Finished size: Approximately 26 cm (10 in)
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- Pattern language: US crochet terminology
Abbreviations:
- sc - single crochet
- inc - increase (two single crochets in the same stitch)
- dec - decrease (single crochet two stitches together)
- (..) - represents the sequence that will repeat
- x and number - the number of times to repeat a sequence
- [..] - the number between square brackets is the number of stitches at the end of row
Notes:
Use stitch markers on the first chain of each row so you can easily keep count.
The finished toy is approximately 26 cm (10 inches) tall
The pattern is written in US terminology.
Safety note:
For toys intended for babies or young children, embroider the eyes securely instead of using plastic safety eyes or other small detachable pieces.
Always supervise young children when playing with handmade toys.
Head:
Start by using the yellow yarn:
Row 1: 6 sc in magic circle - [6]
Row 2: (inc) x6 - [12]
Row 3: (sc, inc) x6 - [18]
Row 4: (2 sc, inc) x6 - [24]
Row 5: (3 sc, inc) x6 - [30]
Row 6: (4 sc, inc) x6 - [36]
Row 7: (5 sc, inc) x6 - [42]
Row 8: (6 sc, inc) x6 - [48]
Row 9: (7 sc, inc) x6 - [54]
Row 10-20: sc in each stitch - [54]
Sew the eyes in between rows 15 and 16 in between distance of 13 stitches.
Row 21: (7 sc, dec) x6 - [48]
Row 22: (6 sc, dec) x6 - [42]
Row 23: (5 sc, dec) x6 - [36]
Row 24: (4 sc, dec) x6 - [30]
Row 25: (3 sc, dec) x6 - [24]
Add filling
Row 26: (2 sc, dec) x6 - [18]
Row 27: (sc, dec) x6 - [12]
Finish filling the head.
Muzzle:
Use brown color yarn.
Row 1: chain 8
Continue working around the foundation chain, beginning from 2nd chain from the hook.
Row 2: 6 sc, 4 sc in the next stitch, 5 sc, 3 sc in the next stitch - [18]
Row 3: (6 sc, inc x 3) x2 - [24]
Row 4: (7 sc, inc, sc, inc, sc, inc) x2 - [30]
If you see that the muzzle is too short at this point then here is how you can continue;
Row 5 (optional): (8 sc, inc, 2 sc, inc, 2 sc, inc) x2 - [36]
Rows 5-8 (or 6-10 in case you did the optional one): sc in each stitch [30 or 36]
Close leaving a long thread for sewing. Stuff the muzzle as you sew it onto the head.
Ears:
Use yellow yarn. Make two of these.
Row 1: 6 sc in magic circle - [6]
Row 2: (inc) x6 - [12]
Row 3: (sc, inc) x6 - [18]
Row 4-8: sc in each stitch - [18]
Close leaving a long thread for sewing. Fold the ears and sew them on the head.
Horns:
Use orange yarn. Make two of these.
Row 1: 6 sc in magic circle - [6]
Row 2: (inc) x6 - [12]
Row 3: (sc, inc) x6 - [18]
Row 4: dec - [9]
Fill this part.
Row 5: dec, 4 sc, dec - [6]
Row 6: sc in each stitch - [6]
Close leaving a thread for sewing. Sew horns on the head.
Legs:
Start with brown yarn.
Row 1: 6 sc in magic circle - [6]
Row 2: (inc) x6 - [12]
Row 3: (3 sc, inc) x3 - [15]
Change the color to yellow.
Row 4: (4 sc, inc) x 3 - [18]
Row 5: (5 sc, inc) x3 - [21]
Row 6: sc in each stitch - [21]
Row 7: (6 sc, inc) x3 - [24]
Row 8: (7sc, inc) x3 - [27]
Row 9: sc in each stitch - [27]
Repeat the instructions to make the second leg. Fasten off the first leg, but do not fasten off the second leg.
Take both legs and start to connect them - sc 27 stitches for first leg, then go to the second one. As a result, you get 54 stitches.
Body:
Continue knitting legs together.
rows 1-2:sc in each stitch - [54]
row 3:(17 sc, inc) x3 - [57]
rows 4-5:sc in each stitch - [57]
row 6:(18 sc, inc) x3 - [60]
rows 7-9:sc in each stitch - [60]
row 10:(18 sc, dec) x3 - [57]
rows 11-12:sc in each stitch - [57]
row 13:(17 sc, dec) x3 - [54]
rows 14-15:sc in each stitch - [54]
row 16:(16sc, dec) x3 - [51]
rows 17-18:sc in each stitch - [51]
row 19:(15 sc, dec) x3 - [48]
rows 20-21:sc in each stitch - [48]
row 22:(14 sc, dec) x3 - [45]
rows 23-24:sc in each stitch - [45]
row 25:(13 sc, dec) x3 - [42]
rows 26-27:sc in each stitch - [42]
row 28:(12 sc, dec) x3 - [39]
rows 29-30:sc in each stitch - [39]
row 31:(11 sc, dec) x3 - [36]
rows 32-33:sc in each stitch - [36]
row 34:(10 sc, dec) x3 - [33]
rows 35-36:sc in each stitch - [33]
row 37:(9 sc, dec) x3 - [30]
rows 38-39:sc in each stitch - [30]
row 40:(8 sc, dec) x3 - [27]
rows 41-42:sc in each stitch - [27]
Close leaving a long thread for stitching with the head. Stuff the body firmly but evenly. Now sew the head to the body.
Hands:
Start with brown yarn. Make two of these.
row 1: 6 sc in magic circle - [6]
row 2: inc in each stitch - [12]
row 3: sc in each stitch - [12]
Start filling this part and continue filling throughout the work. Change color to yellow.
rows 4-10: sc in each stitch - [12]
row 11: (4 sc, dec) x2 - [10]
rows 12-15: sc in each stitch - [10]
row 16: 8 sc, dec - [9]
rows 17-20: sc in each stitch - [9]
row 21: 7 sc, dec - [8]
rows 22-25: sc in each stitch - [8]
row 26: 6 sc, dec - [7]
rows 27-28: sc in each stitch - [7]
Smooth the upper part of the hand and close it with 2 sc. Close leaving a long thread for sewing.
Spots:
Use orange yarn. Make 10 of these.
Row 1: 5 sc in magic circle - [5]
Row 2: inc x4, sc x2 - [10]
Close leaving a long thread for sewing.
Sew spots randomly over the head, body and legs, using the finished photos as a guide.
Tail:
Make 8 sc yellow. Close.
Continue with one row of single crochet stitches. Attach the orange thread ending. Sew the tail onto the body.
Sew all the parts.
Done!
If you follow this pattern and share your finished baby giraffe, please tag me @crochetbyoana on Instagram. I would love to see how it turns out for you! :)