Note: This pattern has been tested with Mybootee DK Yarn and was designed with our kits in mind. Please try other yarns at your own discretion. Thank you
Gauge: 6sts x 9rows = 1 inch Note: Gauge is not critical with this project. The most imortant part is that for whatever yarn you choose, yardage may vary and you want a smaller needle than what your yarn suggests.
Materials: 36 yards of Yarn 1 (Y1) Undyed DK weight yarn, 80 yards of Yarn 2 (Y2) Self Striping DK weight yarn, 1 set Size #2 DP needles, 1 12-inch Size #2 Addi Turbo Needle, 2 skein black DMC floss or 4-6 yards of black sport weight yarn or string, Polyester Fiber-fill,
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Stitch Instructions
k:knit - ybwd: Move working yarn to back - p:purl - DPN(s): Double pointed needle(s)
rem: remain(s), remaining - st(s): stitch(es) - CO: Cast On
yfwd: Bring working yarn in front - BO: Bind off - unwkd: unworked
sl: slip st purl-wise from left needle to right needle.
Turkish Cast on: Tie a slip-knot in the yarn, hold DPN horizontally with the circular needle below it. Place the slip-knot onto both needles & tighten with working yarn hanging down. Wrap yarn counterclockwise towards the right until you have half the number of wraps as CO sts (pattern says “CO 32”, you should have 16 wraps). Bring yfwd between the two needles. Slide circular needle towards the right, positioning the nylon cable in the bottom half of loops with the tips dangling. Insert a third needle purl-wise into the first loop & purl a stitch & slide it off the left needle as you would do with regular sts. Repeat this step for the appropriate number of loops on the left needle. You now have the proper number of stitches. Half on 1 needle and half on the other.
p enc (purl encroachment): sl 1, pick up st just below next st, lift onto the left hand needle. p2tog
k enc (knit encroachment): sl 1, pick up st just below next st, lift onto the left hand needle, k2tog.
Consolidate: Divide stitches evenly onto two needles. While holding them horizontal & parallel to each other, insert a third needle knit-wise into the first stitch on your front needle then insert the needle knit-wise into the first stitch on the back needle. k2tog.
m1(a): make a backward loop and place it on the right hand needle with the working yarn pointing away from you (You may substitute your favorite increase stitch if you prefer)
k2tog tbl: insert right needle into two stitches purl-wise through the back loop of each stitch, knit them together. (You may substitute k2tog if you prefer, I use this method simply for ease.)
I-Cord: Cast on 4 sts using DPNs. Knit, do not turn, slide the sts back to the beginning of the needle and k the row again. Continue in this manner until you have a short length of knitting, pull down on the cord and the gap at the back will close. Continue until the cord is the length you desire.
DIRECTIONS
You'll begin this critter by making the legs and putting them aside for later. Then you will begin the head and work from the top down attaching the legs at intervals. Once the body is complete you will make a tail, the ears, and the horns and attach them. The final step will be to embroider on his facial features and you are free to embellish him as you wish. Enjoy.
Legs (make 4): Begin hooves with Y1, CO 24 sts. Join ends and work in the round from the top down.
Round 1: knit all 24 sts
Round 2: (k8, m1,) 3 times. (27 sts)
Round 3: knit all 24 sts
Round 4: (k9, m1,) 3 times, (30 sts)
Round 5: knit all 30 sts
Round 6: purl all 30 sts
Round 7: knit all 30 sts
Round 8: (k1, k2tog) 10 times (20 sts),
Round 9: (k1, k2tog, k1) 5 times, (15 sts)
Round 10: k1, (k2tog) 7 times, (8 sts) cut yarn leaving approximately 6 inches and using a tapestry needle thread it through the remaining 8 stitches, pull tight and tie off.
With Y2 and pick up 24 stitches along the cast on edge of the hoof so you can work towards the top of each leg.
Round 1: knit all 24 sts
Round 2: (k6, k2tog,) 3 times (21 sts)
Round 3: knit all 21 sts
Round 4: (k5, k2tog,) 3 times (18 sts)
Rounds 5-24: knit all 18 sts. Stuff with fiber-fill & Consolidate (see stitch instructions) sts. (9 sts). Cut yarn leaving approximately 6 inches of length & 9 live sts.
Transfer all legs to a spare needle, scrap of yarn (double thickness), or a stitch saver tool as they are completed with the purl side of the final row facing you. This will be helpful when you attach them to the body.
Head: With Y2 & the Turkish Cast On method (see st instructions), CO 32 sts. *Don’t forget to purl a row. The slip knot does not count as one of your stitches. Work short rows on 2 DPNs with only 16 sts. With regard to "unwkd" sts, do not slip them and do not drop them, just leave them where they are when you work back the other way.
Row 1: sl1, k until 1 st rem unwkd
Row 2: sl1, p until 1 st rem unwkd
Row 3: sl1, k until 2 sts rem unwkd
Row 4: sl1, p until 2 sts rem unwkd
Row 5: sl1, k until 3 sts rem unwkd
Row 6: sl1, p until 3 sts rem unwkd
Row 7: sl1, k until 4 sts rem unwkd
Row 8: sl1, p until 4 sts rem, p enc, (3 sts rem unwkd)
Row 9: sl1, k until 4 sts rem, k enc, (3 sts rem unwkd)
Row 10: sl1, p until 3 sts rem, p enc, (2 sts rem unwkd)
Row 11: sl1, k until 3 sts rem, k enc, (2 sts rem unwkd)
Row 12: sl1, p until 2 sts rem, p enc, (1 sts rem unwkd)
Row 13: sl1, k until 2 sts rem, k enc, (1 sts rem unwkd)
Row 14: sl1, purl across, Do not p enc because you are at the end of the row.
Row 15: sl1, knit across. Do not k enc because you are at the end of the row. Do not turn because you are at the end of the short rows. Remove the slip knot. Knit the 16 sts from the circular needle.
Rounds 1-4: knit all 32 sts
Round 5: knit 16 sts, switch to your circular needle to knit the rem16 sts.
Snout: Switch to Y1 & work short rows on 2 DPNs with only 16 sts. Ignore the sts on the circular needle for now.
Row 1: (k1, m1) x 7, k2, (m1, k1) x 7 (30 sts),
Row 2: sl1, p until 1 st rem unwkd, turn,
Row 3: sl1, k until 1 st rem unwkd, turn,
Row 4: sl1, p until 2 sts rem unwkd, turn,
Row 5: sl1, k until 2 sts rem unwkd, turn,
Row 6: sl1, p until 3 sts rem unwkd, turn,
Row 7: sl1, k until 3 sts rem unwkd, turn,
Row 8: sl1, p until 4 sts rem unwkd, turn,
Row 9: sl1, k until 4 sts rem unwkd, turn,
Row 10: sl1, p until 5 sts rem unwkd, turn,
Row 11: sl1, k until 5 sts rem unwkd, turn,
Row 12: sl1, p until 6 sts rem unwkd, turn,
Row 13: sl1, k until 6 sts rem unwkd, turn,
Row 14: sl1, p until 7 sts rem, k enc, turn, (6 sts rem unwkd)
Row 15: sl1, k until 7 sts rem, k enc, turn (6 sts rem unwkd)
Row 16: sl1, p until 6 sts rem, p enc, turn (5 sts rem unwkd)
Row 17: sl1, k until 6 sts rem, k enc, turn (5 sts rem unwkd)
Row 18: sl1, p until 5 sts rem, p enc, turn (4 sts rem unwkd)
Row 19: sl1, k until 5 sts rem, k enc, turn, (4 sts rem unwkd)
Row 20: sl1, p until 4 sts rem, p enc, turn, (3 sts rem unwkd)
Row 21: sl1, k until 4 sts rem, k enc, turn, (3 sts rem unwkd)
Row 22: sl1, p until 3 sts rem, p enc, turn, (2 sts rem unwkd)
Row 23: sl1, k until 3 sts rem, k enc, turn, (2 sts rem unwkd)
Row 24: sl1, p until 2 sts rem, p enc, turn, (1 sts rem unwkd)
Row 25: sl1, k until 2 sts rem, k enc, turn, (1 sts rem unwkd)
Row 26: sl1, p until 1 st rem, p enc (lifted st comes from below the first st on circular needle), turn,
Row 27: sl1, k until 1 st rem, k enc (lifted st comes from below the first st on circular needle), Do not turn, because you are at the end of the short rows.
Round 6: Switch to Y2 & resume working in the round by knitting the next 16 stitches. You should now be at the beginning of each round once again. Head cont…:
Round 7: (k2tog) x 7, k2, (k2tog) x 7 (you should have 32 sts total)
Rounds 8 & 10: knit all 32 sts,
Round 9: (k1, k2tog tbl, k1) 4 times, k16, (28 sts)
Round 11: (k1, k2tog tbl) twice, (k2tog tbl, k1) twice, k16, (24 sts). You will now be working rounds of the neck and body.
Rounds 12-31: knit all 24 sts,
Stuff the head & neck with fiber-fill. Tamper filling until it reaches your desired firmness. Don’t stuff too full and don’t stuff up to the needles or you will end up with fibers in your knitting which are difficult to remove.
Body: Knit 16 more stitches. You should now be at the midway point of the back where you will begin each round from now on.
Round 1: (k4, m1, k4) 3 times (27)
Round 2: knit Round 3: k5, Inc 1, k9, Inc 1, k8, Inc 1, k5 (30 sts)
Round 4: k6. You are now going to consolidate the next 9 stitches with the stitches on one leg so they can be worked together.
While holding the body section as if you were going to continue knitting. Pick up the needle containing the legs so that you can see the purl side of the final row. Hold the body needle and the leg needle parallel so that the body is farthest away from you and the leg is in the front. Consolidate (see instruction) the next 9 stitches of the body with the 9 stitches of the leg. Now attach a second leg in the same manner as the first, k6 to finish off the round
Round 5, knit all 30 sts,
Round 6: k5, m1, knit to last 5, m1, k5 (32 sts)
Round 7: knit all 32 sts,
Round 8: k5, m1, k10, m1, k2, m1, k10, m1, k5 (36 sts)
Round 9: knit all 36 sts
Round 10: k6, m1, k to last 6, m1, k6 (38 sts)
Round 11: knit all 38 sts,
Round 12: k6, m1, k12, m1, k2, m1, k12, m1, k6 (42 sts)
Round 13: knit all 42 sts,
Round 14: (k7, m1) twice, k5, m1, k4, m1, k5, (m1, k7) twice (48 sts)
Round 15: knit all 48 sts,
Round 16: (k8, m1) twice, k6, m1, k4, m1, k6, (m1, k8) twice (54 sts)
Round 17: knit all 54 sts,
Round 18: (k9, m1) twice, k6, m1, k6, m1, k6,(m1, k9) twice (60 sts). Here’s a good place to switch to your circular needle.
Rounds 19-26: knit all 60 sts,
Round 27: (k2, k2tog,) twice, k4, k2tog, k32, k2tog, k4, (k2tog, k2,) twice,(54 sts)
Round 28: knit all 54 sts,
Round 29: k3, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k3 (48 sts)
Round 30: k13. Now you’ll consolidate (see instructions) one leg only. k4, attach the rem leg same way, k13,
Round 31: (k3, k2tog, k3) 6 times. (42 sts)
Round 32: k2, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k2 (36 sts)
Round 33: (k2, k2tog, k2) 6 times, (30 sts), stuff the upper portion of the body until firm.
Round 34: k1, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k1 (24 sts)
Round 35: (k1, k2tog, k1) 6 times, (18 stitches)
Round 36: (k1, k2tog,) 6 times (12 sts) cut yarn leaving a 8 inch tail, and using a tapestry needle thread it through the all stitches. Stuff more fiber-fill into the body until you are satisfied with the firmness, pull tight and tie off. You’ll need to be creative with this step since it’s closed and you can’t work from the inside.
Ears (make 2):
Row 1: With Y1, CO 6, turn,
Rows 2-3: work 2 rows of garter stitch, turn,
Row 4-5: k2, m1, knit to end,
Row 6: knit to end,
Rows 7-9: repeat rows 4-6. You should have 10 sts
Rows 10-14: knit to end, turn,
Rows 15-23: SSK, knit to end. You should now have 1 stitch left on the needle. Cut yarn leaving 12 inches. Use your tapestry needle to weave it through the ear towards the bottom. Fold ear in half vertically and stitch the bottom together. Attach to the top of the head perpendicular to the line that formed when you worked the encroachment during the head shaping.Horns (make 2): With Y1, CO 4 and knit an I-cord for 24 stitches. The next step doubles your stitches. K1, m1 until you have 8 and then knit all 8 sts once around. K1, m1 until you have 16 sts and then knit all 16 sts once around. Cut yarn leaving a 12-inch tail. Using a tapestry needle, slip each stitch onto the tail. Pull tight and thread it through all stitches a couple more times pulling tight each time to be sure to close the hole. Rather than tying off, thread it down through the bulb on top of the horn, down through the shaft of the horn and out the other end. Use this to attach the horn to the head at top where you began working the encroachment during the head shaping. They will be spaced approximately ¾ inch apart and there will be a small space between the horns and the ears as well. Tie off any remaining ends.
Finishing: For the tail, cut three 12-24 inch strands of yarn, thread them through a couple of stitches on the back of the giraffe on the row just above where you began decreasing to finish him off. Braid and tie off so that it looks kind of like a little broom. Now embroider on the facial features and voila! You now have your very first sock giraffe. You are free to embellish him any way you wish.
