Babyraffe
What happens when a friend has a baby? It’s time to make a stuffed animal!
Part of the challenge with baby toys is that they can’t really have things like hard eyes because they’ll likely get chewed on, but at the same time, I think the little stitched faces make them at least 50% more adorable, proving that design constraints only make things turn out better.
This little giraffe was inspired by the jungle animal fabric my friend chose for her baby’s room. Basically it is covered in super cute little animals that live in the jungle, and according to me the giraffe is the cutest of all jungle animals. He comes together pretty easily, if in rather a lot of pieces. The only design change I might try in the future if I make more or advise to anyone else is to change the spots. They came out really thick and three dimensional once sewn on. This could probably be avoided by cutting them out of felt rather than making them with yarn.
Pattern for a Wee Baby Giraffe
Materials
Worsted weight yarn in green, mustard yellow and blue (mine are all random leftovers of different types and materials, as long as they’re all around the same weight it’ll be fine)
G size hook or whatever size is comfortable with the yarn you have
Embroidery floss in brown
Optional: in place of green yarn use green felt
Polyfil or similar stuffing
Body
Round 1: Start with a magic ring, sc 6 stitches in it [6]
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch [12]
Round 3: (2 sc in one stitch, sc in next stitch) 6x [18]
Round 4: (2 sc in one stitch, sc in next 2 stitches) 6x [24]
Round 5: (2 sc in one stitch, sc in next 3 stitches) 6x [36]
Rounds 6-21: Sc around [36]
Round 22: (Sc 2tog, sc in next 3 stitches) 6x [24]
Round 23: (Sc 2tog, sc in next 2 stitches) 6x [18]
Stuff firmly
Round 24: (Sc 2tog, sc in next 2 stitches) 6x [12]
Round 25: (Sc 2tog, sc in next stitch) 6x [6]
Round 26: Sc 2tog 6x or until you’ve gotten rid of the hole, F.O. and tuck tail in to body
Leg (make 4)
Round 1: Start with a magic ring, sc 6 stitches in it [6]
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch [12]
Round 3: Sc around in flo [12]
Rounds 4-17: Sc around [12], F.O. leaving a long tail to stitch to body
Sew one leg about 2/3 of the way on to body, then stuff firmly and finish stitching on. Repeat with remaining three legs.
Neck
Round 1: Ch 14, sl st in farthest stitch from hook to join
Round 2: Sc in each chain around [13]
Rounds 3-19: Sc around [13], F.O. leaving a long tail to stitch to body
Sew on to body, then stuff firmly.
Head
Round 1: Start with a magic ring, sc 6 stitches in it [6]
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch [12]
Round 3: (2 sc in one stitch, sc in next stitch) 6x [18]
Round 4-12: Sc around [18]
Round 13: Round 24: (Sc 2tog, sc in next 2 stitches) 6x [12]
Stuff firmly
Round 25: (Sc 2tog, sc in next stitch) 6x [6]
Round 26: Sc 2tog 6x or until you’ve gotten rid of the hole, F.O. and tuck tail in to head
Sew on to neck, adding more stuffing to neck before completely stitching together if it is not nice and firm yet.
Ear (make 2)
Start with a magic ring
In MR, sc, dc, trc, dc, sc, pull tight before you F.O. leaving a slightly long tail to stitch ear to head (it won’t take much)
Sew to head.
Tail
Ch 3, sl st in farthest stitch from hook
Sl st through second stitch, ch 7
Sl st in second stitch from hook, then in 5 remaining chains, F.O.
Pull yarn tail through base of giraffe’s tail so it is sticking out the underside, then use it to sew the piece to the body.
Spots (make 6-10 in varying sizes)
Small
Round 1: Start with magic ring, sc 6 in it, sl st in first stitch to join, [6]F.O. leaving long tail to stitch to body
Large
Round 1: Start with magic ring, sc 6 in it [6]
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch [12] F.O. leaving long tail to stitch to body
Stitch on back and neck of giraffe in random pattern.
Use embroidery floss or brown yarn to stitch the mouth and eyes.
Mara's things 
[…] out a few days late, but I swear I was saving the best for last. You would think after making the Babyraffe and diligently tracking the pattern to write it out, I would follow it. But no, I’m silly, I […]