Giraffe Free Crochet Pattern

Free crochet pattern for adorable giraffe toy which is perfect for inspiring your child's curiosity about animals. This amigurumi design makes it a truly unique and special toy that your child will cherish for years to come. 

SUPPLIES

cotton yarn (e.g. Schachenmayr Catania 125m/50g) in three colors: yellow, white and black, a bit of brown and orange yarn for spots, crochet hook 3 mm, Polyester fiberfill stuffing, scissors, yarn needle.

SKILL LEVEL

Intermediate

SIZE

The ready amigurumi is approx. 29 cm, can be made bigger or smaller depending on the yarn and hook you use.

SKILLS YOU NEED

chain, single crochet, double crochet, half double crochet, slip stitch, increase, decrease

ABBREVIATIONS

Ch =chain

St = stitch

Sc =single crochet

Sl st = slip stitch

dec = decrease stitch (two single crochets together)

inc = increase stitch (two single crochets into one stitch)

Dc = double crochet

Rnd = Round

TIPPS

• Do not join rounds, work in a continuous spiral.
• Use a stitch marker or a piece of yarn to mark the end or the beginning of a round
• All stitches are worked into both loops, unless stated otherwise in the pattern.
• Amigurumi can be made in any desired colours.

Seamsless way of changing color when working in the round

Pick up the new color at the end of the round: inset your hook into the stitch, yarn over the new color and pull through the stitch and the loop on your hook to complete the stitch.

SHIFT STITCH

Sometimes during a work of the spiral amigurumi, you need to keep the work symmetrically. As work tends to twist to the right you need to adjust position of the marker periodically (beginning of the round).

Shift stitch is an extra stitch you work at the end of a round to make your work look symmetrical. If you notice that marker moves right, you need to work one extra stitch in the end of the round and move marker for one stitch (now 2nd st of the round becomes 1st). this is shift stitch.

The shift stitch is not included in the round description. To check if it’s time to work shift stitch fold your work in half and check if marker still goes straight or use a yarn that marks a straight line.

You may think this is a increase, but it isn’t. This way you don’t increase or decrease the amount of stitches. The stitches count remains the same.

INSTRUCTIONS

ARM (2x)

Start with black color yarn.

Round 1: 6 sc into Magic Ring

Round 2: inc 6 times (12 stitches)

Round 3: *sc in each of next 3 stitches, inc* (15 stitches)

Rounds 4-5: sc in each of next 15 stitches

Change the yarn color to yellow

Round 6-15: sc in each of next 15 stitches

Round 16: *dec, sc in each of next 3 stitches* (12 stitches)

Stuff the arm slightly.

Round 17-18: sc in each of next 12 stitches

Bind off leaving a long tail for sewing. Work the second arm the same way.

LEG (2x)

Use light black color yarn and begin with a magic ring.

Round 1: 6 sc into Magic Ring

Round 2: inc 6 times (12 stitches)

Round 3: *sc in each of next 3 stitches, inc* (15 stitches)

Rounds 4-5: sc in each of next 15 stitches

Change the yarn color to yellow

Change the yarn color to yellow

Round 6: sc in each of next 15 stitches

Round 7: *sc in each of next 4 stitches, inc* (18 stitches)

Round 8-10: sc in each of next 18 stitches

Rnd 11: *sc in each of next 5 stitches, inc* (21 stitches)

Round 12-13: sc in each of next 21 stitches

Cast off the first leg. Work the second leg the same way but don´t cut the yarn as we will join the legs together to make the body. Stuff both legs firmly.

BODY

Work shift stitch every 2-3 round. Continue crocheting in rounds using yelow color yarn.

Round 1: make a chain of 5 stitches, work one round over both legs (21 stitches around the first leg, sc in each of next 5 sts, joing the second leg - 21 stitches around the second leg)

This is the beginning of the body. Continue working the body:

Round 2: sc in each of next 15 stitches, inc, sc in each of next 25 stitches, inc, sc in each of next 10 stitches (54 stitches)

Round 3: sc in each of next 54 stitches

Round 4: sc in each of next 16 stitches, inc, sc in each of next 26 stitches, inc, sc in each of next 10 stitches (56 stitches)

Rounds 5-8: sc in each of next 56 stitches

Round 9: sc in each of next 14 stitches, dec, sc in next st, dec, sc in each of next 23 stitches, dec, sc in next stitch, dec, sc in each of next 9 stitches (52 stitches)

Rounds 10-13: sc in each of next 52 stitches

Round 14: sc in each of next 13 stitches, dec, sc in next stitch, dec, sc in each of next 21 stitches, dec, sc in next stitch, dec, sc in each of next 8 stitches (48 stitches)

Rounds 15-16: sc in each of next 48 stitches

Round 17: sc in each of next 12 stitches, dec, sc in next stitch, dec, sc in each of next 19 stitches, dec, sc in next stitch, dec, sc in each of next 7 stitches (44 stitches)

Rounds 18-20: sc in each of next 44 stitches

Round 21: sc in each of next 11 stitches, dec, sc in next stitch, dec, sc in each of next 17 stitches, dec, sc in next stitch, dec, sc in each of next 6 stitches (40 stitches)

Rounds 22: sc in each of next 40 stitches

Round 23: sc in each of next 10 stitches, dec, sc in next stitch, dec, sc in each of next 15 stitches, dec, sc in next stitch, dec, sc in each of next 5 stitches (36 stitches)

Rounds 24: sc in each of next 40 stitches

Round 25: sc in each of next 9 stitches, dec, sc in next stitch, dec, sc in each of next 13 stitches, dec, sc in next stitch, dec, sc in each of next 4 stitches (32 stitches)

In the next round attach the hands (ensure that the hands are located in the middle and make several shift stitches if needed):

Round 26: sc in each of next 6 stitches, 6 sc both through arm and body, sc in each of next 11 stitches, 6 sc both through arm and body, sc in each of next 3 stitches.

Stuff the body firmly.

Round 27: sc in each of next 8 stitches, dec, sc in next stitch, dec, sc in each of next 11 stitches, dec, sc in next stitch, dec, sc in each of next 3 stitches (28 stitches)

Rounds 28: sc in each of next 40 stitches

Round 29: sc in each of next 7 stitches, dec, sc in next stitch, dec, sc in each of next 9 stitches, dec, sc in next stitch, dec, sc in each of next 2 stitches (24 stitches)

Round 30-39: sc in each of next 24 stitches

Round 40 (working into the back loop): sc in each of next stitch around

HEAD

Change the yarn color to white

Continue crocheting head as follows:

Round 1: *sc in next stitch, inc* (36 stitches)

Round 2: *sc in each of next 2 stitches, inc* (48 stitches)

Round 3: *sc in each of next 7 stitches, inc* (54 stiitches)

Round 4: *sc in each of next 8 stitches, inc* (60 stitches)

Round 5-13: sc in each of next 60 stitches

Change the yarn color to yellow

Round 14: sc in each of next 60 stitches

Round 15: *dec, sc in each of next 8 stitches* (54 stitches)

Round 16: sc in each of next 54 stitches

Round 17: *dec, sc in each of next 7 stitches* (48 stitches)

Round 18-19: sc in each of next 48 stitches

Round 20: *dec, sc in each of next 6 stitches* (42 stitches)

Round 21-22: sc in each of next 42 stitches

Round 23: *dec, sc in each of next 5 stitches* (36 stitches)

Round 24: sc in each of next 36 stitches

Round 25: *dec, sc in each of next 4 stitches* (30 stitches)

Round 26: *dec, sc in each of next 3 stitches* (24 stitches)

Round 27: *dec, sc in each of next 2 stitches* (18 stitches)

Stuff the head firmly.

Round 28: *dec, sc in the next stitch* (12 stitches)

Round 29: *dec*, repeat 6 times. Bind off.

HORN (2x)

Start with black color yarn and begin with a magic ring.

Round 1: 6 sc into Magic Ring

Round 2: inc 6 times (12 stitches)

Round 3-5: sc in each of next 12 stitches

Change yarn color to yellow

Round 6-9: sc in each of next 12 stitches

Rnd 10: *sc in the next stitch, inc* (9 stitches)

Rnd 11: sc in each of next 9 stitches

Stuff the horn slightly.

Bind off leaving a long tail for sewing. Work the second horn the same way.

EAR (2x)

Start crocheting with brown color yarn.

Round 1: 6 sc into Magic Ring.

Round 2: *sc in next stitch, inc* (9 stitches)

Round 3: *sc in each of next 2 stitches, inc* (12 stitches)

Change the yarn color to yellow

Round 4: sc in each of next 12 stitches

Round 5: *sc in each of next 3 stitches, inc* (15 stitches)

Round 6-8: sc in each of next 15 stitches

Round 9: *dec, sc in each of next 2 stitches* (12 stitches)

Round 10-11: sc in each of next 12 stitches

Bind off leaving a long tail for sewing. Work the second ear the same way

SPOTS

Crochet using brown and orange color yarn.

Work 18 dc into Magic Ring. Cast off leaving a long tail for sewing them to the body of the goose.

ASSEMBLY

Ears are attached to the head now. Thread a needle on one of the yarn tails left from the ears, fold the bottom of the ear toward center and sew it to the other side. Place the ears in their right place on the head. Using the yarn left sew them to the head of your amigurumi. Be sure to step back and take a look to make sure ears and horns are even.

Mark where you want the eyes to be placed with pins and sew them with the distance of 8-10 stitches to the head of your giraffe. Weave in all ends. 

Horns are attached to the head now. Thread a needle on one of the yarn tails left from the horn. Place the ears in their right place on the head. Using the yarn left sew them to the head of your amigurumi. Be sure to step back and take a look to make sure horns are even.

Embroider eyebrows with brown color yarn. Insert the needle through the top of the head and pull it through leaving a little bit of a tail. Then insert the needle again and pull it through where you want your giraffes eyebrows to be.  At the end pull the needle out the same hole it originally went into, so that both yarn tails are coming out of the same hole. Tie a knot with both yarn tails, as close to the surface of the head as possible. Hide the yarn tails inside the head. Using the same color yarn embrooder nostrils and mouth if desired.

Sew spots onto the body.

TAIL

Braided tail: cut 4 strands of the desired color yarn. Pass through stitches space, braid, knot and trim ends.

NECKLACE

Crochet using white color yarn.

Work 6 sc into Magic Ring. Sc in each of next 6 sts (working into the back loop) around until the handle reaches approx 15 cm. You can make it longer or shorter, as desired.

Instead of crocheted necklace you can make a twisted cord. First you take a length of yarn approximately twice the length you want your cord to be and fold in half. Start by stretching the yarn out to its full length (still folded in half) and begin twisting in the same direction. Continue to twist consistently in the same direction. As you go, the yarn will tighten up and begin to look more like one piece instead of several strands of yarn being twisted together. The more you twist the yarn, the tighter the cord will be. When you have finished twisting bring the two ends together and the yarn will twist around itself. Finish your twisted cord by threading the yarn ends through the loop and tie it all into a neat little knot. The result is a sturdy thick cord.

Your giraffe is ready!

Happy crocheting! Feel free to contact me with any questions. Thank you for stopping by and have a lovely day!