Giraffe Pillow

MATERIALS:

• RED HEART® Super Saver®: 2 skeins 4313 Aran Fleck A, 1 skein each 406 Med. Thyme B, 320 Cornmeal C, 365 Coffee D and 336 Warm Brown E
• Susan Bates® Crochet Hooks: 4mm [US G-6] and 5.5 mm [US I-9]
• Yarn needle, two 3/8” (9.5 mm) black buttons, sewing needle and thread, 18”(46 cm) pillow form, small amount polyester fiberfill, 2 yards black 6-strand embroidery floss

Size:
Pillow cover fits 18” (46 cm) pillow form
Gauge/Tension:
12 sts = 4” (10 cm); 9 rows = 4” (10 cm) in dc with larger hook. CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size hook to obtain gauge.

Special Abbreviation
sc2tog = [draw up a loop in next st] twice, yo
and draw through all 3 loops on hook.
 
PILLOW
Pillow Top (Make 2)
With A and larger hook, ch 50.
Row 1 (Wrong Side): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across; turn – 49 sc.
Row 2: Ch 2 (counts as first dc), skip first sc, dc in each sc across; turn – 49 dc.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in each dc to last st, sc in top of ch-2; turn.
Rows 4-37: Repeat Rows 2 and 3 17 times; do not fasten off.

Border
Ch 1, sc around pillow working 3 sc in each corner and working 47 sc between corners; join with a slip st in first sc. Fasten off.

Giraffe
Begin at bottom of body with C and smaller hook, ch 34.
Row 1 (Wrong Side): Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across; turn – 33 sc.
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in each sc across; turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc across to last 2 sc, sc2tog; turn – 31 sc.
Row 4: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in each sc across; turn – 30 sc.
Row 5: Repeat Row 2.
Rows 6-9: Repeat Rows 4 and 5 twice – 28 sc.
Row 10: Repeat Row 3 – 26 sc.
Row 11: Repeat Row 4 – 25 sc.
Row 12: Repeat Row 3 – 23 sc.
Row 13: Repeat Row 2.
Row 14: Repeat Row 4 – 22 sc.
Rows 15-17: Repeat Row 2.
Row 18: Repeat Row 4 – 21 sc.
Rows 19-24: Repeat Rows 2 and 4 three times – 18 sc.
Rows 25-27: Repeat Row 3 – 12 sc at end of Row 27.
Row 28: Repeat Row 4 – 11 sc.
Row 29: Repeat Row 2.
Rows 30-33: Repeat Rows 4 and 2 twice – 9 sc.
Row 34: Repeat Row 4 – 8 sc.
Rows 35-44: Repeat Row 2.
Chin-Row 45: Ch 5, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next 3 ch, sc in next 8 sc; turn – 12 sc.
Row 46: Ch 1, sc in next 11 sc; 2 sc in last sc; turn – 13 sc.
Row 47: Ch 3, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next ch, sc in next 12 sc, 2 sc in last sc; turn – 16 sc.
Rows 48 and 49: Repeat Row 2.
Row 50: Ch 1, sc in next 14 sc, sc2tog; turn – 15 sc.
Row 51: Repeat Row 3 – 13 sc.
Row 52: Ch 1, sc in next 6 sc, sc2tog; turn, leaving remaining sts unworked – 7 sc.
Row 53: Repeat Row 3 – 5 sc.
Row 54: Repeat Row 2. Fasten off, leaving a long end for sewing.
Using photo as a guide, sew Giraffe to one Pillow Top, lightly stuffing face. Sew button eyes to Giraffe’s face. Use 12 strands of
embroidery floss to backstitch mouth and embroider French knot nostrils.

Ear (Make 2)
With C and smaller hook, ch 6.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next 3 ch, 3 sc in last ch, working in remaining loops along opposite side of foundation ch, sc in next 4 ch; turn – 11 sc.
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first 5 sc, 3 sc in next sc, sc in last 5 sc. Fasten off.
Sew bottom of one Ear to each side of Giraffe’s head, then tack center of each Ear in place, leaving ends free for dimension.

Mane
With D and smaller hook, ch 31; skip first ch from hook, * insert hook into next ch, using a left-hand finger to control the loop size, catch both strands of yarn below the loop on finger with the hook, pull loops through the ch, yo and pull through all 3 loops on hook; repeat from * across. Fasten off.
Sew Mane to back of neck.

Horn (Make 2)
With E and smaller hook, ch 5; 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook; slip st in next 3 ch. Fasten off.
Sew Horns to top of head.

Large Spot (Make 4)
Round 1: With E and smaller hook, ch 2; 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook; join with a slip st in first sc.
Round 2: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc around; join in first sc – 12 sc. Fasten off.

Small Spot (Make 5)
Work same as Large Spot through Round 1.
Fasten off.

Sew Large and Small Spots to Giraffe’s neck
and body as desired.

Leaf (Make 10)
With B and smaller hook, ch 18.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in next 15 ch, 3 sc in last ch, working in remaining loops along opposite side of foundation ch, sc in 16 ch; turn – 35 sc.
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first 2 sc, hdc in next sc, dc in next 2 sc, tr in next 11 sc, 2 tr in next sc, 5 tr in next sc, 2 tr in next sc, tr in next 11 sc, dc in next 2 sc, hdc in next sc, sc in last 2 sc; turn – 41 sts.
Row 3: Ch 1, sc in first 20 sts, 3 sc in next st, sc in last 20 sts. Fasten off.
Tack leaves in place, leaving some ends free for dimension.
Finishing
Working through both thicknesses with wrong sides together, sc Pillow Tops together along 3 sides; insert pillow form, sc last side closed; join to first sc. Fasten off. Weave in all ends.

Abbreviations
A, B, C, etc. = color A, B, C, etc.; ch = chain; dc = double crochet; hdc = half double crochet; mm = millimeters; sc = single crochet; st(s) = stitch (es); tog = together; tr = treble crochet; yo = yarn over; * = repeat whatever follows the * as indicated; [ ] = work directions in brackets the number of times specified.