Saturday 16 November 2013

Larry the Lamar


 I was around at my friends place one Saturday afternoon and I found this in one of her Handmade Magazine. I borrowed the book and rush straight home to get stuck in and to try and see if I could make this. Well I am pleased to say Tad ah and  finished by Sunday after noon.  

Change to Larry the Lamar . 

This sweet giraffe designed by Kathryn McWilliam well delight any little one and would also look great in bright primary colours

  • Enough to make two giraffes 
  • 50gm balls each of colours you have chosen
  • 3mm (No11 Uk) crochet hook
  • Scrap of black felt ( I used black buttons however if you  give to baby avoid ) Hazard to choking
  • Short length of red wool for smile.
  • Paddle-Pop stick for neck ( helps to keep the neck up right)
  • Polyester filing 
  • Darning needle


Mesurements finished size 45.5cm (18in)
Abbreviations: ch=chain, dc= double cochet tog= together 

Noted please this is in  UK terms . 
so if it saying dc,in USA terms it sc single crochet terms. 



Note: the giraffe is worked in rounds. Use a small piece of contrasting yarn as a marker at the beginning of each round. When a round is finished , move the marker to the start of the next round. Note: a yarn other than that specified will not give satisfactory results. ( I use a Crochet Marker that you can buy at your local wool supplier  
When I completed this lovely thing . I took it into work. My work Mates said something was missing from its head to make it look like a Giraffe . One lady said it looks more like a Lamar than a Giraffe. So I have changed it to Larry the Larmar.

HEAD
Starting at the nose with a  light brown yarn, wrok 2 ch then 6dc in second ch from the hook.
Round 1: 2dc in each dc.....12dc
Round 2: *2dc in next dc, 1dc in next dc* repeat from * to * to end of round... 18dc
Round 3 to 5 : Dc.
Round 6 : *2dc in next dc, 1 dec in next dc* , repeat from * to * to end of round ... 27dc
Rounds 7 and 8: Dc 

Change to white yarn. 
Round 9: *2dc in next dc, 1dc in each of next 2dc*, repeat from* to* te end ...36dc.
Round 10: DC
Round 11: *2dc in next dc, 1dc each of next 8dc*, repeat from * to * to end 40dc.
Round 12: Dc 
Round 13: *2dc in next dc, 1dc in next 4dc*, repeat from * to * ...48dc
Round 14: Dc
Round 15: *dc2tog, 1dc in next 4dc*, repeat from * to * to end...40dc
Round 16: Dc
Round17: *dc2tog, 1dc in next 3dc*, repeat from * to * to end 32dc.
Round 18 and 19: Dc
Round 20:  *dc2tog, 1dc in next 2dc.
Round 21:  Dc
Round 22: dc2tog to end 12dc.
Begin to stuff the head with polyester filling before the opening is too small.
Round 23: dc2tog to end ...6dc
Finish stuffing the head firmly, trim the yarn with a long tail, thread it in the darning needle, then close the opening with a few tight stitches.

TOP TIP :  Use the different colour yarns randomly changing every four to six rounds. 

NECK AND BODY: 

Chain 19, join into a ring being careful to not twist the chain.

Round: 1 Miss 1ch, 1dc in each cha to end...18dc.
Round: 2 to 20: Dc
Round 21: *2dc in next dc, 1dc in next 5dc*, repeat from *to* to end ...21dc.
Round 22: Dc.
Round 23: *2dc in next dc, 1dc in next 6dc*, repeat from * to * to end...24dc
Round 24: Dc
Round 25: *2dc in next dc, 1dc in next 3dc*, repeat from * to * to end...30dc. 
Round 26:  30dc.
Round 27: *2dc in next dc, 1dc in next 2 dc*, repeat from * to * to end ....40dc.
Round 28 to 31: Dc 
Round 32: *2dc in next dc, 1dc in next 3dc*, repeat from * to * to end ...50dc
Round 33 to 39: Dc

Begin to decrease as follows: 

Round 40: *dc2tog, 1dc in next dc* repeat from *to * to last  2dc then dc 2tog ...33dc
Round 41: *dc2tog, 1dc in next dc* repeat from *to * to end ...22dc.
Round 42: Dc
Round 43: Dc2tog to end ...11dc. 
Begin to stuff body before opening is too small.
Round 44: Dc2tog to last st, 1dc...6dc
Round 45: Dc2tog to end ... 3dc.

Finish stuffing body, noting that the neck opening will be stuffed and closed after finishing the body. 
Cut yarn at body opening, leaving a tail, then sew the opening together as before. 

Rejoin yarn at neck edge in matching colour to orginal.
To close neck: Dc2tog to end of round ...9dc.
Dc2tog to last st, dc ...5dc. 
Finish off and cut the yarn with a long tail. 

The Neck can be made firmer by inserting an ice block stick or half a chopstick into it and stuffing around it. Finish off the thread and leave a long tail. Pin the head in place at the top of the neck then ladder-stitch them together with matching thread. 

EARS
makes 4
Note: these are worked as rows. 
Chain 12.
Row 1: miss 1st ch, 1dc in each ch to end.....11dc
Row 2 to 8: Dc
Row 9: Miss 1dc, 1dc in next 9dc, miss last dc
Row 10:  Dc
Row 11: Miss 1dc, dc in next 7dc, miss last dc.
Row 12: Dc
Row 13: Miss 1dc, dc in next 5dc, miss last dc.
Row 14: Dc.
Row 15: Miss 1dc, dc in next 3dc, miss lastdc. 

Fasten off, leaving a long tail. 
With right sides facing, sew two ears pieces together along the curved edges, leaving the bottom edges open. Turn it right side out, then stuff it lightly with polyester filling. Gather the lower edge, fasten off the thread with a few tight stitches but don't cut it Attach the ear to the side of the head with the rest of the thread. 
Complete the other ear in the same way.

FORELEGS: 
Makes 2 
Note: Change colour every six rows. One colour will be used twice. 
Ch2 then 6dc in 2nd ch from hook.

Round 1: 2dc in each dc to end ...12dc.
Round 2: 2dc in each dc to end 24dc.
Round 3 to 5: Dc
Round 6: *dc2tog, 1dc*, repeat from * to * to end... 16dc.
Change colour. 
Round 7 to 37: Dc changing colour after 6ounds. 
Stuffing foreleg firmly: 
Round 38: dc2tog to end ...8dc
Round 39: dc2tog to end ...4dc.

Fasten off, leaving a long tail, and close the opening with a few tight stitches. Sew the forelegs to the body. 

BACK LEGS: 
Make these in the same way as the forelegs, adding six more rows to the length before stuffing - two colours will be used twice. Stuff them and close the openings as before. 

Sew the legs to the body. 

FINISHING:
Cut two small circles out of the black felt for the eyes then sew them in place. Stem stitch the mount with red wool or black. 

You can hand stitch the eyes if you wish . I used buttons . But that was for my first trail. However if I was giving it to a baby for a gift I would hand sew black thread as this would not cause choking. 

I would not like that to happen . I have read up on toy making and this is a NO1 rule. 



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