Plush Giraffe

A free crochet tutorial for the Plush Giraffe by Anna Skvortsova.

With this pattern, you can crochet a plush giraffe. Any plush yarn will work well for this amigurumi project: YarnArt Dolce, Himalaya Dolphin Baby, Kamteks Velur, and others.

The finished toy measures about 22 cm.

Materials and Tools

• YarnArt Dolce plush yarn
• 4-4.5 mm crochet hook
• Safety eyes
• Fiberfill
• Needle for sewing pieces together
• Scissors

Abbreviations

• MR - magic ring
• ch - chain stitch
• sl st - slip stitch
• sc - single crochet
• dec - decrease
• inc - increase
• (...) x n - repeat n times

Plush Giraffe Amigurumi Crochet Pattern

Ears (make 2)

1. 2 ch, 6 sc in the second chain from the hook (or 6 sc in MR)
2. (sc, inc) x 3 (9)
3. (2 sc, inc) x 3 (12)
4-5. 2 rounds (12)
6. (sc, dec) x 4 (8)

Fold the ear in half, crochet 4 sc through both sides, fasten off, and hide the yarn tail.

Horns (make 2)

Using brown yarn:

1. 2 ch, 6 sc in the second chain from the hook (or 6 sc in MR)
2. (sc, inc) x 3 (9)
3. 9 sc
4. (sc, dec) x 3 (6)
Using yellow yarn:
5-7. 3 rounds (6)

Fasten off. Do not fold in half; the horns will be sewn on around the edge. Stuff firmly with fiberfill.

Upper Legs (make 2)

Using brown yarn:

1. 2 ch, 6 sc in the second chain from the hook (or 6 sc in MR)
2. (sc, inc) x 3 (9)
3. 9 sc
Using yellow yarn:
4-9. 6 rounds (9)
10. (sc, dec) x 3 (6). If you like, add a little stuffing to the leg, crochet 3 sc through both sides together, then fasten off and hide the yarn tail.

Head

Using brown yarn:

1. 2 ch, 6 sc in the second chain from the hook (or 6 sc in MR)
2. inc x 6 (12)
3. (sc, inc) x 6 (18)
4. 18 sc
5. (2 sc, inc) x 6 (24)
6. 24 sc
7. (7 sc, inc) x 3 (27)
Using yellow yarn:
8-13. 27 sc
14. (7 sc, dec) x 3 (24)
15. (2 sc, dec) x 6 (18)
16. (sc, dec) x 6 (12), stuff firmly with fiberfill
17. dec x 6 (6)

Fasten off and hide the yarn tail.

Body

The upper legs are joined in as you crochet. Start with the left lower leg. Using brown yarn:

1. 2 ch, 6 sc in the second chain from the hook (or 6 sc in MR)
2. (sc, inc) x 3 (9)
3. 9 sc
Using yellow yarn:
4-7. 4 rounds (9)
Make the second leg the same way, then join them together:
8. ch; 9 sc around the left leg; make the 10th sc into the base of the 1st sc on the left leg; sc into the chain; 9 sc around the right leg; make the 10th sc into the base of the 1st sc on the right leg (22). I recommend marking the beginning of the round here.
9. 10 sc, 3 inc (centered at the front, over the chain and the neighboring sc), 9 sc, inc (26)
10. sc, inc, 24 sc (27) - the last increase of the previous round and the increase in this round are centered at the back, above the sc next to the chain
11-15. 5 rounds (27)
16. In this round, make 3 decreases placed symmetrically to the increases in round 9, centered at the front: 11 sc, 3 dec, 10 sc (24)

Since the center shifts slightly, the decreases may need to be shifted by 1 sc.

17. 24 sc
18. (2 sc, dec) x 6 (18)
19. Crochet in the upper legs: 5 sc; 3 sc, catching the stitches of the upper leg; 6 sc; 3 sc, catching the stitches of the upper leg; sc. Important: depending on your gauge, yarn, and hook size, the placement may vary. If you do not like how the upper legs are positioned in the end (they should be symmetrical on the sides of the body), shift them by 1-2 sc.

20. (4 sc, dec) x 3 (15)
21-25. 5 rounds (15)
26. Crochet a few sc so the last round ends at the side; in my case, it was 3 sc. Fasten off and hide the yarn tail.

Stuff the legs and body firmly with fiberfill.

Assembly and Finishing

• Sew the head to the body all the way around.
• Mark the placement of the horns and ears on the head.
• Sew the horns on around the edge. Sew the ears on with the edge folded in half. I recommend using a strong thread rather than plush yarn for sewing (for example, Iris thread; it does not have to match the color, it will not show).
• Sew on bead eyes and embroider the nose on the muzzle with yellow plush yarn.
• Make the tail as a braid from 3 doubled strands of plush yarn (2 yellow and 1 brown, with the brown strand slightly longer than the yellow ones). Attach it at the center back and hide the knots.