Knitting FO: Joffrey Giraffe

Pattern: Giraffe
My Ravelry project page details the changes I made.

A co-worker at the library spotted this giraffe on the cover of a knitting pattern book called "Knit Your Own Zoo" and asked me if I'd make it for her daughter's birthday. Her daughter -- who loves giraffes -- is an adult, which is good because this guy certainly isn't safe for little ones with the pipe cleaners and bamboo skewers supporting his legs.

 

In the end, Joffrey turned out decently. He's pretty cute -- helped by the fact that I gave him a happier expression than the pattern-creators did -- but this was one hell of a miserable knitting project. I had to force myself to work on it, and I actually named my giraffe Joffrey after the evil, despised boy king on "Game of Thrones."

The pattern is fairly complicated and I can't understand why the designers didn't call for the giraffe to be knit in the round. Instead, he's knit mostly flat in several pieces and then stitched together. This pattern is not for the faint-at-heart knitter; it utilizes several different knitting techniques and is incredibly vague at times. The pattern would really benefit with more instructions on seaming the giraffe together.

It's hard to believe this friendly-looking fellow caused me so much grief. Joffrey's rather adorable now that he's not sitting in front of me, half-completed! He's happily residing with his new owner and I still get to choose the reward I promised I'd give myself after finishing him. Maybe a nice skein of Malabrigo? :)