beautiful things

Giraffes in their natural habitat

The baby's room is coming together.  The sofa was delivered on Friday and a friend came over on Saturday to take some pregnancy self-portraits.  However, she seemed rather more interested in photographing the giraffes than me... ok, just kidding, but only slightly! 

I do so love the giraffes, even if I say so myself. They work perfectly in the room, and I love the room too. 

Medium Giraffe

Date:
October 12th - 24th, 2008

Yarn:
About 56 yards of Sundara Sock Yarn in Citrus Zinger LE and about 40 yards of MadelineTosh Sock Yarn in Citrus.

Needles:
US #1 Addi Turbo 32" circulars

Pattern:
Little Giraffe by Christine Landry

The story:

Citrus Zinger captured my imagination from the start and for some reason lead me to... giraffes.  Although I wasn't able to obtain other Sundara Sock for the contrast colors, the MadelineTosh worked out great.  This was one of those projects that came together just how I imagined it, or possibly better.  No, we didn't pick the paint color to match the giraffes but that worked out well too!

Now that I have more Sundara, I'm planning on 100% Sundara giraffes at some time in the future...

See also little giraffe and big giraffe.

In progress shots:

 

Finished shots:









Flickr set is here.
Ravelry link is here.

The giraffes move in

Today was a big day for the baby's room.  My husband finished painting yesterday and today cleared out all the drop cloths and painting stuff and put the crib together.  We're planning on having the baby in a bassinet in our room for the first few months but nevertheless, it's not a baby's room without a crib now is it?  

Also, the giraffes moved in.  This is what I had in mind when I first discovered Sundara all those months ago...

(These were quick shots in low level light so not the greatest... better photos to follow!)

Big giraffe

Yup, giraffe production continues and the big giraffe is finished!

Big Giraffe

Date:

October 8th - 17th, 2008

Yarn:
About 100 yards of Sundara Sock Yarn in Citrus Zinger LE and about 44 yards of MadelineTosh Sock Yarn in Bark (which doesn't entirely make sense in relation to the yardage for the little giraffe but is based on weight)

Needles:
US #1 Addi Turbo 32" circulars

Pattern:
Little Giraffe by Christine Landry

The story:

When I couldn't find or decide upon the one perfect contrast color for a giraffe, I decided to make a family of giraffes in different sizes!  When I started out on the first leg, doubling the pattern, it looked HUGE in comparison to the little giraffe so I decided it would be the big one and I would make an in between size for the medium.  The trick to sizing this pattern is that if the contrast color blocks have an even number of stitches, the yellow dividing lines have to be two stitches wide, and vice versa.  The original pattern is 3+1, doubling of course gives 6+2, the in between size would be either 4+2 (not good proportionally) or 5+1 which happens to be 1.5x the pattern so it all works it.  This probably doesn't make any sense whatsoever unless you have knit or at least looked at the pattern.

Doubling the pattern of course means that it takes a lot longer, but it's still a fast knit.  The legs get to be a little tedious but once you join the legs together, it's just as enthralling and addictive as ever!  Again, I blocked the legs to even out the colorwork a bit.

One of the great things about this pattern, aside from it being so adorable, is that you stuff as you go so once you are done you are done!  The last knit stitch is in fact the last thing you do aside from pulling the tail of the yarn through the remaining stitches, pulling tight, and pulling the tail inside the toy to hide it.

As I mentioned when I wrote about the little giraffe, the neck chart is not quite correct and should be more like the leg chart (again, this makes sense if you knit or look at the pattern).

I have to say, I was a little worried as I knit this that a) the giraffe would be too big in comparison to the little giraffe and b) it's not as cute with the high contrast solid brown yarn instead of the lovely and more subtle variegated yarn I used for the little giraffe.  However, I am really happy with the result - it is just as cute and perhaps makes the little one look even smaller and cuter in comparison!  And both are so soft and squooshy yet firm... I am really liking sock yarn for soft toys.

In progress shots:

Finished shots:





 

Flickr set is here.

Ravelry link is here.

S, M, L

Giraffe production is progressing...

One large giraffe leg

Last night:

Hubby: I'm going to bed
Me: Already?
Hubby: But I understand if you have to stay up and make giraffes!