A Giraffe in love

Well, another accessories for newborn photo sessions. I called it a Giraffe in love because of the spots made in the shape of hearts. So it consists of a funny hat with nice hairy horns and ears and a diaper cover with a small braided tail.

For general hat measurements for a newborn I rely on circumference - 14 inch (35,5 cm) and depth  5,5-6 inch (14-15cm) and top diameter about 4,5 inch (11 cm).

Crochet Hook size 4 mm and 3 mm (for brims) and Yarn bright yellow color (Nako Pirlata, Microfiber, Turket) 100g/225m

The idea how to make it I took from here. But I had to accustom it to the yarn available which was not bulky.

Here comes my pattern.
HAT:
Round 1: Start with a Magic ring and then 10 dc inside the ring.
Round 2: Ch 2,  2 dc in each dc around. Join with the first dc (20 dc) 
Round 3: Ch 2, *2 dc in first dc, dc in next dc*.  Repeat from * around. Join with the first dc. (30 dc)
Round 4: Ch 2, *2 dc in first dc, dc in next 2 dc*.  Repeat from * around. Join with the first dc. (40 dc)
Round 5: Ch 2, *2 dc in first dc, dc in next 3 dc*.  Repeat from * around. Join with the first dc. (50 dc)
Round 6: Ch 2, *2 dc in first dc, dc in next 4 dc*.  Repeat from * around.  Join with the first dc. (60 dc)
Round 7: Ch 2, *2 dc in first dc, dc in next 5 dc*.  Repeat from * around.  Join with the first dc. (70 dc)
Rounds 7-18: Ch 2, dc in each dc around (70 dc)
Don't fasten off , but sl st towards the beginning of the ear flap.

EAR FLAP:
I left around 16 sts at the back and  26 sts at the front and 14 sts for each earflap.
Row 1: Ch2, 1dc in same st and 1dc in next 13 dc, turn work (14 dc)
Row 2: Ch2, dc2tog, 1dc in next 10 sts, dc2tog, turn.

And continue in the same way till the last row where you have Ch2, dc2tog, and fasten off weaving in the end.

For the second ear flap fold the hat so that the sides are even with the first  flap attach the yarn and repeat the same procedure as for the first ear flap.

HORN:

Take the brown color yarn.

Round 1: Start with a Magic ring and then 6 sc inside the ring. No joining, work continuously in rounds.

Round 2: 2 sc in each sc around. (12 sc) 

Round 3: *2 sc in first sc, 1sc in next sc*, repeat around. (18 sc) 

Round 4: *2 sc in first sc, 2sc in next sc*, repeat around. (24 sc) 

Round 5-7: sc in each sc. (24)

Round 8: *1 sc, sc2tog*, repeat around. (16 sc). Start this raw with a yellow color yarn.

Before continuing further, I took a hairy brown yarn and crocheted with simple sl st on the top of the horn.

Round 9-18: sc in each sc. (16 sc)

Fasten off leaving a long tail to stitch the horn to the hat. For the second horn repeat the same procedure.


EAR:

Round 1: Start with a Magic ring and then 6 sc inside the ring. No joining, work continuously in rounds.
Round 2: 2 sc in each sc around. (12 sc) 
Round 3- 4: 1 sc in each sc around. (12 sc) 
Round 5: *1 sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next sc*, repeat around. (15 sts)
Round 6: *1 sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next sc*, repeat around. (18 sts)
Round 7: *1 sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next sc*, repeat around. (21 sts)
Round 8: *1 sc in next 6 sts, 2 sc in next sc*, repeat around. (24 sts)
Round 9: *1 sc in next 7 sts, 2 sc in next sc*, repeat around. (27 sts)
Round 10: *1 sc in next 8 sts, 2 sc in next sc*, repeat around. (30 sts)
Round 11: *1 sc in next 9 sts, 2 sc in next sc*, repeat around. (33 sts)
Round 12: *1 sc in next 10 sts, 2 sc in next sc*, repeat around. (36 sts)
Round 13: 1 sc in each sc around. (36 sc)

Round 14: *1 sc in next 11 sts, 2 sc in next sc*, repeat around. (39 sts)
Round 15-20: 1 sc in each sc around. (39 sc)
Round 21: *1 sc in next 11 sts, sc2tog *, repeat around. (36 sts)
Round 22: *1 sc in next 10 sts, sc2tog *, repeat around. (33 sts)
Round 23: *1 sc in next 9 sts, sc2tog *, repeat around. (30 sts)
Round 24: 1 sc in each sc around. (30 sts).
Don't fasten off. Fold the edge of the ear in half and crochet two halves together, then fasten off leaving a long tail to stitch the eat to the hat. Before crocheting together two halves of the ear I took a hairy brown yarn and crochet with simple sl st on the surface of one side of the ear.

HEART:

Row 1: 3ch, 2dc in the first loop (third loop from the hook).

Row 2: 2ch, turn, 2dc in each dc. (4 dc).

Row 3: 2ch, turn,  2dc in first dc, 2 dc in next two dc, 2 dc in last dc. (6 dc).

Row 4: 2ch, turn,  2dc in first dc, 4 dc in next four dc, 2 dc in last dc. (8 dc).

Row 5: 2ch, turn,  sk first dc, 5dc in next dc, sk next dc, sl st in next dc, sk next dc, 5dc in next dc, sk next dc, sl st in next dc.

ch 1, sc around with 3sc in the bottom loop. Make as many hearts as you need.

Finishing: I crocheted (Hook 3mm, brown color yarn) around the brim of the hat with one row of sc and second row of reverse sc. Stitch all items to the hat, make the braids and hair and enjoy the result of your efforts!

DIAPER COVER.

For the diaper cover I took the ideas from here, here and here. Though it was a bit complicated because nowhere I could find the proper measurements, and those patterns suit only to bulky yarns. Fortunately, we have cotton diaper covers bought for our awaited baby. So I took some measurements from that.

Here is my scheme with approximate measurements.

Hook # 4 mm. Ch 71.

Row 1:  sc in second loop from the hook and each loop. (70 sc)

Row 2: Ch1, turn, sc in each st across. (70 sc)

Row 3: Ch3, turn, trc in each st across.  (70 trc)

Row 4: Ch1, turn, sc in each st across. (70 sc)

Row 5: Ch1, turn, hdc in each st across. (70 hdc)

Row 6: sl st for 16 sts, 2 ch, 38 dc, and leave last 16 sts unworked.

Row 7: Ch 2, turn, dc in same st and  each st across.

Row 8: Ch 2, turn, dc in same st, dc2tog, 32dc in each st, dc2tog, 1dc in last st.

Row 9: Ch 2, turn, dc in same st, dc2tog, 30dc in each st, dc2tog, 1dc in last st.

Row 10: Ch 2, turn, dc in same st and each st across. (34dc)

Row 11: Ch 2, turn, dc in same st, dc2tog, 28dc in each st, dc2tog, 1dc in last st.

Row 12-13: Ch 2,turn, dc in same st and each st across. (32dc)

Row 14: Ch 2, turn, dc in same st, dc2tog, 26dc in each st, dc2tog, 1dc in last st.

Row 15: Ch 2, turn, dc in same st and each st across. (30dc)

Row 16: Ch 2, turn, dc in same st, dc2tog, 24dc in each st, dc2tog, 1dc in last st.

Row 17: Ch 2, turn, dc in same st and each st across. (28dc)

Row 18: Ch 2, turn, dc in same st, dc2tog, 22dc in each st, dc2tog, 1dc in last st.

Row 19: Ch 2, turn, dc in same st, dc2tog, 20dc in each st, dc2tog, 1dc in last st.

Row 20-30: Ch 2, turn, dc in same st and each st across. (24dc)

Row 31: Ch 2, turn, dc in same st, 2dc in next st, 20dc in each st, 2dc in next st, 1dc in last st.

Row 32-35: Ch 2, turn, dc in same st and each st across. (26dc)

Row 36: Ch 2, turn, dc in same st, 2dc in next st, 22dc in each st, 2dc in next st, 1dc in last st.

Row 37-38: Ch 2, turn, dc in same st and each st across. (28dc)

Finish off and weave in ends. Take the brown yarn and crochet in sc and then reverse sc all around the diaper cover (Hook # 3 mm).

Finishing: stitch buttons and hearts and make a braided tail. Weave in ends.

Giraffe set is ready and welcoming all newborns to shoot nice photos :)