Sock Hippo/Giraffe Pattern

Gauge: 6sts x 9rows = 1 inch

Materials: 36 yards of Yarn 1 (Y1) Undyed DK
weight yarn, 80 yards of Yarn 2 (Y2) Self Striping
DK weight yarn, 1 set Size #2 DP needles, 1 12-
inch Size #2 Addi Turbo Needle, 2 skein black
DMC floss or 4-6 yards of black sport weight
yarn or string, Polyester Fiber-fill,

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You'll begin this critter by making the legs and putting them aside for later. Then you will begin the
head and work from the top down attaching the legs at intervals. Once the body is complete you will
make a tail, the ears, and the horns and attach them. The final step will be to embroider on his facial
features and you are free to embellish him as you wish. Enjoy.
Legs (make 4): With Y1 CO 24 stitches. Do not turn. You’ll be knitting in the round by working from
the first stitch you casted on.
Rounds 1, 3, 5, & 7: knit
Round 2: (k8, inc 1,) 3 times. (27 stitches)
Round 4: (k9, inc 1,) 3 times, (30 stitches)
Round 6: purl
Round 8: (k1, k2tog) 10 times (20 stitches),
Round 9: (k1, k2tog, k1) 5 times, (15 stitches)
Round 10: k1, (k2tog) 7 times, (8 stitches) cut yarn leaving approximately 6 inches and using a
tapestry needle thread it through the remaining 8 stitches, pull tight and tie off.
Turn your work around so you that you are looking at the knit side and begin working with the cast
on edge. Switch to Y2 and pick up 24 stitches along the cast on edge.
Rounds 1 & 3: knit
Round 2: (k6, k2tog,) 3 times (21 stitches)
Round 4: (k5, k2tog,) 3 times (18 stitches)
Rounds 5-24: knit. Stuff with fiber-fill and consolidate stitches (see stitch instructions), * you should
now have 9 stitches. Cut yarn leaving enough that the stitches don’t come undone (approximately 6
inches). Transfer all legs to a spare needle, scrap of yarn (double thickness), or a stitch saver tool as
they are completed with the purl side of the final row facing you. This will be helpful when you
attach them to the body.
Head: With Y2 and using the Turkish Cast-On Method, CO 32 stitches, you will work short rows on
only 16 for now.
Row 1: sl1, k14, (1 st remains unworked)
Row 2: sl1, p13, (1 st remains unworked)
Row 3: sl1, k12, (2 sts remain unworked)
Row 4: sl1, p11, (2 sts remain unworked)
Row 5: sl1, k10, (3 sts remain unworked)
Row 6: sl1, p9,(3 sts remain unworked)
Row 7: sl1, k8, (4 sts remain unworked)
Row 8: sl1, p7, p enc, (3 sts remain unworked)
Row 9: sl1, k8, k enc, (3 sts remain unworked)
Row 10: sl1, p9, p enc, (2 sts remain unworked)
Row 11: sl1, k10, k enc, (2 sts remain unworked)
Row 12: sl1, p11, p enc, (1 sts remain unworked)
Row 13: sl1, k12, k enc, (1 sts remain unworked)
Row 14: sl1, purl accross, (you will not p enc here, because you should be at the end of the row)
Row 15: sl1, knit across.
Begin working rounds now. Slide your circular needle into place and just continue knitting the
stitches along the cast on edge. Be sure you are looking at the knit side of your work before you
complete this step. Also make sure you are not using the yarn tail for your working yarn. (Now is a
good time to start using your DP needles or if you prefer can use two circulars). Once you knit the
stitches along the cast on edge, move the yarn tail to the front of your work. It will mark the
beginning of each round.
Rounds 1-5: knit,
Snout: Row 1: This step doubles the next 16 stitches. Begin short rows again only working 16 stitches
with Y1. (inc 1, k1) 8 times (k1, inc 1) 8 times (32 stitches), turn, (I use a backward loop cast on or a
“inc 1”. if you can’t decide on a good increase method, you can KFB all 16 stitches for your first time
through this pattern.)
Row 2: sl1, p30, (1 st remains unworked) turn
Row 3: sl1, k29, (1 st remains unworked) turn
Row 4: sl1, p28, (2 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 5: sl1, k27, (2 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 6: sl1, p26, (3 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 7: sl1, k25, (3 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 8: sl1, p24, (4 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 9: sl1, k23, (4 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 10: sl1, p22, (5 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 11: sl1, k21, (5 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 12: sl1, p20, (6 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 13: sl1, k19, (6 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 14: sl1, p18, (7 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 15: sl1, k17, k enc, (6 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 16: sl1, p18, p enc, (6 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 17: sl1, k19, k enc, (5 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 18: sl1, p20, p enc, (5 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 19: sl1, k21, k enc, (4 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 20: sl1, p22, p enc, (4 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 21: sl1, k23, k enc, (3 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 22: sl1, p24, p enc, (3 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 23: sl1, k25, k enc, (2 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 24: sl1, p26, p enc, (2 sts remain unworked) turn
Row 25: sl1, k27, k enc, (1 st remains unworked) turn
Row 26: sl1, p28, p enc, (1 st remains unworked) turn
Row 27: sl1, k29, k enc, turn
Row 28: sl1, p30, p enc, turn
Row 29: sl1, k31, do not k enc, do not turn. Cut yarn leaving enough to tie Y2 onto and resume
working in the round by knitting the next 16 stitches. You should now be at the beginning of each
round once again.
Head cont:…
Round 6: (k2tog) 16 times. k16, (you should have 32 stitches total)
Rounds 7 & 9: knit
Round 8: (k1, k2tog tbl, k1) 4 times, k16, (28 stitches)
Round 10: (k1, k2tog tbl) twice, (k2tog tbl, k1) twice, k16, (24 stitches). You will now be working
rounds of the neck and body.
Rounds 11-30: knit,
Stuff the head & neck with fiber-fill. Tamper filling until it reaches your desired firmness. Don’t stuff too
full and don’t stuff up to the needles or you will end up with fibers in your knitting which are difficult
to remove.
Body: Knit 16 more stitches. You should now be at the midway point of the back where you will
begin each round from now on.
Round 1: (k4, inc 1, k4) 3 times (27 stitches)
Round 2: knit Round 3: k5, Inc 1, k9, Inc 1, k8, Inc 1, k5 (30 stitches)
Round 4: k6. You are now going to consolidate the next 9 stitches with the stitches on one leg so
they can be worked together.
While holding the body section as if you were going to continue knitting. Pick up the needle
containing the legs so that you can see the purl side of the final row. Hold the body needle and the
leg needle parallel so that the body is farthest away from you and the leg is in the front. Consolidate
(see instructions below) the next 9 stitches of the body with the 1 leg. Now attach a second leg the
same way, k6 to finish off the round
Rounds 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, &: knit,
Round 6: k5, inc 1, knit to last 5, inc 1, k5 (32 stitches)
Round 8: k5, inc 1, k8, inc1, k2, inc1, k8, inc 1, k5 (36 stitches)
Round 10: k6, inc 1, k to last 6, inc 1, k6 (38 stitches)
Round 12: k6, inc 1, k12, inc 1, k2, inc 1, k12, inc 1, k6 (42 stitches)
Round 14: (k7, inc 1) twice, k5, inc 1, k4, inc 1, k5,(inc 1, k7) twice (48 stitches)
Round 16: (k8, inc 1) twice, k6, inc 1, k4, inc 1, k6,(inc 1, k8) twice (54 stitches)
Round 18: (k9, inc 1) twice, k6, inc 1, k6, inc 1, k6,(inc 1, k9) twice (60 stitches). Here’s a good place to
switch to your circular needle.
Rounds 19-26: knit,
Round 27: (k2, k2tog,) twice, k4, k2tog, k32, k2tog, k4, (k2tog, k2,) twice,(54 stitches)
Round 28: knit,
Round 29: k3, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k8, k2tog, k3 (48 stitches)
Round 30: k13. Now you’ll consolidate the legs the same way you did earlier (see instructions below)
for one leg only. k4, and attach a second leg in the same manner, k13,
Round 31: (k3, k2tog, k3) 6 times. (42 stitches)
Round 32: k2, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k2 (36 stitches)
Round 33: (k2, k2tog, k2) 6 times, (30 stitches), stuff the upper portion of the body until firm.
Round 34: k1, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k2, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k1 (24 stitches)
Round 35: (k1, k2tog, k1) 6 times, (18 stitches)
 Round 36: (k1, k2tog,) 6 times (12 stitches) cut yarn leaving a 8 inch tail, and using a tapestry needle
thread it through the all stitches. Stuff more fiber-fill into the body until you are satisfied with the
firmness, pull tight and tie off. You’ll need to be creative with this step since it’s closed and you can’t
work from the inside.
Ears (make 2): Row 1: With Y1, CO 6, turn,
Rows 2-3: work 2 rows of garter stitch, turn,
Row 4-5: k1, KFB, knit across, Row 6: knit across.
Rows 7-9: repeat rows 4-6. You should have 10 stitches
Rows 10-14: knit across, turn, Rows 15-23: sl1, k1, PSSO, first stitch, knit to end. You should now have
1 stitch left on the needle. Cut yarn leaving 12 inches. Use your tapestry needle to weave it through
the ear towards the bottom. Fold ear in half vertically and stitch the bottom together. Attach to the
top of the head perpendicular to the line that formed when you worked the encroachment during
the head shaping.
Horns (make 2): With Y1, CO 4 and knit an I-cord for 24 stitches. The next step doubles your stitches.
KFB in each stitch until you have 8 and then knit all stitches once. KFB in each stitch again until you
have 16 stitches and then knit all stitches once. Cut yarn leaving a 12-inch tail. Using a tapestry
needle, slip each stitch onto the tail. Pull tight and thread it through all stitches a couple more times
pulling tight each time to be sure to close the hole. Rather than tying off, thread it down through the
bulb on top of the horn, down through the shaft of the horn and out the other end. Use this to
attach the horn to the head at top where you began working the encroachment during the head
shaping. They will be spaced approximately ¾ inch apart and there will be a small space between the
horns and the ears as well. Tie off any remaining ends.
Finishing: For the tail, cut three 12-24 inch strands of yarn, thread them through a couple of stitches
on the back of the giraffe on the row just above where you began decreasing to finish him off. Braid
and tie off so that it looks kind of like a little broom. Now embroider on the facial features and voila!
You now have your very first sock giraffe. You are free to embellish him any way you wish.
Stitch Instructions
Turkish Cast on: Tie a slip-knot in the yarn, hold the circular needle & DPN parallel with each other and slide the slip
knot onto them both. Place the slip-knot onto both needles and tighten it to hold it into place. Be sure the yarn to be
worked is hanging downward. Wrap the yarn counterclockwise towards the right from here. You should complete
this step with the number of wraps being half the number of cast on stitches. (If your pattern wants you to cast on
32, you should have 16 wraps.) The working yarn should be hanging down in the front of the needles. Slide the
circular needle towards your right, positioning the nylon cable in the bottom half of all loops. You now have
essentially loops on one needle and the circular needle with the tips dangling. Use a third needle and insert it
purlwise into the first loop and purl a stitch. Now slide it off the left needle as you would normally do with stitches,
and repeat this step for the appropriate number of loops on the left needle. You have now casted on the proper
number of stitches. Half on one needle and half on another.
Consolidation: Divide stitches evenly onto two needles. While holding them parallel, insert a third needle knit-wise
into the first stitch on your front needle then insert the needle knit-wise into the first stitch on the back needle. Now
knit those two together. (Closes your tube and leaves you with half the amount of live sts.)
Knit encroachment (k enc):sl1 stitch from the left needle to the right needle, lift the stitch below the next stitch onto
the left needle. Slip previously slipped stitch back onto the left needle and knit the two together.
Purl Encroachment (p enc): sl1 stitch from the left needle to the right needle, lift the stitch below the next stitch onto
the left needle. Slip previously slipped stitch back onto the left needle and purl the two together
PSSO : pass slipped stitch over knitted/purled stitch.
KFB : Knit into the front and back of each stitch.
K2TOG tbl: insert right needle into two stitches as if to purl through the back loop of each stitch, knit them together.

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