Materials:
Worsted weight yarn in colors of choice: About 2 oz. per animal
Scrap of desired color yarn for embroidery
Crochet hook (US) size F
Crochet hook (US) size I
Polyfill
Yarn needle
Gauge is not important to this project.
Finished size: (sizes noted are approximate. Animals may be slightly smaller or larger depending on your crochet style.)
Giraffe - Body is 5 inches long / 10 inches tall (from feet to top of head)
Dog - Body is 5 inches long / 5 inches tall (from feet to top of head)
Horse - Body is 5 inches long / 7 inches tall (from feet to top of head)
Notes: Do not join rounds unless indicated. Mark the beginning of each round with a stitch marker or scrap of yarn.
Weave in loose ends as work progresses.
Use crochet hook size F unless otherwise indicated.
Basic Body Pattern (for all balloon animals)
Rnd 1: Starting at chest, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc around. (12 sc)
Rnd 3: Sc in each sc around.
Rnd 4: (Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc) repeat around. (18 sc)
Rnds 5 - 17: Sc in each sc around.
***Stuff body at this point and continue to stuff as work progresses. ***
Rnd 18: (Sc in next sc, decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc) repeat around. (12 sc)
Rnd 19: Sc in each sc around.
Rnd 20: (Decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc) repeat around, join with a sl st in next sc. Leaving a length of yarn for sewing, fasten off. (6 sc)
Add more stuffing if necessary. With the remaining length of yarn, sew opening closed.
Head Pattern (Make for Giraffe & Horse Only)
Rnd 1: Starting at muzzle, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc around. (12 sc)
Rnd 3: Sc in each sc around.
Rnd 4: (Sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc) repeat around. (16 sc)
Rnds 5 - 10: Sc in each sc around.
***Stuff head at this point and continue to stuff as work progresses. ***
Rnd 11: (Sc in next 2 sc, decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc) repeat around. (12 sc)
Rnd 12: Sc in each sc around.
Rnd 13: (Decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc) repeat around, join with a sl st in next sc. Leaving a length of yarn for sewing, fasten off. (6 sc)
Add more stuffing if necessary. With the remaining length of yarn, sew opening closed.
Horse
Make head pattern above.
Neck
Rnd 1: Starting at bottom of neck, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc around. (12 sc)
Rnd 3: (Sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc) repeat around. (15 sc)
Rnds 4 - 6: Sc in each sc around.
***Stuff neck at this point and continue to stuff as work progresses. ***
Rnd 7: (Sc in next 3 sc, decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc) repeat around. (12 sc)
Rnd 8: (Decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc) repeat around, join with a sl st in next sc. Leaving a length of yarn for sewing, fasten off. (6 sc)
Add more stuffing if necessary. With the remaining length of yarn, sew opening closed.
Sew bottom of neck to rnds 3 - 6 of body and top of neck to rnds 9 - 12 of head.
Legs (Make 4)
Rnd 1: Starting at bottom of leg, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: (Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc) repeat around. (9 sc)
Rnds 3 - 12: Sc in each sc around.
***Stuff leg at this point. ***
Rnd 13: (Sc in next sc, decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc) repeat around, join with a sl st in next sc. Leaving a length of yarn for sewing, fasten off. (6 sc)
Add more stuffing if necessary. With the remaining length of yarn, sew opening closed.
Sew legs to bottom of body. 2 legs at chest end and 2 legs at back end.
Ears (Make 2)
Row 1: Starting at bottom of ear and leaving a 6 inch length of yarn ch 3, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, ch 1, turn. (2 sc)
Row 2: 2 sc in each sc across, ch 1, turn. (4 sc)
Row 3: (Decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc) twice, ch 1, turn. (2 sc)
Row 4: Decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc, fasten off.
Fold ear in half lengthwise and with the beginning 6 inch length of yarn sew the starting ch at row 1 together to form a fold. Sew ears to top of head, having points of ears a bit upward.
Mane
(Note: Use crochet hook size I for mane)
Row 1: With crochet hook size I, ch 15, sl st loosely in 2nd ch from hook, and in each remaining ch across, ch 6, turn. (14 sl sts)
Row 2: Sl st in first sl st, *ch 6, sl st in next sl st, rep from * across, leaving a long length of yarn for sewing, fasten off.
Sew mane down center of head (between ears) and neck to top of back.
Tail
(Use crochet hook size I for tail)
Row 1: With crochet hook size I ch 3, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in last ch. Turn. (2 sc)
Row 2: (Ch 20, sl st in first sc) twice, (ch 20, sl st in last sc) twice, turn and sl st into first beginning ch of row 1. Leave a length of yarn for sewing, fasten off.
With the remaining length of yarn, sew tail to back of body.
Weave in any remaining loose ends
With desired colored yarn embroider face onto head.
Giraffe
Make Head Pattern above.
Neck
Rnd 1: Starting at bottom of neck, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc around. (12 sc)
Rnds3 -11: Sc in each sc around.
***Stuff neck at this point and continue to stuff as work progresses. ***
Rnd 12: (Decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc) repeat around, join with a sl st in next sc. Leaving a length of yarn for sewing, fasten off. (6 sc)
Add more stuffing if necessary. With the remaining length of yarn, sew opening closed. Sew bottom of neck to rnds 3 - 6 of body and top of neck to rnds 9 - 12 of head.
Legs (Make 4)
Rnd 1: Starting at bottom of leg, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: (Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc) repeat around. (9 sc)
Rnds 3 - 16: Sc in each sc around.
***Stuff leg at this point. ***
Rnd 17: (Sc in next sc, decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc) repeat around, join with a sl st in next sc. Leaving a length of yarn for sewing, fasten off. (6 sc)
Add more stuffing if necessary. With the remaining length of yarn, sew opening closed.
Sew legs to bottom of body. 2 legs at chest end and 2 legs at back end.
Horns (Make 2)
Rnd 1: Starting at top of antler, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: (Sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc) repeat around. (8 sc)
Rnd 3: Sc in each sc around.
Rnd 4: (Sc in next 2 sc, decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc) repeat around. (6 sc)
Rnd 5: Sc in each sc around, join with a sl st in next sc. Leaving a length of yarn for sewing, fasten off.
Stuff antlers and sew to top of head.
Ears (Make 2)
Row 1: Ch 2, 2 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1, turn. (2 sc)
Row 2: Sc & hdc in first sc, hdc & sc in last sc, turn, sl st in first ch of starting ch of row , then sl st into side edge of row 2, leaving a length of yarn for sewing, fasten off.
Sew ears to head, slightly to the front of antlers.
Tail
Leaving about a 4 inch length of yarn, ch 11, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each remaining ch across, leaving another 4 inch length, fasten off.
Tail fringe: Cut a 8 inch length of yarn and fold in half. With crochet hook, pull this length of yarn through end of tail between the 2 4 inch lengths. YO and pull all 4 lengths of yarn through loop on hook. Trim ends so they are even.
Sew the other end of tail to back of giraffe.
Weave in any remaining loose ends
With desired colored yarn embroider face onto head.
Dog
Rnd 1: Starting at muzzle, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: (Sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc) repeat around. (8 sc)
Rnd 3: (Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc) repeat around. (12 sc)
Rnds 4 - 5: Sc in each sc around.
Rnd 6: (Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc) repeat around. (18 sc)
Rnds 7 - 11: Sc in each sc around.
Rnd 12: (Sc in next sc, decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc) repeat around. (12 sc)
Rnd 13: Sc in each sc around.
*** Stuff head at this point. ***
Rnd 14: (Decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc) repeat around, join with a sl st in next sc. Leaving a length of yarn for sewing, fasten off. (6 sc)
Legs (Make 4)
Rnd 1: Starting at bottom of leg, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: (Sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc) repeat around. (9 sc)
Rnds 3 - 8: Sc in each sc around.
***Stuff leg at this point. ***
Rnd 9: (Sc in next sc, decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc) repeat around, join with a sl st in next sc. Leaving a length of yarn for sewing, fasten off. (6 sc)
Add more stuffing if necessary. With the remaining length of yarn, sew opening closed.
Sew legs to bottom of body. 2 legs at chest end and 2 legs at back end.
Tail
Rnd 1: Starting at tip of tail, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: Sc in each sc around.
Rnd 3: (Sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc) repeat around. (8 sc)
Rnds 4 - 6: Sc in each sc around.
Rnd 7: (Sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc) repeat around. (10 sc)
Rnds 8 - 10: Sc in each sc around.
*** Stuff tail at this point. ***
Rnd 11: (Decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc) repeat around, join with a sl st in next sc. Leaving a length of yarn for sewing, fasten off. (5 sc)
Add more stuffing if necessary. With the remaining length of yarn, sew opening closed.
Sew tail to back of body between back legs.
Ears (Make 2)
Rnd 1: Starting at tip of ear, ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (6 sc)
Rnd 2: (Sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc) repeat around. (8 sc)
Rnds 3 - 7: Sc in each sc around.
Rnd 8: (Sc in next 2 sc, decrease 1 sc over next 2 sc) repeat around, join with a sl st in next sc. Leaving a length of yarn for sewing, fasten off. (6 sc)
Do not stuff ears.
Flatten and sew opening closed with the remaining length of yarn. Sew ears to top of head.
Weave in any remaining loose ends.
With desired colored yarn embroider face onto head.
