Wednesday, January 6, 2010

One Million Giraffes



An e-buddy told me about this website: onemilliongiraffes.com That's http://www.olahelland.net/giraffes in case the link doesn't work - I don't trust my luck on blogger.

Anyway, apparently the gauntlet was thrown down between two guys about whether or not it is possible to collect one million giraffe images by the year 2011. Why giraffes? Hell if I know, but the challenge is fascinating on a few levels:

1) The call is for only handmade giraffes. I'm always in for a handmade challenge. I like thinking and solving such puzzles. Keeps me awake and happily tying knots in string with my little metal stick.

2) Grass roots efforts are always cool to be in on. The world is big physically, but that doesn't have to keep people separate. We are all the same functions of biology and it is powerful and moving to connect with people all over the world in reaching a common goal. Especially those that seem to meet no identifiable need. This isn't about banding together because of a common threat, or a hideous act of nature, or the ultimate folly of partisanship and conflict. 111111111111111111111111111111111

Fucking cat!

Where was I? Oh yeah; peace, love and unity. ;-) It's just a bunch of people doing the same thing in their own ways, in their own homes to accomplish one unified thing.

3) It's a tactile display of the power of the internet. Not only in connecting people worldwide, but in asking for and receiving help on a massive scale and in a fairly immediate time frame.

4) It's also a great way to remind us that the internet is only the tool, not the builder. It promotes the use of our hands for something other than clicking keys on a keyboard, interfacing with a digital portable device or zapping through channels with a remote. Nothing at all wrong with tech - God knows it's beyond great to have electricity and access to virtual anything - ;-) - sorry, but I love the puns and will not stop. We do collectively run the risk of never looking up at another human being in person nor of ever seeing the light of day again. I'm almost already there and don't mind a reason to take a small break from the warming glow of the monitor.

5) It's as ironic as hell and therefore amuses me to no end that it uses the internet to promote taking a break from the internet.

6) It's a kick to see how different people interpret the same theme.

7) Giraffes are fun to draw, crochet, build... etc

So my internet buddy subtly dropped a request for a pattern of a crocheted applique version of a giraffe. And if you have read the rambling reasoning list above and are still with me: I love a challenge... and sharing - I guess.

Enjoy: (also available at Ravelry)

Giraffe CA Lira 2010

Yarn: Aunt Lydia’s Classic Cotton Crochet Thread- Goldenrod
Hook: size 9, 1.25 mm
Gauge: not important for this project
Abbreviations: chain (ch), slip stitch (slst), single crochet (sc), half double crochet (hdc),double crochet (dc), stitch (st), skip (sk), dcdec (dc decrease), scdec (sc decrease)
Notes: dc decrease is also known as dc2tog = dc 2 together as follows, yo, insert hook in st indicated, yo, pull loop through, insert hook in next st indicated, yo,
pull loop through, (yo and pull through 2 loops on hook) twice scdec is also known as sc2tog = sc 2 together as follows, insert hook in st indicated, yo, pull loop through, insert hook in next st indicated, yo, pull loop through all loops on hook

Begins with first front leg at chest level

1) ch 15, sk 2 chs closest to hook, work hdc into next ch (the 3rd ch from hook), slst into next ch, sc in each of next 7 chs, hdc in each of next 4 chs,

2) ch14, sk 2 chs closest to hook, work hdc into next ch (the 3rd ch from hook), slst into next ch, sc in each of next 7 chs, hdc in each of next 3 chs

3) ch3

4) ch14, sk 2 chs closest to hook, work hdc into next ch (the 3rd ch from hook, slst into next ch, sc in each of next 7 chs, hdc in each of next 3 chs

5) ch1

6) ch14, sk 2 chs closest to hook, work hdc into next ch (the 3rd ch from hook, slst into next ch, sc in each of next 7 chs, hdc in each of next 3 chs, ch1 rotate piece 90 degrees to the right (continue working along sides of previous sts and chs)

7) sc in each of next 12 sts (including one sc in side of each hdc), ch1 turn,

8) sc in 1st sc of prev row (same st as turning ch), sc in each of next 11 sts, sc in turning ch of prev row, ch1 turn,

9) sk 1st sc of prev row (same st as turning ch comes is worked from), sc in each of next 12 sts, 2sc in turning ch of prev row, ch1 turn,

10) sc in 1st sc of prev row (same st as turning ch), sc in each of next 13 sts, sc in turning ch of prev row, ch10 turn,

11) sk 2 chs closest to hook, work hdc into next ch (the 3rd ch from hook), slst into each of next 7 chs, slst into sc of prev row on body, ch 1, sc in next sc, hdc in next sc, dc in next sc, hdc in next sc, sc in each of next 6 sc, hdc in next sc, dc in each of next 3 sc, 2 dc in turning chain of prev row, ch2 turn,

12) dc in first dc of prev row (same st as turning ch), dc each of next 3 dc, ch2 turn,

13) sk 1st dc of prev row (same st as turning ch), dc in next dc, dcdec over next 2 dc, dc in turning ch of prev row, ch2 turn,

14) sk 1st dc of prev row (same st as turning ch), dc in each of next 2 dc, dc in turnng ch of prev row, ch2 turn

15) sk 1st dc of prev row (same st as turning ch), dc in each of next 2 dc, dc in turnng ch of row12, ch5

16) sk 2 ch closest to hook, hdc in next ch (3rd ch from hook), hdc in each of next 2 chs, 2 dc in next dc of prev row, dc in each of next 2 dc, dc in turning ch of prev row, ch3,

17) sk ch closest to hook, slst into next ch (2nd ch from hook), scdec across next ch and next dc of prev row, slst to that same dc,

18) ch3, sk ch closest to hook, slst into next ch (2nd ch from hook), scdec across next ch and the same dc of prev row in step 17, slst into that same dc, slst to next dc on head,

19) ch2, sk ch closest to hook, sc in next ch (2nd ch from hook), slst into the same dc as last slst (same dc as this ch2 was worked from), slst into next dc on head,

20) ch2, sk ch closest to hook, sc in next ch (2nd ch from hook), slst into the same dc as last slst (same dc as this ch3 was worked from), endoff


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