Always start simple thats my motto and work your way up.
So simple it is. Jane Eborall's doodle giraffe is instantly recognisable and just great for practicing sets.
Tatted in a variegated Flora 10 he is a little over 3 inches tall
Next up is a lovely pattern by Inga Madsen from her book 'Tatted Animals'.
An interesting pattern to tat with it's patches of block tatting. All Inga's animals in her book were designed to be sewn onto a quilted blanket for a child and are therefore quite stylised.
He was tatted in Coates Floretta 20 and is 6 inches tall.
BUT this is what I am looking for, sorry to inflict another of our photos on you! This is a Masai Giraffe taken in 1969 during our sojurne in Tanzania. He is on the edge of Serengeti National Park, isn't he just a beauty. How lucky we were to get the chance to see so many animals in the their natural surroundings.
If I am looking for realism the first stop has to be Jane Eboralls site and she did not disappoint me. here is her giraffe pattern
and here are a couple of Jane's giraffes heading off into the sunset!
Tatted in Flora 20 variegated they stand 5 inches tall. I really like the effect of the reverse side of the rings in this case. It's quite a complex pattern to follow, needing concentration as to which ring joins to which. Jane has even got the little lumpy bit at the base of the neck, what a talented lady she is.
I have just been out to our wildlife park Fota
Unfortunately the giraffes were all out side their house instead of being out on the plains. Here is my favorite group of mum with the three Fota babies. These are Reticulate giraffes (compare with the Masai), their markings are larger and have a much more geometric outline.
