Free Pattern: Neon Pop Knit Giraffe Door Draft Stopper in Fisherman Rib

Neon Pop Knit Giraffe Door Draft Stopper in Fisherman Rib

Introduction

If you have never knitted a stitch in your life, this is the perfect first project to fall in love with. This cheerful giraffe draft stopper is a long, squishy tube of deep fisherman rib topped with a round little head, two floppy ears, and a tufted orange mane. It is worked in plush neon chenille yarn, so the finished piece feels velvety, soft, and wonderfully chunky in your hands. Best of all, it does a real job: tucked against the bottom of a door, it keeps cold air, drafts, and light from sneaking in. Every stitch is explained below, so you can make this even if you have never held knitting needles before.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Chenille plush yarn, super bulky (weight category 6), approximately 220 yards total:
  • 150 yards neon yellow (body and head)
  • 40 yards neon orange (spots and mane)
  • 20 yards neon pink (inner ears and nostrils)
  • 10 yards black (eyes)
• Knitting needles: US 11 (8 mm) circular needles with a 32-inch cable (for the body), plus one set of US 11 (8 mm) double-pointed needles (for the head and ears)
• Stitch markers (at least 1, to mark the beginning of the round)
• Tapestry needle (a big-eyed, blunt-tipped sewing needle for seaming and embroidery)
• Scissors
• Polyester fiberfill (stuffing, about one large handful or a small bag)
• Optional: a crochet hook in any size for making the spots (see Spots section)
• Finished size: approximately 26 inches long and 6 inches wide, with a head about 4 inches in diameter

Abbreviations and Beginner Glossary

Do not worry if these look like a secret code. Here is every single abbreviation used in this pattern, explained in plain English.

• st / sts – stitch / stitches. A stitch is one single loop of yarn on your needle.
• K or k – knit stitch. Insert the right needle into the front of the stitch from left to right, wrap the yarn around the right needle, and pull the loop through to the front.
• P or p – purl stitch. Insert the right needle into the front of the stitch from right to left, wrap the yarn, and pull the loop through to the back.
• yo – yarn over. Bring the yarn over the top of the right needle to create an extra loop. This makes the deep, squishy texture of fisherman rib.
• sl 1 – slip 1 stitch. Move one stitch from the left needle to the right needle without knitting it.
• purlwise – slipping a stitch as if you were going to purl it (needle inserted from right to left).
• kfb – knit into the front and back. Knit into the front of the stitch as normal, then, without removing it, knit into the back of the same stitch. This turns one stitch into two (an increase).
• k2tog – knit two stitches together. Insert your needle through two stitches at once and knit them as one. This turns two stitches into one (a decrease).
• cast on – the very first step: creating your starting row of loops on the needle.
• bind off – the final step: locking your stitches so they do not unravel.
• long-tail cast on – a common, stretchy way to cast on. You make a slip knot, hold a long tail of yarn, and loop the yarn around your thumb and needle to create each stitch.
• right sides together – placing the two "good" (outside) faces of your knitting against each other before sewing.
• whipstitch – a simple sewing stitch: bring the needle up through both layers, wrap the yarn over the edge, and go back down, repeating along the seam.
• mattress stitch – an invisible seaming stitch that joins two edges so the seam disappears.
• in the round – knitting in a continuous spiral on circular or double-pointed needles, so there is no seam.
• magic ring – a way of starting a small circle of stitches that you can pull tight to close the center hole.
• single crochet (sc) – insert hook into the stitch, pull up a loop, yarn over, and pull through both loops on the hook.
• i-cord – a tiny knitted tube made by knitting a few stitches and sliding them back to the start of the needle each time.
• lark's head knot – fold a length of yarn in half, push the folded loop through a stitch, then pull the two loose ends through that loop and tighten.
• satin stitch – straight embroidery stitches worked side by side to fill a small shape.
• straight stitch – a single straight embroidery stitch, like a tiny dash.

Gauge

Gauge: 10 stitches and 14 rows = 4 inches in fisherman rib, lightly stretched.

Gauge simply means how big your stitches come out. It matters because it decides the finished size of your draft stopper. If your stitches are too loose, the tube will be too wide and floppy; if too tight, it will be too narrow to block the draft. To check your gauge, cast on about 20 stitches, work in fisherman rib for about 4 inches, then lay the swatch flat and gently stretch it. Count the stitches across 4 inches. If you have more than 10, go up a needle size; if fewer, go down a size. Do not skip this step — it takes ten minutes and saves hours.

Beginner Tips Before You Start

• Use stitch markers. Place one at the beginning of every round on the head so you always know where a round starts and ends.
• Do not pull your yarn too tight. Chenille yarn is fluffy and easy to over-tighten. Keep your tension relaxed so the fisherman rib stays deep and squishy.
• Count your stitches after every increase or decrease round. The stitch counts in parentheses tell you exactly how many you should have.
• Stuff lightly. The body should stay soft and flexible so it hugs the door. Only the head gets stuffed firmly.
• Keep your yarn tail long. Leave at least 6 inches whenever you cut yarn — you will need it for sewing.
• Work in good light. Chenille hides your stitches a little, so bright light helps you see each loop clearly.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Body

The body is worked flat (back and forth on the circular needles) in fisherman rib, then seamed into a tube. Fisherman rib is worked over an even number of stitches.

Setup row: *K1, yarn over, slip 1 purlwise* repeat to end.

Every following row: *K1, yarn over, slip 1 purlwise, then knit the yarn over and slipped stitch together* repeat to end. This creates the deep, squishy ribbed texture.

Cast on 30 stitches with neon yellow chenille using the long-tail method.

Rows 1–90: Work in fisherman rib as described above, or until the piece measures approximately 26 inches from the cast-on edge. (30 sts)

Bind off loosely.

Seaming the Body

Fold the knitted rectangle in half lengthwise with right sides together. Using the tapestry needle and a length of neon yellow yarn, whipstitch the long open edge closed to form a tube. Turn it right side out. Seam one short end closed with mattress stitch. Stuff the tube lightly and evenly with polyester fiberfill, leaving it soft and flexible rather than firm. Seam the remaining short end closed. Set the body aside.

Head

The head is worked in the round on double-pointed needles.

With neon yellow chenille, cast on 6 stitches across 3 double-pointed needles (2 stitches per needle). Join to work in the round, placing a stitch marker at the beginning of the round.

Round 1: Knit into the front and back of each stitch (kfb) around. (12 sts)

Round 2: *Kfb, k1* repeat around. (18 sts)

Round 3: *Kfb, k2* repeat around. (24 sts)

Round 4: *Kfb, k3* repeat around. (30 sts)

Rounds 5–14: Knit even. (30 sts)

Round 15: *K2tog, k3* repeat around. (24 sts)

Round 16: *K2tog, k2* repeat around. (18 sts)

Round 17: *K2tog, k1* repeat around. (12 sts)

Stuff the head firmly with polyester fiberfill.

Round 18: K2tog around. (6 sts)

Cut yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail. Thread the tail through the remaining stitches and pull tight to close. Weave in the end.

Ears (make 2)

With neon yellow chenille, cast on 4 stitches on double-pointed needles.

Row 1: Purl. (4 sts)

Row 2: Kfb, knit to last stitch, kfb. (6 sts)

Row 3: Purl. (6 sts)

Row 4: Knit. (6 sts)

Row 5: Purl. (6 sts)

Row 6: K2tog, knit to last 2 stitches, k2tog. (4 sts)

Bind off. With neon pink chenille, embroider a small straight-stitch line down the center of each ear to suggest the inner ear.

Spots (make 4)

With neon orange chenille, work a small magic ring and crochet 6 single crochet into the ring. Alternatively, knit a tiny 3-stitch i-cord coiled into a flat circle. Fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing. Make 4 spots.

Mane

With neon orange chenille, cut 12 lengths of yarn approximately 4 inches long. Fold each length in half and attach along the center back of the head from the top down to the neck using a simple lark's head knot, creating a short, tufted mane.

Assembly and Finishing

1. Attach the head: Sew the head securely to one short end of the stuffed body tube using neon yellow yarn and mattress stitch, positioning it centered on the end.
2. Add the ears: Sew one ear to each side of the top of the head, angling them slightly outward.
3. Add the spots: Arrange the 4 neon orange spots evenly along the body tube and sew them in place with matching thread.
4. Add the eyes: With black chenille yarn, embroider two small satin-stitch eyes on the front of the head, spaced about 1 inch apart.
5. Add the nostrils: With neon pink chenille yarn, embroider two tiny straight-stitch nostrils just below and between the eyes.
6. Weave in all remaining ends on the wrong side of the work, threading each tail through a few stitches before trimming.
7. Blocking: Lightly steam the seams and spots to settle the chenille fibers. Hold the iron an inch or two above the fabric and let the steam do the work. Do not press flat — pressing will crush the plush texture.

The finished draft stopper measures approximately 26 inches long and 6 inches wide, with a head about 4 inches in diameter.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Change the colors: Swap the neon yellow for classic giraffe tan and the orange spots for brown for a more traditional look. Any super bulky chenille will work.
• Adjust the length: To fit a wider door, simply knit more rows in the body. Each extra 14 rows adds about 4 inches. Just keep the stitch count at 30.
• Make the spots differently: If you do not crochet, use the i-cord method described above, or sew simple felt circles in place instead.
• Yarn substitution: If chenille is hard to find, any super bulky (category 6) yarn works. Check your gauge again, since different yarns knit up at different sizes.