My Pattern Experience: Grace the Elephant, Sort of...

 
 
This wonderful little elephant toy was inspired by "Grace the Elephant," a pattern that I found on Ravelry (You can find it on Ravelry here: Grace the Elephant, or on the designer website here: Look at What I Made's Grace the Elephant)
 
I made this for one of my good friends newborn baby because I thought it was adorable and had these great colors in Caron Simply Soft, which I just LOVE for making baby items.  (My daughters blanket is made out of Simply Soft and she still takes it to bed with her every night!) 
 
Now let me say that I was INSPIRED by this pattern.  This is in no way, shape or form even similar to the pattern on that page.  Except maybe the ears.  I tried to work up the head based on the pattern there and it just wasn't working for me.  So I did what I always do, and went ahead and created my own.  I didn't write it down or I would share it here, but lets just say it was a funny looking tube that got fatter and then rounded out all of a sudden into a ball shape.  I used the yarn tail to ensure that the trunk would curl upwards, as that is a sign of good luck. 


 
The actual blanket is just a granny square, worked in alternating rows of color all the way around.  I just went until I felt that I had something that was the right size for a baby to tote around and love, but then also could grow with him.  All in all, I love how he came out, even though he was my own lumpy little creation. :)