Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Thulani, the Rhino





Meet Thulani, the Rhino, the name Thulani means 'peace' in the Zulu language. This is a very special pattern and holds great meaning for me. I am sure you are aware of the barbaric poaching of Rhino that occurs here in South Africa. Rhino are brutally hunted and poached for their horns, last year 448 Rhino were killed and this year so far the numbers are increasing. I have knitted Thulani to raise funds to donate to an organisation called Stop Rhino Poaching Now. For each Rhino pattern that is sold in any of my pattern shops, I will be donating $ 1.00 to this fund. To read more about what this fund does and how even the smallest donations help, please visit the link above.

I will also be knitting up a limited number of Rhino to sell in my Mamma4earth Etsy shop and a portion of the sale money will be donated as well.

Here is some more information about the pattern:

Thulani is knitted flat on 2 needles in stocking stitch in aran weight wool, the horns are knitted in the round with the magic loop or you can knit them on DPNs in the round. The eyes are needle felted on with fleece and a felting needle or you could sew them on with wool and a needle.

Finished measurements:
4.5 inches tall and 8 inches from tail to horn

The pattern is 17 pages long with plenty of photos to guide you.

Giveaway:
I am giving away 2 patterns to 2 readers, to enter, please leave your comments here in this blog post, if you are a Google reader, please click on the Natural Suburbia heading in your Google email and that will bring you to my blog where you can leave a comment.
I will announce the winners on Friday in this post.
Please could you Tweet and Facebook this post to bring awareness to people, it will also give you extra entries, let me know by commenting here again. Every little bit will help these majestic creatures.


Congratulations to:
I have posted it on my Facebook page.
Reply

and
 
I just adore this one! I keep saying this every time your new pattern comes out but, they are all so brilliant. they look just like what they are supposed too! You should do a pangolin! Those animals are amazing.

Please could you send your email addresses to me at lindadawkins@mweb.co.za and I will email the patterns off to you.

Love and light to you all
Linda

67 comments:

  1. Linda! What a superb rhino and what makes him even more special is that you are helping such a special cause to help stop rhino poaching. This cause is close to my heart. He is beautiful as is your elephant!

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  2. Adorable! What a great cause to support too x

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  3. I've just started watching "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" (after having read the books years ago)...set in Botswana and the scenery is amazing. The short-sightedness of poachers and people who support them saddens me to no end. Thanks for reminding us of these beautiful, unique animals and their plight.

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  4. He's wonderful Linda and I love the cause you are supporting. It is such a shame that animals are still being exploited and killed for horns, makes me cry!

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    1. Thank you Tracey, each time I visit the anti-poaching web site I cry, I can't believe how sad this all is. I am determined to help these creatures as much as I can. Every little bit helps.
      xo xo
      Linda

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  5. This pattern looks great, and I'm glad some of the proceeds go to such a good cause. I'm in the U.S., but if you'd like help knitting models to sell, I'd be happy to.

    Wil4ds on Ravelry

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  6. I didn't think you could top the cuteness of your elephant pattern, but here you go again. This is remarkable! I love everything about it.

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  7. I wanted to say fingers crossed for a hippo knitting pattern soon!!

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  8. I love it!

    justsuzie_s at hotmail dot com

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  9. It is a wonderful thing you are doing to help supporting the Rhinos. It is absolutely horrifying what is happening to them. I have seen videos and pictures and it tears my heart out. It is so inspiring to see you supporting their protection. Knitting and helping the world one stitch & pattern at a time :) It is so wonderful!

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  10. What a great way to support a very good project.
    Love your pattern!

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  11. Yay! I found and reconnected with your blog!! Thank u!

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  12. What a gorgeous pattern! We are learning about the environment and conservation, and just read about the rhinos.

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  13. Congrats on a new pattern and for supporting a create cause! (:

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  14. He is adorable! You are so creative. Blessings for a hugely successful fund raiser!

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  15. I have posted it on my Facebook page.

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  16. What a fabulous rhino! Made even more awesome by your support of such a great cause.

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  17. Fantastic Rhino indeed; your Elephant was more than amazing but this one has even bigger wooow factor + good cause on the top of it ! Chapeau!!!

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  18. He is awesome! And thanks for helping the rhinos!

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  19. such a cute rhino! and such a great cause!

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  20. This is a beautiful project! And I think it is so great that you are donating to the fund - a great thing to do

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  21. Another great pattern! The rhino looks awesome!

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  22. This is so awesome!! I'd love a chance to win the pattern, I'm on a fixed income, but have friends who gift me yarn, I knit for nursing homes and for an orphanage through my church group. I've made a few toys and I'm sure the kids would love this Rhino.

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  23. Very life-like Rhino w/lots of character. Bless you for helping them. Forevermore (Rav)

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  24. So kind of you to giveaway a couple of patterns and donate money for a great cause.

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  25. Great pattern. I posted this on google plus and facebook and twitter and my blog. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  26. Love this pattern! Thanks for the opportunity to educate others about the poaching through your art!

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  27. I just shared on Facebook as Tanya Rubezhov.

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  28. What a beautiful pattern! One of the best I've seen for a toy!

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  29. My gruffalo obsessed daughter also loves Rhinos, but according to her they don't have horns on their noses, they have warts on their noses(just like the gruffalo!)
    You've come up with another wonderful pattern, well done. I think this is my new favourite, but I'm sure I say that every time that you make a new pattern!

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  30. He's beautiful and thank you for helping these wonderful creatures! Thanks for the giveaway.
    cokelush at gmail

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  31. Thulani is wonderful and what a great cause!

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  32. What a wonderful project! I would love to try this pattern.

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  33. a lovely pattern and a great cause!

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  34. this is something we are passionate about too. the numbers are appalling, increasing each and every year. we donate to save the rhino (stop poaching now) too. so so important.
    thulani is a perfect likeness linda, i love him so much. thank you for such a meaningful giveaway and a gorgeous pattern.

    have you seen this?

    http://youtu.be/OkoPQwYL9ys

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  35. A lovely rhino Linda! He would be called Amani here in Kenya. . .
    Sad about the poaching, if people could just be smarter. THere are just still to many horror stories as if we learned little or nothing from the past.

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  36. aww this is so nice, raising money for a good cause, and a giveaway! Thank you!

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  37. The Rhino is lovely. Would love to win the pattern. Thanks for the opportunity.

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  38. Just shared your link on my FaceBook page. Asking everyone to "take a look". Anita

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  39. Thulani is lovely, Linda. Clever girl. I would love to knit him and Ellie.

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  40. Wonderful project for a grand cause. Wishing you extra warm days with joy.

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  41. Thank you, Linda. How sweet is this rhino.

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  42. Love the pattern and all your other patterns too. Great job!

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  43. Love the pattern and share your indignation on this horrible problem.

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  44. Your Rhino is so beautiful Linda, I think he could be my favourite of your patterns, such a likeness to the real thing. What a terribly sad thing Rhino poaching is, it's wonderful you are supporting this cause, thank you.

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  45. I have shared this on facebook tooxx

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  46. Oh Linda! I didn't know this was still a problem! Thank you for making me aware. Your rhino is tremendously fantastic! You always amaze me... Going to Facebook now to make other people aware!!!

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  47. Just lovely, like all your animals and flora. Love them all.
    Love the look of your Tea Leaves Cardigan -- will be anxious to see that; it's a beautiful colour too.
    You must be one of the world's fastest knitters to produce like you!
    --Marlene

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  48. Thanks for raising awareness. I, for some reason, thought that rhino poaching had slowed down, but I see that I was wrong.

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  49. Oh, phooey. I know I'm not really eligible, but I am ever greedy for these patterns. You are getting better and better at this all the time. I LOVE the detail and the shaping. And I KNOW I'm only making camels, to the point where I have calluses now on both thumbs so they have numb places which freaks me out. But I am putting my name in anyway because I really wish we lived next door so i could just run over and breathe in the atmosphere of love and industry and creativity. So there. Now I'm going to bed. To sleep, I hope.

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  50. Love that rhino! :) Thanks for the giveaway! Your giveaways are always so generous.

    householdcents @ gmail . com

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  51. he is beautiful. i can not remember seeing anyone else try to make one.
    i would love the pattern to make with all the other toys that are to go to an orphanage in Guatemala. the children will love him

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  52. After viewing a recent documentary on the rhino poaching, I applaud your efforts. Of course, it goes without saying that your patterns are great. Do you have a snake pattern?

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  53. Wow hes so cute! It's really hard to find patterns that would make great gifts for little boys!

    -Erin

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  54. Another great animal (My fav .... long story.... lol)and what a great cause! Whether I win or not, I plan to donate to your cause! Thanks for all you do!

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  55. I just adore this one! I keep saying this every time your new pattern comes out but, they are all so brilliant. they look just like what they are supposed too! You should do a pangolin! Those animals are amazing.

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  56. Gorgeous! I posted it to Pinterest, too. :)

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  57. Your Rhino is amazing Linda and I will have to buy one and make him up for my Aunty. She was born and raised in South Africa and now lives in France, the saving of the Rhino is also a cause dear to her heart. She will love him! I'm off to post him on FB too. :-)

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  58. I just missed the elephant giveaway I hope I'm lucky in this one :)

    Thanks for sharing :)

    I'll post it on Twitter under @JazzBruno

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  59. You continue to share so much - your creativity is awesome.

    The swan is also gorgeous! My husband and I loved swans as our 'mate for life' and it's how I feel now, although he's gone 11 years.

    Thank you and sure would love winning Thulani!

    Marny (although Anonymous might show up!)

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