Happy New Year! I wish you all good health and lots of creativity.
The first post of the year is inspired from my kids, of course. Lately they became quite fond of a mobile game, that stars a cute company of sea creatures. The fish pictured is their favourite, and as you can understand i didn’t need a lot of convincing to jump in and turn it into a toy. The result was approved by the little ones, and with great joy I now present you the pattern, so you can make one of your own!
I use orange, yellow, white and a small amount of black cotton yarn. A 2.5 mm crochet hook. Fiberfill stuffing and a tapestry needle.
My fish is 8 centimetres tall and 11 long.
Abbreviations:
ch : chain
sc : single crochet
sc3tog : single crochet 3 together (decrease)
sc2tog : single crochet 2 together (decrease)
sl st ” slip stitch
st(s) ” stitch(es)
blo : back loops only
For the fish:
Make the face of the fish, with yellow yarn:
Round 1: Start with a magic ring and work 6 sc (6sts) (working in a spiral, do not join, use a stitch marker to keep track off your rounds).
Round 2: Work 2 sc in each st around (12sts).
Round 3: *3 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts* repeat from * to * 3 more times (20sts).
Round 4: sc in next st, *3 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts*, repeat from * to * 2 times, 3 sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts (28sts).
Round 5: sc in next 2 sts, *3 sc in next st, sc in next 6 sts*, repeat from * to * 2 times, 3 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts (36sts).
Round 6: sc in next 3 sts, *3 sc in next st, sc in next 8 sts*, repeat from * to * 2 times, 3 sc in next st, sc in next 5 sts (44sts).
Round 7: sc in next 4 sts, *3 sc in next st, sc in next 10 sts*, repeat from * to * 2 times, 3 sc in next st, sc in next 6 sts (52sts).
Skip next st, sl st in next. Fasten off and weave in the ends.
Switch to orange for the body of the fish:
Round 8: Working in blo. Attach new colour in the first st of the 3 sc corner and work a sc3tog, then sc in next 10 sts, repeat 3 more times (44sts).
Rounds 9 – 18: Working in both loops. sc in each st around (44sts).
Round 19: Working in blo. Work sc3tog, then sc in next 8 sts, repeat 3 more times (36sts).
Round 20: Working in both loops, sc3tog, then sc in next 6 sts, repeat 3 more times (28sts).
Round 21: sc3tog, then sc in next 4 sts, repeat 3 more times (20sts).
Start stuffing the fish with fiberfill.
Round 22: sc3tog, then sc in next 2 sts, repeat 3 more times (12sts).
Round 23: sc3tog, repeat 3 more times.
Fasten off, use the tail to sew hole closed. Weave in the ends.
Fish tail:
Using orange yarn, we make two cones, that will be joined to create the tail.
For the first cone:
Round 1: In magic ring work 3 sc.
Round 2: Work 2 sc in each st around (6sts).
Round 3: Work 1 sc in next st, then 2 sc in next, repeat around (9sts).
Round 4: Work 1 sc in next 2 sts, then 2 sc in next, repeat around (12sts).
Rounds 5 and 6: Work 1 sc in each sts around (12sts). Sl st in next sts.
Fasten off and weave in the ends.
For the second cone:
Repeat rounds 1 – 6. Do not cut the yarn.
Round 7: Merge the two halves together. Insert hook into first st after sl st made on first half and make 1 sc in next 12 sts. Insert hook back in second half and work 1 sc in next 12 sts (24sts).
Round 8 – 9: Work 1 sc in each st around (24sts).
Round 10: Work 1 sc in next st, then sc2tog, repeat around (16sts).
Round 11: Work 1 sc in each st around (16sts).
Round 12: Work 1 sc in next st, then sc2tog, repeat around (11sts).
Fasten off, leave long tail for sewing. Do not stuff the fish tail.
Side fins:
Make two fins with orange yarn.
Ch 6
Round 1: Sc in second ch from hook, sc in next 3 sts, 3 sc in next st. Continue on the other side of the chain and work 1 sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st (12sts). (Do not join, work in spiral)
Round 2 – 6: Sc in each st around (12sts). Sl st in next. Fasten off, leave long tail for sewing.
Do not stuff the fins. Sew them on each side of the fish.
Top fins:
For the small:
Ch 4
Round 1: Sc in second ch from hook, sc in next st, 3 sc in next st. Continue on the other side of the chain and work 1 sc in next st, 2 sc in next st (8sts). (Do not join, work in spiral)
Round 2 – 6: sc in each st around (8sts). Sl st in next. Fasten off, leave long tail for sewing.
For the large:
Ch 8
Round 1: Sc in second ch from hook, sc in next 5 sts, 3 sc in next st. Continue on the other side of the chain and work 1 sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st (16sts). (Do not join, work in spiral)
Round 2 – 6: sc in each st around (12sts). Sl st in next. Fasten off, leave long tail for sewing.
Stuff them with fiberfill and sew them on the top of the fish.
Eyes:
With white yarn, make 2:
Round 1: In magic ring work 5 sc. (Do not join, work in spiral)
Round 2: Work 2 sc in each sts around (10sts).
Round 3: Work 1 sc in next st, then 2 sc in next, repeat around (15sts).
Round 4: Work 1 sc in each st around (15sts). Sl st in next sts.
Fasten off, leave long tail for sewing.
With black yarn surface crochet a “smile”. Stuff with fiberfill and sew them on face.
I really enjoyed making this toy and now i am thinking of making the rest of the gang. If you make any I’d love to see some photos!