NORA's Fish
On this Christmas, dear Nora, my wish
Was to give you a handmade yarn fish
But no pattern for cod,
Pollock, haddock or scrod
Could I find to crochet, oh, posh - pish
Our capital city is Austin
It's nice, but it just isn't Boston.
Here you can get cod.
There you can get scrod.
So you will probably go there more often.
A fortunate fish is the cod
Who owes it mostly to God
And a little good luck
That he isn't stuck
All his life with a name like the scrod.
A Russian gent touring abroad,
Nabbed inside Madame B.'s on Cape Cod,
Told the cops, "For Pete sake
I get here by mistake:
I tell taxi I want to get scrod!"
(picture below is from the
The Kunkel Aquatic Site)
Material
Rainbow colored ladder yarn (arabesque?)
Green worsted (I used Lion Brand 'Wool Ease')
Small amount of contrast worsted.
Stuffing.
F Hook
Yarn needle
Directions
Notes:
UNLESS noted differently, do not join rounds or turn, just mark the first stitch with a safety pin, moving the pin as you start the next round.
To increase -make 2 stitches in a single stitch.
To HDC two stitches together - insert hook in stitch, draw up a loop, insert hook in next stitch, draw up a loop. YO, pull through all three loops. 1 stitch decreased.
BODY
Chain 2 with Ladder yarn.
RND 1: in 2nd chain from the hook, 4SC around. Join with a slip stitch and fasten off.
RND 2: attachgreen worsted in front loop of a SC. 2 SC in front loop only of each stitch around (8 SC)
RND 3: 2 SC in (both loops of) each SC around (inc 8 around)
RND 4: HDC in each SC around (16 HDC)
RND 5: SC in each HDC around
RND 6: (SC in 1st DC, 2 SC in next DC) around (inc 8 around)
RND 7: Repeat rnd 4 (24 HDC)
RND 8: SC in each HDC
Begin to stuff
RND 9-18: alternate rounds of HDC and SC until total length is approximately 4 1/2". Be sure to end on a SC round. Continue stuffing.
RND 19: *HDC in SC 2 times, HDC next two stitches together* Repeat around (dec 6)
RND 20: Repeat rnd 8 (18 SC)
RND 21-26 alternate rounds of HDC and SC until total length is approximately 6". Be sure to end on a SC round. Continue stuffing as you work
RND 27: (HDC in stitch, HDC next two stitches together) repeat around (dec 6)
RND 28: Repeat rnd 8 (12 SC)
RND 29-32 alternate rounds of HDC and SC. Be sure to end on a SC round. Continue stuffing as you work
RND 33: HDC 2 st. together, continue around (dec 6)
RND 34: repeat rnd 8 (6 SC)
If needed, add a little stuffing, but leave very end a little 'floppy'. Join with sl. stitch and fasten off yarn, working in ends.
GILL COVERS
(make 2).
Chain 2 with green
RND 1: SC in 2nd chain from hook, and in each chain across (9 SC). CH 1, turn.
RND 2: (one stitch per stitch) 1 SC, 2 HDC, DC, TRC, DC, 2 HDC, 1 SC. CH 1 turn
RND 3: SC, HDC, DC, TRC, DC, HDC, SC sl-st to HDC in rnd 2. Fasten off, leaving long end to attach to body.
Position gill at the widest part of tube, positioned vertically narrow end points 'up' - towards the back (dorsal surface) of the fish, and the curved side closer to the tail (see picture). Use the yarn needle to attach the gill to the body. When you work the rounded side of the gill make sure you leave one loop free per stitch (attach 'bottom' loop of each stitch to the body, leaving top loop free)
Attach green to right most stitch of curved side of gill cover, in the free front loop. SC across. Slip stitch to body. Reverse SC back. Slip stitch to body and fasten off.
Repeat with second gill.
EYES
(make 2)
With contrast worsted chain 2. 6 SC in second chain from hook. Fasten off, leaving a tail to attach to the body with.
Position the eyes on each side of the body, in front of the gills.
FINS
Side fins
(make 2)
With ladder yarn - set up your initial slip knot several inches in yarn (leave initial tail for attaching) chain 5. TRC in 5th chain from hook. Fasten off.
Attach to fish body below, and slightly back from, the outer curve of the gills.
Forward ventral fins
(make 1)
With green yarn, chain 5. Fasten off, leaving shorn length of yarn on each end of chain. Weave chain to bottom of fish so that ends flop clear. Using a separate piece of yarn, attach firmly to fish.
Rear ventral fins
(make 1)
With ladder yarn, chain 8, leaving some free at each end of chain. Attach forward end to underside of body, slightly behind side fins. Loop the chain so that it forms a single fin, and thread loose yarn back a little bit, so that it sticks out to form second fin. Secure with a little green yarn, and trim second fin so that it does not reach to tail attachment point.
Dorsal fins
Attach ladder yarn on the back, directly between the eyes. Slip stitch in next two stitches going towards back of fish. SC in next three stitches. HDC in 2 stitches. DC in 2 stitches. TRC in last stitch. Fasten off and work in ends.
Attach ladder yarn a few stitches back. Slip stitch, SC, HDC, DC. Fasten off and work in ends.
Attach ladder yarn a few stitches back. Slip stitch, SC, HDC. Fasten off and work in ends.
TAIL
Flatten tail end of fish body. Attach ladder yarn three rounds from tail, on dorsal side.. SC in last three rounds on one side of tail, then first three of ventral side. Chain 4. Skip one SC and TRC in next. Chain 4. Fasten off, leaving a little yarn flopping loose. Attach yarn on 1st SC on dorsal side and repeat tail.
last update: 21 January 2006