Knitting tutorial
North Sea Fish
As colourful as the sea. The knitted fish with colourful patterns are created by combining two Scheepjes Downtown striped yarns and different knitting patterns.
The fish are knitted from back to front and the tail is knitted on afterwards. The colour changes are created directly from the Scheepjes Downtown yarn.
Table of contents
This is what you need
- 4-ply sock yarn ‘Scheepjes Downtown’ (50 g/200 m) with striped effect (colours depending on variant)
- For the single-colour head and tail, use Scheepjes Arcadia (396 m/100 g).
- Colour ‘817 Sunreef’ salmon
- Colour ‘814 Sky’ light blue
- addiCrasyTrio 2,5 mm
- double-pointed needles addiCrasySnake 2.5 mm for the tail
- 2 black buttons, ø12 mm for each fish
- Stuffing material
Gauge:
- 36 stitches x 46 rows = 10 x 10 cm (2.5 mm needle size)
Yarn consumption:
- Approximately 20 g per fish and about 15 g of filling material
Size EU: Approximately 31.5 cm long after stuffing
Needle recommendations
In this tutorial, the fish are knitted using the addiCraSyTrio. The stitches are divided equally between two needles. The tail is then worked using double-pointed needles.
Alternatively, you can also knit using a long circular needle with the magic loop method.
A set of double-pointed needles can also be used. In this case, the instructions for ‘needle 1’ refer to needles 1+2 and ‘needle 2’ refers to needles 3+4. in the text
Needle recommendations
In this tutorial, the fish are knitted using the addiCraSyTrio. The stitches are divided equally between two needles. The tail is then worked using double-pointed needles.
Alternatively, you can also knit using a long circular needle with the magic loop method.
A set of double-pointed needles can also be used. In this case, the instructions for ‘needle 1’ refer to needles 1+2 and ‘needle 2’ refers to needles 3+4. in the text
Step 1
Work body
- R 1: K all sts.
- R 2-4: K 3 rounds.
- R 5: Needle 1: *k1, M1L, k to last st on needle, M1R, k1*; Needle 2: rep from * to *. [26 sts; 13 sts on each needle tip]
- R 6-9: K 4 rounds straight.
- R 10: Rep Round 5. [30 sts; 15 sts on each needle tip]
- R 11-15: Rep Rounds 6-10. [34 sts; 17 sts on each needle tip]
- R 16-20: K 5 rounds straight.
- R 21: Rep Round 5. [38 sts; 19 sts on each needle tip]
- R 22-27: Rep Rounds 16-21. [42 sts; 21 sts on each needle tip]
- R 28-33: K 6 rounds straight.
- R 34: Rep Round 5. [46 sts; 23 sts on each needle tip]
- R 35-41: Rep Rounds 28-34. [50 sts; 25 sts on each needle tip]
- R 42-48: K 7 rounds straight.
- R 49: Needle 1: k1, M1L, k to end of needle; Needle 2: k to last st, M1R, k1. [52 sts; 26 sts on each needle tip]
- R 50-57: Rep Rounds 42-49. [54 sts; 27 sts on each needle tip]
- R 58-87: K 30 rounds straight.
- R 88: Needle 1: k2tog tbl, k to end of needle; Needle 2: k to last 2 sts, k2tog. [52 sts; 26 sts on each needle tip]
- R 89-93: K 5 rounds straight.
- R 94-99: Rep Rounds 88-93. [50 sts; 25 sts on each needle tip]
- R 100: Rep Round 88. [48 sts; 24 sts on each needle tip] Start to stuff Body as per Pattern Notes. Do not over-stretch fabric.
Step 1
Work body
- R 1: K all sts.
- R 2-4: K 3 rounds.
- R 5: Needle 1: *k1, M1L, k to last st on needle, M1R, k1*; Needle 2: rep from * to *. [26 sts; 13 sts on each needle tip]
- R 6-9: K 4 rounds straight.
- R 10: Rep Round 5. [30 sts; 15 sts on each needle tip]
- R 11-15: Rep Rounds 6-10. [34 sts; 17 sts on each needle tip]
- R 16-20: K 5 rounds straight.
- R 21: Rep Round 5. [38 sts; 19 sts on each needle tip]
- R 22-27: Rep Rounds 16-21. [42 sts; 21 sts on each needle tip]
- R 28-33: K 6 rounds straight.
- R 34: Rep Round 5. [46 sts; 23 sts on each needle tip]
- R 35-41: Rep Rounds 28-34. [50 sts; 25 sts on each needle tip]
- R 42-48: K 7 rounds straight.
- R 49: Needle 1: k1, M1L, k to end of needle; Needle 2: k to last st, M1R, k1. [52 sts; 26 sts on each needle tip]
- R 50-57: Rep Rounds 42-49. [54 sts; 27 sts on each needle tip]
- R 58-87: K 30 rounds straight.
- R 88: Needle 1: k2tog tbl, k to end of needle; Needle 2: k to last 2 sts, k2tog. [52 sts; 26 sts on each needle tip]
- R 89-93: K 5 rounds straight.
- R 94-99: Rep Rounds 88-93. [50 sts; 25 sts on each needle tip]
- R 100: Rep Round 88. [48 sts; 24 sts on each needle tip] Start to stuff Body as per Pattern Notes. Do not over-stretch fabric.
Step 2
Work the head
Change to colour Sunreef for Head.
- R 101: K 1 round.
- R 102: (K2tog, k6) 6 times. [42 sts]
- R 103-108: K 6 rounds.
- R 109: (K2tog, k5) 6 times. [36 sts]
- R 110-114: K 5 rounds. Add more stuffing to top of Body and Head, cont to stuff as you go, maintaining flat shape.
- R 115: (K2tog, k4) 6 times. [30 sts]
- R 116-119: K 4 rounds.
- R 120: (K2tog, k3) 6 times. [24 sts]
- R 121-123: K 3 rounds.
- R 124: (K2tog, k2) 6 times. [18 sts]
- R 125-126: K 2 rounds.
- R 127: (K2tog) 9 times. [9 sts].
Cut yarn leaving long tail and thread onto tapestry needle. Weave through rem 9 sts and take them off needle tips as you weave yarn through. Pull gently to close gap, secure with a few sts, weave yarn tail into Head.
Step 3
knit a tail
Change to colour Sunreef and starting at the open end of Body, pick up and k 10 sts along each side of cast-on edge using 4 dpns, placing 5 sts onto each needle tip. [20 sts]
Knitting in rounds:
- R 1: (RS) (Kfb, k8, kfb) twice. [24 sts; 6 sts on each dpn]
- R 2: K all sts.
- R 3: (Kfb, k10, kfb) twice. [28 sts; 7 sts on each dpn]
- R 4: K all sts.
- R 5: (Kfb, k12, kfb) twice. [32 sts; 8 sts on each dpn]
- R 6: K all sts.
- R 7: (Kfb, k6, M1R, k2, M1L, k6, kfb) twice. [40 sts; 10 sts on each dpn] Divide for each Half of Tail
Division for the two halves of the tail Next round
- needle 1: Dpn 1: kfb, k to last 2 sts, k2tog, turn and sk dpns 2 and 3; dpn 4: k2tog tbl,
- needle 4: k to last st, kfb. [20 sts for First Half with 10 sts on each dpn]
- Cont on dpn 1 and dpn 4 only for First Half of Tail.
First Half of Tail:
- R 1:(dec round):
- needle 1: Dpn 1: k to last 2 sts, k2tog; dpn 4: k2tog tbl, k to end.
- needle 4: [18 sts; 9 sts on each dpn]
- R 2:
- needle 1: Dpn 1: kfb, k to last 2 sts, k2tog; dpn 4: k2tog tbl, k to last st, kfb.
- needle 4: Rep Rounds 1-2 a further 6 times. [6 sts; 3 sts on each dpn]
- Next round (dec round)
- needle 1: Dpn 1: k1, k2tog; dpn 4: k2tog tbl, k1.
- needle 4: [2 sts; 2 sts on each dpn]
- Cut yarn and weave through rem sts with wool needle. Pull tight and fasten off. Weave end into Tail. Push small amount of stuffing into First Half of Tail and neck of Tail.
Second half of Tail:
Starting at outside edge of dpn 3, rejoin Yarn E and rep as for First Half of Tail, adding small amount of stuffing as you go. If needed, stitch any small gaps at centre of Tail when weaving in ends.
Finishing
Stitch on two buttons for eyes (one to each side of Head).
Sample variant 2
Body 2: small stripes (3/3 Round Stripes).
(Stripe change after every 3 rounds).
- Color C 1 ball 412 Museum Square (colorful pastel)
- Color D 1 ball 408 Financial District (brown)
Knit the fish as follows:
- Cast on the stitches with color C as described for the body.
- Knit 3 rounds each in colors C and D until 99 rounds of the body are complete, then knit one more round in D. The unused thread is carried loosely in the fish and twisted loosely with the other color before each color change.
- Switch to color Sunreef and work the head and tail as described in steps 2 and 3.
Sample variant 2
Body 2: small stripes (3/3 Round Stripes).
(Stripe change after every 3 rounds).
- Color C 1 ball 412 Museum Square (colorful pastel)
- Color D 1 ball 408 Financial District (brown)
Knit the fish as follows:
- Cast on the stitches with color C as described for the body.
- Knit 3 rounds each in colors C and D until 99 rounds of the body are complete, then knit one more round in D. The unused thread is carried loosely in the fish and twisted loosely with the other color before each color change.
- Switch to color Sunreef and work the head and tail as described in steps 2 and 3.
Sample variant 3
Body: small and bold stripes (6/3 Round Stripes)
(Lane change after 6 or 3 laps)
- Color A: 1 ball of 403 Leafy Suburb (green/blue)
- Color C 1 ball 412 Museum Square (colorful pastel)
Knit the fish as follows:
- Cast on the stitches with color C as described for the body.
- Knit 6 rounds in color C and 3 rounds in color A until 99 rounds of the body are complete, then knit one more round in C. The unused thread is carried loosely through the fish and twisted loosely with the other color before each color change.
- Change to color Sunreef and work the head and tail as described in steps 2 and 3.
Sample variant 3
Body: small and bold stripes (6/3 Round Stripes)
(Lane change after 6 or 3 laps)
- Color A: 1 ball of 403 Leafy Suburb (green/blue)
- Color C 1 ball 412 Museum Square (colorful pastel)
Knit the fish as follows:
- Cast on the stitches with color C as described for the body.
- Knit 6 rounds in color C and 3 rounds in color A until 99 rounds of the body are complete, then knit one more round in C. The unused thread is carried loosely through the fish and twisted loosely with the other color before each color change.
- Change to color Sunreef and work the head and tail as described in steps 2 and 3.
Sample variant 4
Body: Scallops Colourwork
(see knitting pattern).
- Color B 1 ball 410 River Walk (blue)
- Color C 1 ball 412 Museum Square (colorful pastel)
Tip: To create the color change in each row of scales, cut the yarn at the end of each row of scales to start the next row with the new stripe color. To do this, simply knot the yarn again. Colors B and C for the scales and
Knit the fish as follows:
- Cast on the stitches with color B as described for the body.
- Then follow the knitting pattern (colors B+C) until 100 rounds for the body are complete.
- Cut off the colors that are no longer needed and leave them loose in the body of the fish.
- Change to color Sunreef and work the head and tail as described in steps 2 and 3.
Sample variant 4
Body: Scallops Colourwork
(see knitting pattern).
- Color B 1 ball 410 River Walk (blue)
- Color C 1 ball 412 Museum Square (colorful pastel)
Tip: To create the color change in each row of scales, cut the yarn at the end of each row of scales to start the next row with the new stripe color. To do this, simply knot the yarn again. Colors B and C for the scales and
Knit the fish as follows:
- Cast on the stitches with color B as described for the body.
- Then follow the knitting pattern (colors B+C) until 100 rounds for the body are complete.
- Cut off the colors that are no longer needed and leave them loose in the body of the fish.
- Change to color Sunreef and work the head and tail as described in steps 2 and 3.
Sample variant 5
Body: Zigzag Colourwork
(see knitting pattern)
- Color A: 1 ball of 403 Leafy Suburb (green/blue)
- Color B: 1 ball of 410 River Walk
Knit the fish as follows:
- Cast on the stitches with color A, as described for the body.
- Then follow the knitting pattern (colors A+B) until 100 rounds for the body are complete.
- Cut off the colors that are no longer needed and leave them loose in the body of the fish.
- Switch to color Sunreef and work the head and tail as described in steps 2 and 3.
Sample variant 5
Body: Zigzag Colourwork
(see knitting pattern)
- Color A: 1 ball of 403 Leafy Suburb (green/blue)
- Color B: 1 ball of 410 River Walk
Knit the fish as follows:
- Cast on the stitches with color A, as described for the body.
- Then follow the knitting pattern (colors A+B) until 100 rounds for the body are complete.
- Cut off the colors that are no longer needed and leave them loose in the body of the fish.
- Switch to color Sunreef and work the head and tail as described in steps 2 and 3.
Abbreviations
- [ ] = number of stitches at the end of a row
- k2tog = knit 2 sts tog to dec by 1 st: insert needle kwise into first 2 sts and knit them tog kfb knit front and back to inc by 1 st: insert needle kwise into next st; knit as normal but don’t slip st from needle, instead bring needle around to back and knit through back lp of same st
- RS = Right side
- inc increase
- p = purl
- sts = stitches
- M1L = make 1 left (left leaning inc): to inc by 1 st by picking up horizontal bar bet the 2 sts, bringing needle from front to back, then knit into back of this st
- M1R = make 1 right (right leaning inc): with left needle, pick up bar bet the 2 sts, bringing needle from back to front, then knit into front of this st
- RS = knit stitch
- Rip-M = Rib stitch
- WR = Wrong side
- zusstr = knit together
- (.......) once/twice/3 times = work instructions between brackets the total number of times stated
- .....; rep from * once more/twice more/3 times/to the end = work instructions after * and then repeat that section as specified
Tutorial also available for download and in the addi2go app
The written instructions for printing in German and English are provided by our partner Scheepjes.
Design by Lynne Rowe.
You can also find the instructions digitally in our addi2go app. There you can save the instructions in a project with row counters and notes.
