how to crochet basic fish amigurumi

How to Crochet Basic Fish Amigurumi.

With a skein of yarn or less, you can make a three-dimensional or two-dimensional fish. Completing either project will take a moderate amount of time, but with enough patience and basic knowledge of essential crochet stitches, you can easily work up a cute fish of your own.

Steps.

1. Make a magic ring. This pattern starts with a standard magic ring using six chains.

Wrap the yarn around your fingers, creating a loop. The attached end should be to the right and the tail should be to the left.

Insert the hook through the loop from front to back, then use it to pull yarn through the ring, creating a second loop.

Chain stitch six times. If you do not know how to chain stitch, please consult the "Tips" section of this article.

Hold the attached end of the yarn taut while gently pulling down on the tail end. The stitches should close together at the center and complete the ring.

Slip stitch into the first stitch of the magic ring to advance to your first official round. If you do not know how to slip stitch, please see the "Tips" section of this article.

2. Single crochet into the ring. Work one single crochet into each stitch of your magic ring to complete the first official round.

Check the "Tips" section of this article for information about single crocheting.

This round should have six stitches in it.

3. Increase for the second round. Work one single crochet into the first stitch of your first round, then single crochet increase by two into the next stitch. Repeat this pattern a total of three times to complete this round.

To do a single crochet increase, simply work two single crochets into one stitch.

When done, this round should have nine stitches.

4. Increase again for the third round. Work one single crochet into each of the first two stitches of the previous round, then work two single crochets into the stitch after that (making a single crochet increase). Repeat a total of three times to complete the round.

When finished, this round should have 12 stitches.

5. Single crochet into each stitch. For the fourth round, work one single crochet into each stitch of the previous round.

This round should also have a total of 12 stitches.

6. Increase in the fifth round. Work one single crochet into each of the first three stitches, then work two single crochets into the stitch after that. Repeat a total of three times to complete the round.

When finished, this round should have 15 stitches in it.

7. Single crochet the next three rounds. For the sixth round, simply work one single crochet into each stitch of the previous round. Repeat this same pattern to complete rounds seven and eight, as well.

Each of these rounds will have a total of 15 stitches.

8. Add the safety eyes. The head of your fish is finished at this point, so you should be able to place the safety eyes accurately. The eyes should go on either side of the fish head and should be placed somewhere in between rounds three and four.

To place the eyes, slide the rod of the eye through the correct placement from the front of the work. Place your second eye in, as well, and adjust the two as needed to get them looking the way you want.

Once the eyes are placed as you'd like, push the washer onto the rod of the eye from the back of the work. Push it down as far as possible until the washer rests against the yarn. Repeat this step for the second eye, as well.

Note that the eyes will no longer be movable once you put the washers on.

9. Decrease for the ninth round. Work one single crochet into each of the first three stitches, then single crochet decrease into the next two stitches after that. Perform this process a total of three times to complete the round.

Essentially, a single crochet decrease is a standard single crochet stitch worked into two stitches instead of one. To make a single crochet decrease, draw a loop up from the next stitch, then draw a second loop up from the next stitch immediately after that. Yarn over the hook, then draw that yarn-over through all three loops on your hook to complete one single crochet decrease.

This round should have 12 stitches in it when finished.

10. Stuff the fish. Enough of the fish body should be finished at this point to begin the stuffing process. Add as much stuffing to the head and body as you can without interfering with the remainder of your stitch work.

From this point on, you will need to gradually add more stuffing as you go.

11. Decrease the next two rounds. For rounds 10 and 11, you will need to continue decreasing your stitches. In doing so, you will bring the body of the fish to its end.

For round 10, work two single crochets into each of the first two stitches, then work one single crochet decrease over the next two stitches after that. Perform this process a total of three times to complete a round of nine stitches.

For round 11, work one single crochet into the first stitch of the previous round. Work a single crochet decrease into the next two stitches after that, and continue decreasing for a total of four stitches. When done, this round should only have five stitches.

12. Increase the next two rounds. For rounds 12 and 13, you will work two single crochet into each stitch of the previous round.

Work two single crochets into each stitch for the twelfth round, repeating the increase process five times and giving you a total of 10 stitches.

Work two single crochets into each stitch for the thirteenth round, repeating the increase process 10 times and giving you a total of 20 stitches.

Slip stitch the last and first stitch of the final round together before closing off the fish.

13. Close the base of the fish. Cut the yarn, leaving a yarn tail measuring at least 4 inches (10 cm) that you can use to close the base of the fish.

Weave the excess yarn into the center of the caudal tail using your crochet hook.

Catch five stitches in the center of the caudal tail using your crochet hook, then pull the excess yarn through all five stitches to tightly draw the hole closed.

Pull the excess yarn through the remaining loop on your hook to form a secure knot.

Weave any remaining yarn into the stitches of the tail, hiding it from sight and completing the closing process.

Make sure that you have added all the plush stuffing you need to the head, body, and tail of the fish before closing it off.

14. Add a dorsal fin. To make the fish look more realistic, you'll need to add one dorsal fin along the top edge of the fish.

Use a tapestry needle to weave the yarn under one stitch along the top edge. This stitch should be centered in between the eyes and on the same round as the eyes.

Make a slipknot to attach the yarn to the hook. If you do not know how to make a slipknot, consult the "Tips" section. Keep a long tail behind this slipknot.

Insert the needle into the round directly behind your current stitch, maintaining your current alignment as best as possible. Work one single crochet into this stitch.

Work three half double crochets into the stitches behind your current one. Complete these stitches in a straight line along the top of the fish. If you do not know how to work a half double crochet, please check the "Tips" section of this article.

Work one slip stitch at the base of the fin to smooth it out.

Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail. Weave the excess yarn into the center of the caudal fin at the back of the fish, then draw the remaining excess through the loop on your hook to knot it off.

15. Add two pectoral fins. You will need to make one pectoral fin on either side of the fish body. When you complete these fins, your amigurumi fish will be finished.

Use a tapestry needle to weave the yarn under one stitch lying two rounds behind the eyes and lying one stitch below the eye on one side.

slipknot the yarn onto the hook, leaving a long tail of yarn.

Work five half double crochets into one stitch.

Cut off the yarn, leaving another long tail. Weave the excess yarn tails into the center of the caudal fin on the back of the fish, then draw the excess yarn through the loop on your hook to make a knot.

Repeat on the exact opposite side of your fish to make a second pectoral fin.

This completes your project.

Tips.

To make a chain stitch:

Wrap the attached side of the yarn in between the hook and the loop already on the hook.

Pull this yarn through the loop on your hook to complete the stitch.

To make a slip stitch:

Insert the hook through the indicated stitch.

Yarn over the hook.

Pull the yarn through the all loops previously gathered on the hook to complete the stitch.

To work a single crochet:

Insert the hook into the indicated stitch.

Catch the yarn with your hook and pull it through to the front of the stitch. There should be two loops on your hook.

Yarn over the hook

Pull the yarn-over through both loops on your hook to complete the stitch.

To make a slip knot on your crochet hook:

Cross the attached end of the yarn over the working end, creating a loop.

Push the attached side of the yarn into this loop from beneath it, creating a second loop. Tighten the first loop to secure the second loop.

Insert the crochet hook into the second loop and tighten it.

To work a half double crochet:

Yarn over the hook, then insert the hook through the indicated stitch.

Yarn over the hook again and pull that yarn back through to the front of the stitch.

Yarn over the hook once more, then pull this yarn-over through all three loops on your hook to finish the stitch.

To make a double crochet:

Yarn over the hook.

Insert the hook into the indicated stitch.

Catch the yarn with the hook and pull it back through to the front of the stitch. You should have three loops on your hook.

Wrap the yarn over the hook again, then draw the yarn through the first two loops on your hook.

Yarn over the hook once more, and draw it through the last two loops on the hook to complete the stitch.



Things You'll Need :

Medium weight yarn, 1 pair of 6 mm safety eyes, 3.5 mm (E-4) crochet hook, Tapestry needle, Plush stuffing, Scissors.