how to crochet fish dishcloth

How to Crochet Fish Dishcloth.

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 foundation ring. Attach the yarn to your hook using a slipknot. Work a chain of six chain stitches, then slip stitch the first and last chain together to form a ring.

If you do not know how to make a slipknot, slip stitch, or chain stitch, please see the "Tips" section of this article for instructions.

2. Double crochet into the ring. Work 12 double crochets into the center of your ring to complete the first official round. Join the first and last stitch together with a slip stitch before advancing to the next round.

For instructions of working a double crochet, please see the "Tips" section.

3. Double crochet increase for the second round. Make two chain stitches. Double crochet twice into the next stitch of your previous round, then continue double crocheting twice into each stitch after that until you reach the end of your round.

Working two double crochets into one stitch can also be called a "double crochet increase."

Do not repeat the initial "chain two" at any other point in this round.

4. Double crochet and chain stitch for the third round. Chain two. Double crochet once into the next stitch, then work one chain stitch, and repeat this pattern until you reach the end of this round.

Note that the initial "chain two" should not be repeated a second time in this round.

5. Double crochet increase around the fourth round. Chain two. Work two double crochets (or a double crochet increase) into the next stitch, then repeat as needed until you reach the end of the round.

Do not repeat the initial "chain two" of this round.

6. Fasten off the body. Cut the yarn, leaving a 2-inch (5-cm) tail. Pull this tail through the loop on your hook to knot off the work, then weave any excess yarn into the back of the project.

This step completes the body of the fish. You should have a standard round dishcloth at this point.

7. Work the fishtail. Choose any point along the outer perimeter of the fish body and tie on the yarn for your tail. Attach the yarn to the hook using a slipknot.

Work one single crochet into each of the next nine spaced to form a foundation for the tail.

Chain three, then turn the work before continuing.

Work one double crochet into the first space and two double crochets into the space after that. Repeat as needed until you reach the last space.

Chain three, then turn again.

For the final row, work one double crochet into the first space and two double crochets into the space after that, as you did for the previous row. Repeat until you reach the end of the row.

Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail. Pull this excess yarn through the loop on your hook to fasten off the fishtail, then weave any remaining excess into the back of your work.

8. Make the lips. Flip your fish over so that the back side faces you. Fold the body in half with the tail centered along one side. Find the point along the opposite side of the body aligned to the center of your fishtail and count two spaces down. Tie the yarn for the lip to that space, then attach your hook with a slipknot and prepare to crochet the lips.

Working up along the side of the fish body, make a single crochet into each of the next four stitches.

Flip the fish over to the front. Chain four, then work four double crochets into one space.

In the next space, work one single crochet. If you do not know how to single crochet, check the "Tips" section.

Work five double crochets into the following space.

Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail. Pull the excess through the loop on your hook to knot the fish lips and weave the remainder into the back of the work.

9. Make a fin on the top and bottom. Fold the body of the fish to find the center top of the circle. Attach the yarn to the body and to your hook, then crochet the fin. When finished with the top fin, repeat this procedure to find the center bottom of the body and work the bottom fin.

For each fin, work five single crochets into the body, moving from right to left. Turn the work, then chain three.

Work one double crochet into the first space and two double crochets into the next space. Repeat across the row, then chain three and turn the work.

Work one double crochet into the first space and two double crochets into the space after that. Repeat across the row to finish it.

Cut the yarn and draw the excess through the loop on your hook, tying it off. Hide the remaining yarn in the back of the work.

Once you finish the top and bottom fins, your project is complete.

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 :

Cotton yarn, 5.0 mm (H-8) crochet hook, Tapestry needle, Scissors.