Make it! April Fool's Day Fish !!!

Today could be a day full of jokes .... all over the world !!!!
In Italy we have the custom to cut out a fish from a piece of paper (read here !) and we try to stick it on the back of a person (trying to be gentle, so that the victim is not aware of it) and then laugh at her/his shoulders .... silly, but such fun when I was a kid!!!

Today, instead, I will love to give you a mini pattern (no photo tutorial, sorry!) that allows you to crochet some little fish to gift to your friends ... no jokes here!!!

WHAT YOU NEED :

• some colourful cotton yarns
• a hook or more : I was working both with  3,5mm (one strand) and 4mm (2 strands). I've used once even a 3mm hook!
• a pair of scissors
• safety pins
• buttons
• yarn needle
• a needle to sew on the buttons

Remember that I follow the US crochet terminology ! ;oD

April Fool's Day Fish PATTERN :

Choose a bright colour from your cottons (any other fibre is fine, too!) and make a slip knot on your hook
Row 1 : chain 3, make 3 hDC (= half double crochets) in first chain, chain 2 and turn
Row 2 : (increasing row) 2 hDC in first stitch, 1 hDC in next stitch, 2 hDC in last stitch, chain 2 and turn
Rows 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 : work 5 hDC, chain 2 and turn
Row 8 : (decreasing row) 2 hDCtog (= half double crochets together : decreasing!), 1 hDC, 2 hDCtog , chain 2 and turn
Row 9 : (decreasing row) work 3 hDCtog, chain 2 and turn
Row 10 : work 3 hDC in same stitch, chain 2 and turn
Row 11: 3 hDC, chain 2 and turn
Row 12 : (increasing row) 2 hDC in first stitch, 1 hDC in next stitch, 2 hDC in last stitch

From now on, you can choose between two options :

OPTION 1 :

chain 1 and slip stitch all around the fish body, until you reach again the tail and
Row 13 : 1 SC (= single crochet) in first stitch, [2 DC (= double crochet), 1 slip stitch, 2 DC ] in third stitch, 1 SC in last stitch

Cut yarn, fasten off and trim ends in . Sew on a button as the fish eye.

OPTION 2 :

You can decide to not slip stich all around the fish body, so, instead, at the end of row 12 you can chain 1 and then turn
Row 13 : as in option 1

Cut yarn, fasten off and trim ends in. Sew on a button as the fish eye.

When working on my colour block fish, I preferred to use option 1, while working with two strands together (baker's twine effect) I used option 2 !!



The only exception was the above pink/white one, where I still used option 1 !!!

As usual, I'm not able to post just a couple of pictures .....

So, if you wanna follow the Italian custom, just add a pin to your fish and wear it all day long !!!!

You can even decide to make a simple necklace , as I did ..

Have fun today, xxxx Ale

Today party links : Link your Stuff! and Craft Schooling Sunday

Please, show me your makes on IG using the following hashtag : #homemadeatmyplaceoriginals or  tagging me @alessandrapoggiagliolmi .

Text, Design and Photography : Alessandra Poggiagliolmi

All Rights Reserved. No part of this pattern may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder.