Fishy Wishy

Great for using up scraps of yarn. This pattern is based on Frida the Fish by Lion Brand Yarn but converted to work in the round and with different fins.
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Yarn weight and needle size do not matter for this project, use needles which give a dense fabric to stop the stuffing coming through. Thicker yarns will give a bigger fish. The fish in the photo is made from double knit yarn and is about 10cm/4" long.

To make a fishy wishy you need:
Small amount of yarn in your choice of weight plus contrasting colour for fins.
Needles of appropriate size (see above)
Stuffing
Tapestry needle
Safety eyes/googly eyes/embroidery thread

If making for a pet or child make sure eyes and fins are firmly and safely attached/worked.

Top fin:
Cast on 30 sts loosely (single cast on works well)
*k3tog, p3tog* repeat to end
*k1, p1* repeat to end for 3 rows
Cast off

Side fin (make 2):
Cast on 15 sts loosely
*k3tog, p3tog* repeat to end
p1, k1, p1, k1, p1
k1, p1, k1, p1, k1
p1, k1, p1, k1, p1
k1, p1, k1, p1, k1
Cast off

Body:
Cast on 9 sts leaving a 15cm/6" tail of yarn and divide over 3 dpns (3 sts on each).
k all sts
Increases:
Round 1: kfb first stitch on needle, k to last stitch, kfb. Repeat on needles 2 & 3.
Round 2: K all sts
Repeat rows 1 & 2 to 57sts or desired size
k all sts for 5 rounds
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Decreases:
Round 1: k2tog, k to last 2 sts on needles, ssk. Repeat on needles 2 & 3.
Round 2: k all sts
Repeat rows 1 & 2 to 27 sts.
Stop and add eyes, sew on fins. Use cast on tail to close hole at mouth end. Begin stuffing the body.
Continue with decrease rounds to 9 sts, adding stuffing as you go.

Tail: (worked on 9sts from body)
k1, kfb, k1. Repeat on needles 2 & 3.
*k1, p1* repeat around
*kfb, p1* repeat around
*k2, p1* repeat around
*k2, pfb* repeat around
*k2, p2* repeat around. Repeat until tail is desired length.
Cast off leaving a 15cm/6" tail.
Thread yarn tail onto a tapestry needle and work yarn through tail fabric to point where the body and tail meet. Use tail to tighten join and ensure no stuffing can escape. Work yarn end into fabric and trim.

Attach eyes and fins if not already done.

Why Fishy Wishy? Because of this :D. Feel free to dance around waving your completed fishy as you listen.

Mousey pattern

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I posted this mousey as a FO a while back, and someone asked for the pattern. It is based on the one from the catwarming set by Michelle Ameron in the stitch and bitch book, but I altered it to work in the round and reduced sewing together of pieces.
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What you need:
Yarn
Stuffing
Embroidery thread
Needles for working in the round, I used dpns but it should be workable for other methods.
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I have not given a yarn type, needle size or gauge as this pattern is ideal for using up scraps and the needle required is whatever gives anice firm fabric that the stuffing does not poke through (I used DK yarn and 3mm needles).
I opted for acrylic yarn and polyester toy stuffing rather than using wool and wool scraps, this has two advantages- it can be thrown in the wash and I did not want the cat to get a taste for wool!
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There are two options for the ears, either make them seperately first or leave a REALLY (really really) long tail when you cast on to make them from, this allows the whole toy to be made from one length of yarn so there are no sewn on bits to fall off.
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Ears (make 2):
CO8 sts
Work 4 rows stst
k2tog across row
Cut yarn and thread through sts and tie, leave tail for sewing on.

Body:
CO 3sts (remember to leave a long tail if you are doing the ears that way)
Working as for I-cord k one rnd
Use a new needle to kf&b of first st, repeat for each st. You should now have 6sts spread across 3 needles.
rnd 3 and all odd rnds k all sts
rnd 4: Kf&b twice, k2 kf&b twice
rnd 6: k2, (kf&b, k1) 4 times
rnd 8: (k2, kf&b) twice, k2, (kf&b, k2) twice
rnd 10: (k3, kf&b) twice, k2, (kf&b, k3) twice
rnd 12: (k4, kf&b) twice, k2, (kf&b, k4) twice
Continue increases as above until mouse is desired size
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k all sts for approx 2.5cm/1 inch.
Add ears in desired position, either:
Firmly sew on pre made ears- weave the yarn tail down the edge of the ear and use to sew onto body.
or
Thread cast on tail into a tapestry needle, bring needle in through nose and up in ear position. Bring yarn over a spare needle and back into work. Repeat to make 8 loops over the needle along the line of the ear. Bring the yarn back out and work the sts as for the ear above.
When you have finished the first ear weave the tail back down the edge of the ear, into the body and repeat process for the second ear. Tie the end off firmly inside the body.
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Use the embrodiery thread to add nose and eye details if desired.
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Continue knitting body as before until it is your desired length.
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Stuff the mouse quite firmly then close the body as follows:

rnd 1: (k2, k2tog) repeat around round
rnd 2: k all sts
rnd 3: (k1, k2tog) repeat around round
rnd 4: k all sts
rnd 5: (k2tog) repeat round round
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Depending on the size of the mouse as determined by the increases made additional decrease rounds may be required, repeat rnd 5 until 3 or 4 sts remain.
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Work remaining sts as I-cord to create the tail. When tail is desired length cast off and sew in ends.
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Give to cat as bribery to stay away from your stash.

FOs- Mousey and square

This week's FO is actually the one for last week and vice versa. I posted them that way round as this little chap was a suprise for my swap partner and her cat in the £5 swap for June. Didn't want to spoil the suprise by blogging a picture before the parcel got to her in the post.

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This mousey is based on the one in the Stitch and Bitch Nation book, but I converted it to be knit in the round and made the body and tail in one piece. Was going to stuff him with wool scraps but did not want to encourage the cat to develop a taste for wool so went with toy stuffing.

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He is a bit small to be a project all by himself but I am going to let him (after all they are my rules so I guess I can break them :D).

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And of course the obligatory sock yarn blanket square, a nice bright red this week left over from my fire socks.
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