Zombie Piranha Fish Hat and Cowl
One day while I was telling my 7 year old son about the dead fish hat from Thelma Egberts I was making him he tells me, you should make it a Zombie Piranha hat. And then over the next day or so he keeps adding to it. It should have teeth, a neck cowl that also has teeth, removable guts (but make sure it is on a string so it can't get lost), and an exposed brain. Because what is a zombie without an exposed brain. So here it is, a zombie piranha fish hat. The base pattern is based off of Thelma Egberts dead fish hat found here: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter08/PATTfishy.php. I have altered and added a bunch to a 7 year old'sdevious imagination.
SIZE
One (will fit both child and adult) FINISHEDMEASUREMENTS Circumfence: 20 inches, unstretched Length: 17 inches
MATERIALS
Bulky yarn in the following colors: Dark green (1 ball, 135 yrds) for lips and fins, lighter green (2 balls, 270 yrds) for body, pink yarn for brains, darker pink for guts and detail for brains. White yarn for eyeball, small amount of black yarn for pupil. You wil have enough yarn left over for basic medium kid sizedmittens. Recommended needle size: 1 set US #7 circular to magic loop. I used a 24" to knit on the round, then converted to magic loop. 6.00 mm chrochet hook for chain stitching. Safety pin or split ring marker Black yarn or embroidery floss Small amount white fleece for eye and teeth. White sewing thread Tapestry needle Sewing needles with both large and small eyes Fiber fill for dangle eye Fleece hat to sew inside for warmth and to create a pocket to hold the guts on the inside of the hat. I have found fleece hats at the thrift shop for a good price. GAUGE 16 sts/24 rows = 4 inches in stockinette st
HAT DIRECTIONS
Using dark green color for fish lips, Cast On 90 stitches onto needles. Join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist, place marker. Work in stockinette st until work measures 1.5 inches. Break dark green and add the light green yarn. Knit one more row to have light green yarn on the active stitches.
Shape Mouth:
Mouth is shaped using short rows. You do not need to pick up stitches as the roll of the lip cover them Row 1 [RS]: K27, W&T. Row 17 [RS]: K65, W&T. Repeat Rows 2-16. Next Row [RS]: K to end of round. Shape Body: Work 3.75 inches in stockinette st. Decrease Round 1: [K8, k2tog] 9 times. 81 sts. Work 2.5 inches in stockinette st. (6.25 in from start of body color on the side of the hat, not where there are short rows) Decrease Round 2: [K7, k2tog] 9 times. 72 sts. Work .75 inches in stockinette st. (7 in from body start) Decrease Round 3: [K6, k2tog] 9 times. 63 sts.Stop working on the round and work back and forth in stockinette stitch. This will create a hole for the guts to come out of. Work 1.5 inches in stockinette st. (8.5 from body start) Start working in the round again. Decrease Round 4: [K5, k2tog] 9 times. 54 sts. Work 0.75 inch in stockinette st. (9.25 from body start) Decrease Round 5: [K4, k2tog] 9 times. 45 sts. Work 1.5 inches in stockinette st. (10.75) from body start) Decrease Round 6: [K2tog] to last 3 sts, k3tog. 22 sts.
Tail:
K 3 rounds. Cut body color and add lip color, dark green back on. Next Round: K17; place last 11 sts worked on small st holder. First half of tail will be worked back and forth over remaining 11 sts on needles (last 5 sts of current round and first 6 sts of next round). If desired, work tail using straight needles. If you need too, purl all stitches to start on the right side. Row 1 [RS]: [K1, kfb] 5 times, k1. 16 sts. Even-Numbered Rows (wrong side) 2-6 [WS]: P all sts. Row 3 [RS]: [K1, kfb] to end. 24 sts. Row 5 [RS]: K1, kfb, [k3, kfb] 5 times, k2. 30 sts. Rows 7-12: Work in stockinette st. Row 13 [RS]: K1, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, ssk, k1. 28 sts. Row 14 [WS]: P all sts. Rows 13-20: Work as for Rows 13-14. 22 sts. Row 21 [RS]: Work as for Row 13. BO remaining 20 sts. Replace held sts on needle and rejoin yarn with RS facing. Work Rows 1-21 as for first half of tail.
Dorsal Fin:
Lay hat flat, so that longest parts of short-rowed fish mouth are at center, and shortest parts are at side folds. Mark a column of sts along center of hat; this will be top of fish. Beginning approx. 7 inches above lower edge of hat and working towards tail, pick up and k 15 sts in marked columns of sts, picking up 1 st for each row. Leave enough room for the brain. K 1 row. Next Row: [Kfb] in each st to end. 30 sts. Work 5 rows in 1x1 Rib. BO all sts knitwise.
Pectoral Fins:
Mark a column of sts at each side of hat, centered over shortest parts of short-rowed fish mouth. Beginning approx. 3 inches above lower edge of hat and working towards tail, pick up and k 10 sts in one marked columns of sts, picking up 1 st for each row. K 1 row. Next Row: [Kfb] in each st to end. 20 sts. Continue as for Dorsal Fin. Repeat for other side
Fleece Eye:
Cut one circle of white fleece with diameter of approx. 1.75 inches. Use white sewing thread and small-eye sewing needle to sew to hat as show in photos. Use black yarn or embroidery floss and large-eye sewing needle to embroider a black X on the eye.
Dangling Eye:
In white cast on 10 stitches, join in the round being careful not to twist. Place marker and leave a long tail for sewing. Row 1 Knit all stitches Row 2 K2Tog all stitches (5 st) Row 3 K2Tog, k2Tog, K1 Row 4 to 6: knit all stitches Row 7 Kf&b, Kf&b, K1 (5 st) Row 8 Knit front and back (kf&b) of all stitches( 10 st) Row 9 K1, kf&b, repeat to end of round Row 10 k all stitches Row 11 k1, k2Tog, repeat to end of round., Break the white yarn, attach black yarn Row 12 k all stitches Row 13 k2Tog all stitches Stuff eye, break yarn and pull tight through stitches. Tie off and weave in ends. Guts: In light pink cast on 35 stitches leaving a long tail to use to secure to the hat. Work rows back and forth Row 1 [k, Yarn over (YO)] 16 times, k 3 times, [ YO, k] 16 times (67 stitches) Row 2 slip one, k32, w&t Row 3 [k1, YO] 15 times, k3, [YO, k1] 15 times Row 4 slip one, k30, w&t Row 5 [k1, YO] 30 times, k1 bind off all stitches, cut yarn, pull tight and weave in end.
Brain:
With Dark pink cast on 3 stitches. Work back and forth with sockettnett stitch Row 1 Kf&b, k1, Kf&b Row 2 and all wrong side: purl Row 3 kf&b, knit to last stitch, kf&b repeat row 2 and 3 for a total of 9 rows on the piece row 10 to 14 Work in sockettnett stitch for 4 rows Row 15 k1, k2tog, k to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1 Row 16 purl repeat row 15 and 16 until you have5 stitchesleft Bind off stitches leaving a long tail for sewing With light pink yarn and crochet hook, chain stitch for 22". Cut and tie off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Divide chain in half and put in the center of the dark pink oval. Pin down. Arange to look like brains, sewing doww with the tail. Teeth- cut 12" by 3" of white fleece. Cut down the middle for teeth. One side will be the teeth for the hat, one side the teeth for the cowel, so be careful.
FINISHING
Sew each tail half together along shaped edges. Sew the eyes and brain on the top of the head, as shown with the picture. When sewing the dangle eye, use scraps of pink yarn to add some stitches. Sew the guts into the crown of the head near the tail, where it can come out the hole made. Weave in all ends. Place the fleece hat into the inside of the knit hat, pin in place and invisible stitch in place.
Cowel
With light green yarn cast on 72 stitches, join in a round and be careful not to twist. Knit 2 X 2 ribbing (knit 2, purl 2) until the piece measures 3". Break light green and add on dark green. Knit until the piece measures 4 1/2". Bind off. Sew the teeth to the cowel along the edge where the dark green and light green met. Try to maintain the stretch of the cowel while sewing.
