Merry Chris-Fish Christmas Stocking Pattern: Knit a Festive Fish-Shaped Holiday Decoration from Top Down

Everyone will want to look this gift-fish in the mouth! Knit in the round from the top down, with no seams or pieces to put together, the Chris-Fish is fun to knit and adaptable to many design motifs. Color changes and pattern combinations are only suggestions.

Materials

3-5 oz of worsted weight yarn in assorted Christmas colors (at least 2 oz of Main Color) US Size 6 double pointed needles (5) in short (6-7") & long lengths (10"), 16" circular needle US size6 2 ring markers in 2 colors tapestry needle Gauge: 10 sts & 12 rows = 2"

Techniques

w&t - wrap & turn: On knit side - bring the yarn forward, slip the next st as if to purl, take the yarn to the back of the work, slip the slipped st back onto the left needle, turn the work and begin to purl. On purl side - take yarn to back of work, slip the next st as if to purl, bring yarn forward, slip the slipped st back onto left needle, turn the work and begin to knit. This technique can produce small holes if the yarn is pulled too tightly around the slipped st. The wraps can be knit along with their corresponding st to minimize the holes. If you would like to do so, please refer to any basic knitting reference for more details. m1 - make 1: Make a st by picking up the loop lying between the st just worked and the next st. Knit into the back of this st. k2 tog tbl: Insert right needle purlwise through the next 2 sts and knit them together. Kitchener Stitch: Divide sts evenly on two dpns with the tail of the yarn to the back. Thread tail on a tapestry needle (TN). Holding the dpns parallel to one another, \*take the TN through the first st on the front dpn knitwise and take the st off the dpn. Bring the TN through the next st on the front dpn purlwise and leave on the dpn. Take the TN through the first st on the back dpn purlwise and take the st off the dpn. Bring the TN through the next st on the back dpn knitwise and leave on the dpn\*. Repeat \*\* until all sts have been worked off the needles. Bring the tail to the inside, knot.

Head & Body

Switch from double pointed needles to circular whenever the piece is large enough and back to double points when the knitting is stretched on the circular needle. With Main Color (MC), CO 50 sts loosely. Join in round, being careful not to twist sts. Rnd 1: K30, place marker (pm), k20, pm. The last marker marks the beginning of the rounds. Make note of the color of this marker for referencelater. Rnd 2: K27, w&t, p24, w&t, k23, w&t, p22, w&t, k21, w&t, p20, w&t, k to next marker, k16, w&t, p12, w&t, k11, w&t, p10, w&t, k to beg of rnd. Rnd 3: K 1 round. Rnd 4: K22, w&t, p14, w&t, k to beg of round. This completes the mouth. Rnd 5: Change to CC and k 1 rnd or continue with MC. Rnd 6: K26, w&t, p22, w&t, k21, w&t, p20, w&t, k18, w&t, p16, w&t, k3, \* m1,k2\* (5 times), k3, w&t, p17,w&t, k to next marker, k14, w&t, p8, w&t, \*k1, m1\* (5 times), k1, w&t, p9, w&t, k to beg_ of rnd. (60sts) K15 rnds, removing 2"d marker at 35 st point. Begin charted patterns, knitting 2 rounds of any color between each pattern until fish measures 71/2-10" or more from beg of patterns. End patterns with 2 rnds MC. (7-8" will give you a perch, 8-9" will give you a trout, and 10+" will give you a mackerel or sturgeon...)

Decreases to Tail

Using 4 dpns, transfer 15 sts onto each needle. Rnd 1: K2tog, k25, k2tog tbl, k1, k2tog, k25, k2tog tbl, k1. Rnds 2,3,5,6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22 & 24: Knit. Rnd 4: K11, k2tog tbl, k1, k2tog, k23, k2tog, k1, k2tog tbl, k toendof rnd. Rnd 7: K2tog, k21, k2tog tbl, k1, k2tog, k21, k2tog tbl, k1. Rnd 10: K9, k2tog tbl, k1, k2tog, k19, k2tog, k1, k2tog tbl, k to end of rnd. Rnd 13: K2tog, k17, k2tog tbl, k1, k2tog, k17, k2tog tbl, k1. (40 sts) Rnd 16: K7, k2tog tbl, k1, k2tog, k15, k2tog, k1, k2tog tbl, k to end of rnd. Rnd 19: K2tog, k13, k2tog tbl, k1, k2tog, k13, k2tog tbl, k1. Rnd 21: K5, k2ktog tbl, k1, k2tog, k11, k2tog, k1, k2tog tbl, k to end of rnd. Rnd 23: K2tog, k9, k2tog tbl, k1, k2tog, k9, k2tog tbl, k1. (24sts)

Iall

Rnd 1: \*K2, m1\* around. (36 sts) Rnds 2-5: Work 1 repeat of Tail Zig Zag pattern (4 rows) in MC & a contrast color. Rnds 6, 8, 12, 14 & 16: With MC, knit. Rnd 7: \*K2, m1, k1, m1\* around. Rnds 9-11: Work 1 repeat of 3/3 pattern (3 rows) in MC & a contrast color. Rnd 13: Cont in MC, k12, k2tog tbl, k1, k2tog, k26, k2tog, k1, k2tog tbl, k12. Rnd 15: K11, k2tog tbl, k1, k2tog, k24, k2tog, k1, k2tog tbl, k11. (52 sts) Next Row: K13 sts. Bind off begins at this point. Divide rem sts onto 2 long dpns and BO in Kitchener Stitch, using a 36" tail for sewing.

Fin

Lay fish flat. Determine dorsal fin location. With two 10" dpns, pick up 52 sts, 26 sts on each needle, on either side of the center top of the fish, leaving V2 stitch between the two parallel needles. Fins are knit in the round on two needles. Do not worry about bridging the gap between the needles as you work. Attach yarn at tail end of fin and work yarn tail into body. The first round or two of knitting can be a bit tight. Rnd 1: Knit. Rnd 2: K24, \*k2tog\* twice, k24. Rnd 3: \*K2tog\* twice, k19, \*k2tog\* twice, k19, \*k2tog\* twice. Rnd 4: K2tog, k18, \*k2tog\* twice, k18, k2tog. Rnd 5: \*K2tog\* twice, k12, \*k2tog\* 4 times, k12, \*k2tog\* twice. Rnd 6: K2tog, k12, \*k2tog\* twice, k12, k2tog. Rnd 7: \*K2tog\* twice, k20, \*k2tog\* twice. Rnd 8: K10, \*k2tog\* twice, k10. Rnd 9: \*K2tog\* twice, k5, \*k2tog\* twice, k5, \*k2tog\* twice. Rnd 10: \*K2tog\* twice, k8, \*k2tog\* twice. Rnd 11: K2tog, k2, \*k2tog\* twice, k2, k2tog. Rnd 12: K2tog, around. Break yarn and sew through sts. Pull snug, knot and sew tail inside fin.

Flippers - Left Side

Decide where you want the flippers to be. Place them about 112-2" up from the bottom edge of the fish at a 45°angle to the tail. Flippers are knit in the round as for Fin. With 2 short dpns, pick up 8 sts - 4 on each needle, parallel to one another. Attach yarn at fin underside, near tail end of dpns and work yarn tail to inside. Rnd 1: Knit Rnd 2: K in front & back of each st around. (16 sts) Rnd 3: Inc in the first st, k 4, inc. Rnd 4: K7, \*k2 tog\* twice, k7. Rnds 5, 7, 9, & 11: Knit. Rnd 6: K2tog, k12, k2tog. Rnd 8: K5, \*k2tog\* twice, k5. Rnd 10: K4, \*k2tog\* twice, k4. Rnd 12: K2tog, k1, \*k2tog\* twice, k1, k2tog. Bind off in Kitchener Stitch, using a 6" tail for sewing.

Flippers - Right side

Set up the 2 parallel dpns same as for left side. Attach yarn at topside of flipper, near tail end of dpns. Work same as for left flipper.

I-Cord Loop

Find center of upper lip. With short dpn, pick up and knit 3 sts on RS, just behind the lip. Do not turn. \*Slide the 3 sts to the other end of the dpn and k\*. Repeat until cord is 4-5" long. Break yarn and sew through sts with tapestry needle. Stitch end of cord to inside of mouth to form ring. Sew tails into I-cord.

Finishing

The Merry Chris-Fish can be eye-less. If you'd like an eye, use a 1" button as a guide. Temporarily tack the button where the eye will be. Embroider around it with CC. Remove button and make a French knot for the pupil. If you'd rather not embroider the eye, sew on a button. Merry Chris-Fish to you! P-2 1999. FiberSpace. All rights reserved. Linda Taylor P O Box 765, Sterling CO 80751 www.fiberspacepatterns.com Revised09/07

Zig Zag

3/3 Pattern

Tail Zig Zag

Checkerboard

Big Fish

Heart

Holly

Chris-Fish Charts

Worked from the top down. Any chart with a multiple of 5 or 6 stitches will work. Use your favorite snowflake, candy cane, Christmas tree, alphabet or numbers chart.