FIBERSPRCE Beaded Aquarium Series: Yellow Tang P-12
The Yellow Tang is knit flat using bead knitting techniques (described below). The fins are picked up and knit onto the fish body. Finished size: 4" x 3". Collect all of the FiberSpace fish and underwater life patterns for a completebeaded aquarium!
Materials
Size 8 DMC perle cotton, 1 ball yellow US Size 0000 (1.25mm) double pointed needles ·Size 11 yellow seed beads, 5 strands 2 topaz 8mm glass “lentil" disks & 2 black seed beads Small sewing needle, beading needle or Big Eye Small amount of matching carded wool or soft yarn Beading thread, monofilament line to hang fish Gauge: 10 sts/1" in beaded kniting
Techniques
Transferring Seed Beads To Cotton - In order to do bead knitting, seed beads must first be transferred from the hank to the cotton. For best results, place the hank of beads on a cookie sheet or something similar to catch "runaways". Carefully separate one end of one strand from the hank. Tie a knot around the last bead in the strand and remove the other end from the hank. This will keep the beads from slipping off the end. Unwind 3-4 yards of cotton. Tie (one tie only, do not knot) the unknotted end of the bead string to the cotton, about 12"-1" from the end. Gently slide the beads from the strand, over the tie and onto the cotton. Transfer short sections of beads and move them down the full length of the cotton. If a bead will not go over the tie, undo it and remove the bead. As the work progresses, continue to gently slide the beads down the length of the cotton. Beaded Knitting (Kslip) - Insert the needle into the st to be knit, slide bead up against needle and knit the st. This technique is used when knitting on the wrong side (WS) and results in bead placement on the right side (RS). inc - a.k.a., k1 f&b - increase. Knit in the front and the back of the next st. To increase with beads, place bead on first st of increase only, using Kslip if knitting on the on the WS and Kbead if knitting on the RS. skp - slip, knit, pass. Slip the next st as if to purl, knit the following st, pass the slipped st over the knit st. To skp with beads, Kslip on the knit st if decreasing on the WS, Kbead if decreasing on the RS. w&t - Wrap & Turn, short rows. Slip the next st, bring the yarn forward and slip st back onto left hand needle. Turn work. 3 Needle Bind Off. Divide sts evenly on 2 needles. Fold right sides together. Half of the sts are on one needle and half on the other. Holding the needles parallel, \*k2tog\* (1 from front needle, 1 from back needle). Repeat \*\* once. Pass the first st over second st. Continue to k2tog, 1 front st and 1 back st, and bind off across.
Head & Body
Transfer all beads to cotton. (See "Techniques") Mouth & Head: - Knit mouth without beads. Cast on 9 sts. Knit 8 rows stockinette st. Next row: Slip 1 (knitwise), k2, inc, k1, inc, k to end. Next row: K 3 rows in st st. Next Row: Slip 1, k3, inc, k1, inc, k to end. (13 sts) NOTE: When knitting the head, body and fins, always slip the first st knitwise without a bead (unless otherwise noted). All subsequent rows are now knit for body, tail and fins. All right side (RS) rows in body are knit without beads, i.e., Slip 1, \*knit\* across. All wrong side (WS) rows are Kslip, i.e., Slip 1, \*Kslip\* across, unless otherwise noted. If work becomes tight on needle, place 12 the stitches on a second needle and knit across each needle individually with a third needle.
Body
Row 1: (WS) Slip 1, \*Kslip 1, k1 without bead\* across. Row 2: Slip 1, k2, \*inc, k1\* 4 times, k2. Row 3: Repeat Row 1. Row 4: Slip 1, \*knit\* across. Row 5: Slip 1, \*Kslip\* across. Row 6: Slip 1, k2, \*inc, k1\* 6 times, k2. (23 sts) Rows 7-9: Slip1, \*k\* across, remember to Kslip on WS rows. Row 10: Slip 1, k1, \*inc, k2\* 3 times, k1, \*k2, inc\* 3 times, k2. (29 sts) Rows 11-13: Knit as in Rows 7-9. Row 14: Slip 1, k7, \*inc, k1\* twice,\* inc\* twice, k1,\* inc\* twice, \*k1, inc\* twice, k to end. Rows 15-17: Knit as in Rows 7-9. Row 18: Slip 1, k13, inc, k1,\*inc\* twice, k1, \*inc\* twice, k1, inc, k to end. Row 19: Slip 1, \*Kslip\* across. Row 20: Slip 1, k17, \*inc, k1\* 4 times, k to end. Row 21: Slip 1, \*Kslip\* across. Row 22: Slip 1, k17, \*skp, k1\* 4 times, k to end. (43 sts) Rows 23-41: Knit as in Rows 7-9. Mark the first row of this section.
Decreases To Tail
Row 42: Slip 1, k1, skp, k15, skp, k1, skp, k15, skp, k2. Rows 43-45: Knit as in Rows 7-9. Row 46: Slip 1, k1, skp, k13, skp, k1, skp, k13, skp, k2. Rows 47-49: Knit as in Rows 7-9. Row 50: Slip 1, k1, skp, k11, skp, k1, skp, k11, skp, k2. Rows 51-53:Knitas inRows 7-9. Row 54: Slip 1, k1, skp, k9, skp, k1, skp, k9, skp, k2. Rows 55-57: Knit as in Rows 7-9. Row 58: Slip 1, \*k1, skp\* twice, k4, skp, k1, skp, k4, skp, k1, skp, k2. (21 sts) Rows 59-61: Knit as in Rows 7-9. Row 62: Slip 1, k1, skp, k4, skp, k1, skp, k4, skp, k2. Row 63: Slip1, \*Kslip\* across. Row 64: Slip 1, k1, skp, k2, skp, k1, skp, k2, skp, k2. Row 65: Slip1, \*Kslip\* across. Row 66: (Tail begins) Slip 1, \*skp, k1\* across. (9 sts) Rows 67-69: Knit as in Rows 7-9. Row 70: Slip 1, \*inc, k1\* across. Rows 71-73: Knit as in Rows 7-9. Row 74: Slip 1, inc, k2, inc, k3, inc, k2, inc, k1. (17 sts) Rows 75-77: Knit as in Rows 7-9. Row 78: Slip 1, \*k1, inc\* 3 times, k3, \*inc, k1\* 3 times, k1. Row 79: Slip1, \*Kslip\* across. Row 80: Slip 1, inc, k1, inc, k4, \*inc, k1\* 3 times, inc, k4, \*inc, k1\* twice. (31 sts) Rows 81-83: Knit as in Rows 7-9. Row 84: Slip 1, k13, skp, k to end. (30 sts) Divide sts evenly on 2 dpns. Fold tail in half, RS together, and work 3 needle bind-off (See Techniques). Sew tail sections together up to point at which tail joins body.
Dorsal Fin - Left Side
Hold fish, wrong sides together and match edges to ensure fish is divided evenly. There should be a row of beads on either side of the top center line. With head facing left and tail right, pick up 20 sts along the edge by inserting needle under the cotton where it goes through the top of thebead. Start about 4 beads from the narrowestpartofthetail.Attachcottonattailendof needle. Do not slip the first st of rows beginning witr skp. Slip 1, \*Kslip\* on all even numbered rows. Row 1: (RS) K in the back of each st. Row 2: Slip 1, k to last 2 sts, skp. Row 3: Skp, k to last 2 sts, skp. Row 4: Repeat Row 2. Row 5: Repeat Row 3. Row 6: Repeat Row 2. Row 7: Slip 1, k to end. Row 8: Repeat Row 2. (12 sts) Rows 9-12: Skp, k to last 2 sts, skp. Row 13: Slip 1, k1, skp. (3 sts) Row 14: Skp, and bind off last st. Cut cotton, leaving about 6" tail. Pull tail through last st.
Dorsal Fin - Right Side
Turn fish around, head facing right, and repeat pick-up process as for Left Side, matching sts to fin just completed. Attach cotton at tail end of needle and Kslip one row, knitting in the back of each st. Knit Rows 2-14 as for Left side. Slip 1, \*Kslip\* on all odd numbered rows. Sew edges of dorsal fin together and work ends to inside.
Lower Fin - Left Side
Hold fish, WS together, tail left, open edges at top. Starting 114" from narrowest part of tail and working back to tail, pick up 12 sts (as in Dorsal Fin). Attach cotton at head end of needle. Row 1: Knit in the back of each st. Row 2: Slip 1, \*Kslip\* across. Row 3: Slip 1, k7, w&t, Kslip to end, turn, slip 1, k6, w&t, Kslip to end, turn, slip 1, k5, w&t, Kslip to end, turn, skp, k3, w&t, Kslip to end, turn, skp, k2, w&t, Kslip to end, turn, skp, k across. Next Row: Slip 1, Kslip to last 2 sts, skp. Bind off loosely.
Lower Fin - Right Side
Pick up 12 corresponding sts on lower right side. Attach cotton at tail end of needle. Row 1: (RS) Knit in the back of each st. Rows 2 & 3: Slip 1, \*Kslip\* across WS; Slip 1, \*k\* across RS. Row 4: Slip 1, Kslip 7 sts, w&t, k to end, turn, slip 1, Kslip 6 sts, w&t, k to end, turn, slip 1, Kslip 5 sts, w&t, k to end. turn, skp, Kslip 3 sts, w&t, kto end, turn, skp, Kslip 2 sts, w&t, k to end, turn, skp, \*Kslip\* across. Next Row: K to last 2 sts, skp. Bind off loosely (no beads). Starting at point where tail joins body, sew edges of body between lower fin sections togther. Sew fin sections together. Work all tails to inside.
Front Flippers - Left & Right Sides
Pick up 3 sts, 1/2" above and directly in line with marker (Row 23) on body.Attach cotton at Dorsal Fin end of needle for left side flipper and at opposite end of needle for right side flipper. Do not slip the first st of rows beginning with inc or skp. Row 1: Kslip across, knitting in the back of each st. Row 2: Inc, k1, inc. Row 3: Slip 1, \*Kslip\* across. Row 4: Slip 1, inc, k1, inc, k1. Row 5: Repeat Row 3. Row 6: Skp, k across. Repeat Row 6 until 1 st remains (Kslip on WS rows). Cut cotton, leaving 6" tail and pull through last st. Work tail down WS of fin and into body.
Finishing
Match raw edges of mouth and stitch toward body. At 1" from lower fin, start stuffing lightly with carded wool or soft yarn. Cover stuffing with finger to avoid catching in stitches. Work back to lower fin, tie off and work tails to inside. Determine eye location. Knot thread onto fish body.\*Bring thread through glass disc and 1 seed bead. Take needle back through disk only and into fish body, coming out at the opposite side of the head.\* Make small knot into body and repeat \*\*. Bring thread back through to second side and knot under eye. Feed tail into fish body. To hang fish, use a length of monofilament fishing line and thread one end through the top of the dorsal fin. Match ends of line. Tie overhand knot against fin and another at the end of the line.
