FIBERSPRCE Beaded Aquarium Series: Fantasy Fish P-17
Knit from tail to head, the Fantasy Fish is worked flat using the beaded knitting technique described below. The bead loops simulate the look of scales and add a wonderful dimension to a fish found only in my imagination. The dorsal fin is picked up and knit unto the fish body. There is only one seam. Make several of the Beaded Aquarium Series fish and create a fish-mobile or hang them in a fish bowl. One hank of seed beads and one ball of perle cotton will make one fish. Finished size: 4”x21/2".
Materials
Size 8 DMC perle cotton, 1 ball #90 or desired color US Size 0000 (1.25mm) double pointed needles Size 11 transparent light topaz or desired color beads, 11 strands 2 topaz 8mm glass 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 knitting
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). Slide one bead only unless otherwise noted. 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.
General Guidelines
Throughout this pattern these guidelines and their exceptions apply unless otherwise noted: 1) Maintain a firm tension throughout. The “loopy" rows have larger spaces between the stitches which can show after the fish is assembled. 2) The first st of every row is slipped knitwise. Exception: Do not slip the first st on rows beginning with inc or skp. 3) All RS rows are worked without beads, i.e., Slip 1, \*knit\*, across. 4) All wS rows are worked with beads, i.e., Slip 1, \*Kslip\*, across. Exception: The dorsal fin is worked with beads on every row.
Bead Sequences
Sequence A:
Row 1: (WS) Slip 1, \*Kslip 1 bead\* across. Row 2: Slip 1, \*k\* across. Row 3: Slip 1, \*Kslip 1 bead\* across. SequenceB: Row 1: (WS) Slip 1, k1,\*Kslip 9 beads, k1\*, repeat \*\* to last st, k1. Row 2: Slip 1, \*k\* across. Row 3: Slip 1, \*Kslip 1 bead\* across. Row 4: Slip 1, \*k\* across. Sequence C: Row 1: (WS) Slip 1, k1, \*Kslip 12 beads, k1\*, repeat \*\* to last st, k1. Row 2: Slip 1, \*K\* across. Row 3: Slip 1, \*Kslip 1 bead\* across. Row 4: Slip 1, \*k\* across.
Tail & Back Body
Transfer 11 strands of beads to cotton. (See Techniques) Cast on 32 sts. Knit 1 row loosely, do not slip the first st. Row 2: (WS) Slip 1, \*Kslip\* across. Row 3: Slip 1, k13, w&t, Kslip to last 2 sts, w&t, k to last 2 sts, w&t, Kslip 12 sts, w&t, k to end. Row 4: Slip 1, \*Kslip\* across. Row 5: Slip 1, \*skp, k1\*, repeat \*\* to last st, k1. (22 sts) Rows 6-8: Work 1 repeat of Sequence A. Row 9: Slip 1, \*skp, k1\*, repeat \*\* across. (15 sts) Row 10: Slip 1, \*Kslip\* across. Row 11: Slip 1, \*skp, k2, skp, k1\* twice. (11 sts) Row 12: Slip 1, \*Kslip\* across. Row 13: Slip 1, k4, skp, k to end. (10 sts) Rows 14-16: Work 1 repeat of Sequence A. Row 17: Slip 1, inc, k2, inc, k3, inc, k1. (13 sts) Rows 18-20: Work Rows 1-3 of Sequence B. Row 21: Slip 1, \*Inc, k1\* across. (19 sts) Rows 22-28: Work 1 repeat of Sequence B followed by Rows 1-3 of Sequence B. Row 29: Slip 1, k1, \*inc, k1\*, repeat \*\* to last st, k1. Rows 30-36: Work 1 repeat of Sequence B, slipping 10 beads instead of 9 on Row 1 followed by Rows 1-3 of Sequence B, slipping 10 beads on Row 1. Row 37: Repeat Row 29. (39 sts) Rows 38-40: Work Rows 1-3 of Sequence B, slipping 11 beads on Row 1. Row 41: Slip 1, k1, \*inc, k4\*, repeat \*\* to last 2 sts, inc, k1. (47 sts)
Main Body
Work Rows 1-4 of Sequence C eight times. Next Row: Work Row 1 of Sequence C, slipping 11 beads instead of 12. Decreases to Mouth Row 1: Slip 1, \*k2, skp\* repeat \*\* across. (37 sts) Rows 2-3: Work Rows 1 & 2 of Sequence A Row 4: Slip1, k1, \*Kslip 10 beads, k1\* repeat \*\* to last st, k1. Row 5-6: Work Rows 2 & 3 of Sequence A Row 7: Slip 1, \*k2, skp\* repeat \*\* to last 4 sts, k4. (29 sts) Rows 8-10: Work Rows 1 - 3 of Sequence B. Row 11: Slip 1, \*k2, skp\* repeat \*\* across. (22 sts) Rows 12-14: Work 1 repeat of Sequence A. Row 15: Slip 1, k1, \*skp, k2\* repeat \*\* across. (17 sts) Rows 16-18: Work 1 repeat of Sequence A. Row 19: Slip 1, k4, skp, k3, skp, k5. (15 sts) Rows 20-22: Work 1 repeat of Sequence A. Row 23: Slip 1, k2, \*skp, k2\* repeat \*\* across. (12 sts) Rows 24-26: Work 1 repeat of Sequence A. Row 27: Slip 1, \*k1, skp\*, repeat \*\* to last 2 sts, k2. Row 28: Slip 1, Kslip across. (9 sts) Bind off loosely.
Dorsal Fin
Hold fish, wrong sides together, head left, and match open edges. Open edges are bottom of fish. There is a series of loops and beads on either side of the top center line. Pick up 13 sts along top edge, between the loops and beads.Attach cotton at tail end of needle. KSlip 1 bead on all rows. Row 1: Kslip in the back of each st. Row 2: Skp, \*Kslip\* across. (12 sts) Row 3: Inc, \*Kslip\* across. (13 sts) Row 4: Skp, \*Kslip\* to last st, inc. (13 sts) Row 5: Slip 1, \*Kslip\* to last 2 sts, skp. (12 sts) Row 6: \*Skp\* twice, \*Kslip\* to last 2 sts, skp. (9 sts) Row 7: Repeat Row 6. (6 sts) Row 8: Skp, \*Kslip\* across. (5 sts) Row 9: \*Skp\* twice, Kslip 1. (3 sts) Row 10: Slip 1, skp. (2 sts) Row 11: Skp. Cut cotton leaving 6" tail. Bring tail through last st and work down edge of fin and into body.
Finishing
With WS together, match raw edges of tail and hold together while sewing justbelow cast on sts.Sewacross tail. Bring cotton to inside and knot. Work cotton back across seam on WS to starting point. Knot. With WS together, match raw edges at bottom and hold together while sewing from tail to mouth. At halfway point stop and sew mouth together as for tail. Work toward halfway point. When about 1" remains to be sewn, start stuffing lightly with carded wool or soft yarn. Work stuffing into tail, mouth and body, being careful not to overstuff. Cover stuffing with finger to avoid catching in stitches and completeseamacrossbottom.Knotandworktailsinside. Determine eye location. Knot thread onto fish body.\*Bring thread through glass disk 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. Work 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.
