Cecil the Clown Fish Amigurumi Free Crochet Pattern | Operation Crochet Shoeboxes CAL

Introducing: Cecil the Clownfish!

Cecil is a real cutie, and a bit of a coward, always hiding in his anemone home from bigger fish that want to eat ‘im! Then again, that’s just self-preservation, right? 😉

Cecil is a part of the Under the Sea Collection! You will be able to purchase all of them at once soon, after I have finished a few more designs!

Cecil was designed for the 2020 Operation Crochet Shoeboxes CAL! This is an Operation Christmas Child fundraiser hosted by Rachel Counts of DesertBlossomCrafts. Learn more here.

Each week there is a free girl pattern and a boy pattern to make and add to a shoebox! If you don’t know what Operation Christmas Child is you can find more information here.

If you don’t want to wait for each pattern, or if you want to support Operation Christmas Child and help us raise $1000 for the charity, you can purchase the bundle with all of the patterns here!

Please consider buying the bundle! 100% of the proceeds go directly to Operation Christmas Child! Learn more here: http://desertblossomcrafts.com/occ-pattern-bundle

Cecil the Clownfish Pattern

Supplies:

• 30-40 yards of Bernat Blanket Yarn, Super Bulky. Get it on Love Crafts HERE! (aff link) I used Carrot Orange (brights line), White (baby line), and Coal (original line).
• Size K/10½/6.5mm. crochet hook or whatever size you need to obtain gauge, which isn’t very important for this pattern. You just don’t want big spaces between the stitches.
• Yarn/Tapestry needle
• 2-10mm. safety eyes

Gauge: With suggested yarn and hook, 13 sc by 12 rows= 4″x 4″

Notes:

• Stitch counts are listed in parentheses at the end of each round.
• This pattern uses the Tapestry Crochet technique. If you are not familiar with this technique, be sure to look it up, or you can just use several strands of each color. Totally optional.
• When working the first sc of each round, make sure to pull up the working loop longer than usual. This will ensure that the seam won’t show or be too tight.
• All back loop only stitches are for making the fins. They should be up and down the back and belly of the fish, as well as two loops on each side for the side fins.

Abbreviations and Stitch Library:

St(s): stitch(es)

Ch(s): chain(s)

Sl St: slip stitch- insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.

Sc: single crochet- insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops on hook. YT Tutorial

Hdc: half double crochet- YT Tutorial

Join: Pull hook out of working loop, and insert back to front through both loops of 3rd ch. Insert hook back into working loop, and pull loop through ch

Sc inc: single crochet increase – 2 sc in same st

Magic Ring: YT Tutorial

PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS:

1. With orange: work magic ring, 6 sc in magic ring. Join.

(6 STS)

2. Sc, sc inc, sc 2, sc inc, sc. Join. (8 STS)

3. Sc, sc inc, sc inc, sc 2, sc inc, sc inc, sc. Join. (12 sts)

4. Sc 2, sc inc, sc inc, sc 4, sc inc, sc inc, sc 2. Join. (16 sts)

5. Sc 3, sc inc, sc inc, sc 6, sc inc, sc inc, sc 3 changing to white in last st. Join. (20 sts)

6. Sc around. Join. (20 sts)

7. Sc around, change to orange in last st. Join. (20 sts)

8. Sc around. Join.(20 sts)

9. Sc 1 in BLO (for the side fins), sc 8, sc 1 in BLO, sc 10. Join. (20 sts)

10. Sc 4, sc 2 in BLO (for the top fin), sc 4, sc 1 in BLO, sc 3, sc 2 in BLO (for the belly fins), sc 3, sc in BLO changing to white in last st. Join. (20 sts)

(From here on, you can use Tapestry Crochet to carry the yarns to make switching easier, or use multiple strands of each color. Your choice.)

11. Sc, change to orange, sc 3, sc 2 in BLO, sc 3, change to white, sc 2, change to orange, sc 3, sc 2 in BLO, sc 3, change to white, sc. Join. (20 sts)

12. Sc 2, change to orange, sc 2, sc 2 in BLO, sc 2, change to white, sc 4, change to orange, sc 2, sc 2 in BLO, sc 2, change to white, sc 2. Join. (20 sts)

13. Sc 3, change to orange, sc 1, sc 2 in BLO, sc 1, change to white, sc 6, change to orange, sc 4, change to white, sc 3. Join. (20 sts)

14. Sc 4, sc 2 in BLO, sc around. (if using tapestry crochet, stop carrying the yarn from here on.) Join. (20 sts)

15. Sc 3, sc2tog, sc2tog, sc 6, sc2tog, sc2tog, sc 3, change to orange. Join. (16 sts)

Now you will add the eyes. Use the cover photo as a reference, or go by preference.

16. Sc 3, sc 2 in BLO, sc 6, sc 2 in BLO, sc 3. Join. (16 sts)

17. Repeat row 16. (16 sts)

18. Sc 2, sc2tog but second st in BLO, sc2tog but first st in BLO, sc 4, sc2tog (on second st, only work in back loop), sc2tog but first st in BLO, sc 2. Join. (12 sts)

19. Sc 2, sc 2 in BLO, sc 4, sc 2 in BLO, sc 2. Join.

20. Repeat rnd 19, changing to white in last st.

21. Repeat rnd 19.

22. Sc around. Sl st in first st and fasten off.

Add stuffing if desired. I prefer the fish without.

Caudal Fin (tail fin): 

Row 1: With a slipknot on hook (orange), fold end of body flat to match fish shape.

Sc through both layers through tops of stitches from rnd 22, repeat across for a total of 6 sc

Row 2: Ch 1 and turn, sk first st, sc 3, sc2tog.

Row 3: Ch 1 and turn, sk first st, sc 2, sc2tog.

(second stitch is the chain from previous row).

Row 4: Ch 1 and turn, sk first st, sc, sl st in last st. Ch 1 and fasten off.

Ventral (front bottom) fins: (orange)

Hold fish facing you bottom up. There should be two rows of 3 loops each running down the bottom of the fish towards the tail. Sc in each of next two sts of one row of back loops, front to back. Sc inc in last loop. Ch 1 and turn. Sc inc, sc, sc2tog. Ch 1 and turn. Sk 1 st, sc, sc, sl st. Ch 1 and fasten off.

Repeat for other row of loops, the same direction, front to back.

Front Dorsal Fin (top of body): (orange)

Hold fish facing you top up.

With a slip knot on hook into the first set of front loops, insert hook into the first loop on the right, then insert into the left loop. Work sc. Repeat up the fish’s back until you have 5 sc. Ch 1 and turn, sk first st, sc2tog, sc 2. Ch 1 and fasten off.

Pectoral (side) fins: (orange)

Sc in each front loop of the two single BLO sts left from rounds 9 and 10. (behind the head, and in front of the bulge in the second stripe) (2)

Ch 1 and turn, sc inc in both sts (4)

Ch 1 and turn, sc, sc2tog, sc. (3)

Ch1 and turn, sc3tog. (1)

Ch 1 and fasten off.

Repeat for other side.

Rear Dorsal (top) fin and Anal Fin (bottom rear): (orange)

Hold fish facing you.

With a slip knot on hook into the first set of front loops, insert hook into the first loop on the right, then insert into the left loop. Work sc. Repeat down to the fish’s tail until you have 6 sc and no more loops. Ch 1 and turn, sk first st, sc 5. Ch 1 and turn. Sk first st, hdc, sc 3, sl st in last st. Ch 1 and turn, sk first st, sl st 2, hdc, sl st. Ch 1 and fasten off. Repeat for other fin.

Edge all fins in black sc according to image on next page, leaving long tails. Use tails to back stitch black lines in between the white and orange as shown. Weave in ends.

Don’t forget to post the image below on your social media with the hashtag #mycrochetshoebox!! Tag me when you post your Clownfish with the hashtag #craftingatthepoole!

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