Corrections to Fish Potholder pattern

Oops! One of my pattern testers, Maha, noticed a problem with row 34 of the fish potholder pattern. The photo above is her test fish which she fixed, even when she ran across the errors in the pattern! That is the beauty of crochet! I think her version really came out cute. She tells me he is going to become a washcloth. I love her colorway, too!

This post is to let you know that the errors have been corrected on the pattern. Sorry if anyone was messed up by the "old" information. Here are some better directions:

Row 34: Ch 1, *2 dc in 3rd sc from hook, 1 tr in same space, 2 more dc in same space (making a shell), skip 2 sc, 1 single crochet in next sp*. Repeat 2 more times from * to *. Bind off.

Sorry about that, this is my first attempt at pattern writing, so ya'll please forgive me! Hope it works better now!

Yesterday was DH's birthday, so we had a nice lunch AND dinner out, and DH got a few presents he has been wanting for a while! Hope everyone has a nice Tuesday!

I'm addicted to chicken.....

The latest chicken to hatch from The Ultimate Book of Potholders.

Fish Pattern

I tried to just post my free pattern on the sidebar last night and thought I finally had it fixed, but this morning couldn't get it to work. Putting it in a regular post below is the only way I know of getting it on the blog and then saving it to the side bar is the only other way I could figure to do it right now. I will take any advice anybody wants to give me about setting up any future patterns I might make and getting them into my sidebar with an easier procedure!

I want to give a great big thanks to Cristina, (visit her blog here) who was kind enough to be one of the testers of the pattern for me, and is the first person to return any comments and photos to me. I was so excited, I went ahead and posted my pattern. I am almost sure that if a lady originally from Portugul, whose first language is not English, can translate and make my pattern with no problems, anyone else should be able to, also. :) The photo above is her version! Isn't it cute? She rocks! Thanks again, Cristina!

Free Fish Potholder Pattern

Fish Potholder

Copyright - 2007 - designed by Cindy Cave

Disclaimer: This is my own original pattern. This fish was created by me for the enjoyment of another friend that wanted a fish potholder because we couldn’t locate one we liked on the internet. Any resemblance to anyone else’s crocheted creation or creations is completely accidental. This pattern is free for your own personal use, but not to be used for sale or in any Commercial manner. This potholder has only been tested by myself and a couple of friends, Cristina and Maha, so if you find errors, please feel free to let me know. Warning: Not responsible for variations in crocheting, yarns, needle size, or gauge of another crocheter.

Finished size using G Hook: 8 ¾” x 7”

* Orange, black, and white, or colors of your choice of 100 % cotton yarn (I used Sugar n’ Cream yarn by Lily)
* Tapestry needle
* F or G Hook, or hook size needed to obtain size of your choice (I started out using F, and decided I should have tried a larger hook, I next used G and liked that size better.

Gauge: I have to confess, I only usually go by gauge only on garments, but for those that want do it, my gauge on the size G hook came out to 4 sc = 1”.

Basic Stitches:
Ch, sl st, sc, dc, tr.

Head, Body and tail (make 2):

**Row 1: Starting with orange and beginning at head, ch 2, 3 sc in second ch from hook, turn. (3 sc made).
Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first st, 2 sc in next st, sc in last st, turn. (4)
Rows 3 – 7: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in each st across with 2 sc in last st, turn. At end of last row (14 sts).
Row 8: Join black, ch1, sc in first st, sc in ea st across.
Row 9: Join white, repeat row 3. (16).
Row 10: Repeat row 9 (18).
Row 11: Ch 1, sc in ea st across, turn.
Row 12: Repeat row 3. (20).
Row 13: Ch 1, sc in ea st across, turn.
Row 14: Join black, repeat row 8.
Rows 15 – 19: Join orange, ch 1, sc in each st across, turn.
Row 20: Join black, repeat row 8.
Rows 21 – 23: Join white, ch 1, sc in ea st across, turn.
Rows 24 – 25: Ch 1, sc first 2 sts tog, sc in each st across to last 2 sts, sc last 2 sts tog, turn. (18 – 16).
Row 26: Join black, ch1, sc first 2 sts tog, sc in ea st across to last 2 sts, sc last 2 sts tog, turn. (14)
Rows 27 -28: Join Orange, ch 1, sc first 2 sts tog, sc in ea st across to last 2 sts, sc last 2 sts tog, turn. (12 – 10)
Row 29: Ch 1, sc in ea st across, turn.
Rows 30 – 33: Repeat row 3. (12, 14, 16, 18)
Row 34: Ch 1, *2 dc in 3rd sc from hook, 1 tr in same space, 2 dc in the same space (making a shell) , skip next 2 sc, 1 single crochet in next sp*. Repeat from * to * 2 more times. (Remember when you start the 2 dc again; begin in the 3rd sc from the hook.) Bind off.

Joining row: With wrong sides of potholder held together, join black at tail, sc in each row end and stitch around. Ending with a slip st. Bind off. Weave in all ends.

Top Fin:
With Orange, join at top of fish, beginning at about row 20, ch 3, dc in same st, dc twice in next sc, tr twice in next sc, dc twice in next 2 sc, join black, dc in next sc, ch 1, turn. Sc in each st across , 1 dc after last orange dc in the row below. Bind off. Weave in ends.

Side fin:
With Orange, chain 6, turn, 2 dc in 4th ch from hook, and in each of the remaining 2 chains. (6 sts) Join black, 1 dc in same st as last dc, ch 1, turn. Sc in ea st across, ending with 1 dc in the last dc, leaving a tail of the colored thread to sew fin on to the fish. With tapestry needle, sew fin on around rows 15 to 20 at a little bit below the middle of the fish. (See photo).

Eye: With black, satin stitch four times at about row 4 of the “fish face”. Bind off, weave in all ends.

Mouth: With about 8 “of black, and tapestry needle, stitch a mouth between rows 1 and 3 of “fish face”. Bind off. Weave in all ends.

**Tips: At beginning of pattern, for a more rounded, less “pointed” fish “nose”, start with ch 4 and skip row 1 above, going straight to row 2 and continue on with rest of pattern. Have fun and come up with your own facial “features” and different colors for your fish! Also, I put an eye and mouth on the “other side” of the fish, but left off the side fin, so that the potholder would lie flat. It would probably be really cute adding the side fin to the other side, too! A suggestion from my son: Make an oven mitt out of it by making the fish bigger and leave the end of the tail open. If you make that version, I would also suggest adding the quilted potholder insulation inside to protect the cook’s hands.

This Photo courtesy of Cristina Salgueiro

A Bargain!

On clearance sale at my local Michael's Craft Store: Glorious 12 oz. skeins ..... TWO. DOLLARS. EACH. I never usually find deals like this!!!!! I just wonder.... how many chicken and fish do you think I can crochet out of these???? :)

Purse Update and Birthday

Photo above taken by my DD's friend, professional photographer J. David. DD's birthday was yesterday, but I only have one side of her purse done. I guess its lucky she didn't come visit me this year for her birthday. (Gives me a little more time). We DID miss getting to see her on her big day, but she enjoyed a birthday meal at a nice restaurant with one of her friends.

I am using Peaches n' Cream (I think the color is called Sour Apples) for the background, and I think all of the flowers are in Sugar n' Cream in the various solid colors above (red, rose, blue, yellow, light purple, and orange). I am just using what I already have in my (rather large) cotton stash. I hope to work on the other side tonight and start on the bottom and top band.

In other crochet news, I haven't heard back from any of my pattern testers for the fish potholder, yet, so putting that pattern up on the blog might take a little longer until someone can let me know if the pattern works for someone other than myself. Hope to have it posted soon.

P.S. This news just in: One of my pattern testers, Cristina, who lives in South Africa, has e-mailed me and indicated that she is done with one side of the potholder. She is hoping to have it finished soon and then will let me know what she thinks. Her blog can be seen here.

Baaa...Baaa....Black sheep...

I was browsing blogs the other night, and what did I find???? Over at Pam's blog, the cutest tote EVER! I just *happened* to have the pattern book already, so I have decided to make a

purse instead of a tote out of my version...

Here is the start, below. I hope to have it finished in a couple of days for my DD's birthday, along with other "non-crochet" presents! I won't get to be with her this year on her special day, but she will be 24!

How appropriate!

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Milady the Most Honourable Cindy the Feline of Fiddlers Green Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Hobie Cat and Homme think so, too! Have fun trying out YOUR peculiar aristocratic name!

Ladies and Gentlemen.......

May I present to you ..... the fantastical, the fantabulous, the FINISHED ....... fish potholder!

It has been about a week long journey to get to this point. I posted a photo of my blue chicken potholder on The Crochet Along earlier this week. I had made one after seeing it over at Julie's blog, since I already had the pattern book. Maha, another fellow blogger, saw it and wondered if the book we were all making the chickens from had a FISH potholder pattern available. As luck would have it, it didn't. I searched out on the internet for Maha, trying to help her with her fishy dilimma. After not finding too many fish patterns that appealed to me for what I had pictured in my mind, I finally came to the conclusion that I would try to make one myself. Here you have one of the results. As for the very first prototype, well lets just say..... the Clown Fish (think Nemo) potholder got "hooked" (hee hee), then taken away from me, and now lives in Lubbock, Texas. I had reworked his dorsal fin and added the side fin, and ended up with the pattern you see above, (only in orange, black and white colors). I do have a photo of him, but I didn't have my digital camera with me and had to take the photo with a disposible (gasp!) camera. Therefore, I will have to take more photos of other things, then go to Wal-Mart or somewhere and get them put on a disc. Who knows how long THAT will take me! So on the 5 hour drive back home yesterday, before it got dark, I started "Blue Gill". I just finished him about 30 minutes ago. What do you think? Is he a keeper?

P.S. Maha, is this the colorway you had in mind? If so, now I know for sure..... great crochet minds think alike! :)

Fishing Friday

The flood waters are receding and X has been catching lots of fish! The first day he put a hook in the water, he caught 16 "perch" and "blue gill" (all small).

And speaking of fish....Maha saw my blue chicken potholder and wanted to know if the book had a fish potholder. It doesn't, so I am trying to come up with a pattern, as we didn't seem to be able to find a good fish potholder pattern online. This is what I have come up with so far.........

What do you think? I think it may be a little small, I used an F Hook (maybe I should have used an H?) The "eye" isn't really on the fish yet, but I didn't want him to look so unfinished for the photo shoot. I'm thinking make another side, crochet him together, put some cute facial features........ and ta da! Anyway, Happy Friday!

Chickens anyone?

Here is a fun little quickie potholder to make:

The two completed sides, sans the facial features.

Crocheted together.

Finished potholder.

I got the pattern from the "Ultimate Book of Potholders" put out by Annie's Attic of Big Sandy, Texas. I'm such a sheep! I first saw this on Bron's blog (where else!) and followed her link over to Julie's blog. I already had the pattern book (thanks to Bron!) and when I saw it, I had to have a blue chicken! Then, X saw it and claimed it for his own. Such a good child...... he always wants anything I make him! (My motto: Train 'em young!) My son and daughter also have always liked the things I make them, whether sewn, crocheted or knitted. I'm pretty lucky that way.

Six Flags or bust.....

Yes, folks...its true. My grandson came to visit last weekend and DH and I ended up taking him to Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington. A good time was had by all:

X on the bumper cars.

X with his best buddy, the Tasmanian Devil....

X posing with some of the cast from "Cirque Dreams Coolibra", a great show that was put on for the public.

We went around 2:00 p.m., stayed nine hours, and closed out the evening when Six Flags closed at 11:00 p.m.

THESE dogs (below) are still tired!

Hah! Bet you were wondering how I was gonna insert any crochet or knitting content into a post about Six Flags! :) The pattern for these can be found here.

More crochet ghosts of Christmas' past........

This is another ghost from my "crochet past" that I made for my sister one Christmas and didn't photograph. She sent this photo to me the other day to remind me. As you can see, it is a snowman doll. I can't remember at all where I got the pattern, except that I believe that it looks like it might possibly be a pattern by Jocelyn Sass. It is one that I would have probably gotten out of a magazine. I have always really enjoyed creating items from her patterns. I also made a gingerbread man pillow one Christmas from a pattern of hers that I kept, but in the move from Lubbock to Fort Worth, I lost track of the pillow and can't find it or the pattern, now. Unfortunately, when I e-mailed and asked her for the pattern, she said she didn't have copyright to it anymore. Jocelyn's blog and information for her patterns can be seen here.

Here is my latest acquisition from the Fort Worth library:


Another book by Jan Eaton. "200 Stitch Patterns for Baby Blankets". It looks like some of the patterns are repeats from her other "200" series books. There are some floral motifs I might be interested in making.

Blast from the past

Hope everyone had a good 4th! I was busy hosting my husband's friends from work, and didn't remember to get any photos. There was a lot of fishing going on from the flooded dock, great barbeque, and the kids caught plenty of little perch to keep them happy! The lake was still too high, and the Texas Parks and Wildlife had it closed to boaters. Therefore, we didn't get to watch our usual fireworks display from the water.

My older sister sent me a photo of a Koala bear I crocheted a while back and gave to her, a blast from my "crochet past"! (Yes, it IS supposed to be a Koala bear). LOL. I think I still have the pattern somewhere around here! I have always been interested in making crocheted dolls and bears. However, I didn't have any photos of the ones I had made. I gave this bear to my sister a few years back, and she actually still has it! She forwarded a photo to me the other day, reminding me about it. Thanks, Sister!

Sunrise on the Lake

Its kind of hard to tell, but when this photo is a little larger, over in the left side of the picture is the skyline of downtown Fort Worth. This photo was taken at sunrise awhile back. To the right is Carswell Joint Naval Reserve Station, which is on the lake. I don't have any new crochet or knitting content to show today, but thought I should post. DH invited friends over tomorrow for a 4th of July bash, so I need to go get this place picked up!

Texas Crochet, Texas Flooding

This is what I have worked on this weekend. I know, frogginqueen, I promised you I wasn't gonna start anything new, but.....this one is for charity. REALLY! Krystal, who created the pattern, has only one requirement to send the pattern to you for free...you have to crochet a square and send to her to be put together for blankets, which she gives to charity. See her blog here. Of course, as you have probably figured out, I was hanging out over at Inkberryblue's place again, and she PEER PRESSURED me into doing it! HONEST! Would this furry face lie to you?

Here is the one finished CHARITY square!

Crocheted with Caron Simply Soft, with the flower portion being made out of some TLC ombre that I had in my stash. Hook size H.

As predicted by me the other day, our dock is now underwater. (See, I was right!)

Totally. Underwater.

DH has the boats tied to where they can float with the rising lake. (the yellow boat belongs to neighbors who haven't ever completed their own dock. We call them our "little drunk neighbors", cause they are almost always ***soused, polluted, blitzed, or, if you prefer more nautical terms (hee, hee) three sheets to the wind*** every time we see them.


DH has this crazy co-worker named Tex (wonder how he got that nickname!?), who has been coming over all weekend and fishing ALL day (and night) long! From our dock...the FLOODED dock. Here is his fishing setup.......


Now, folks, THAT's a dedicated fisherman!