Mood:  celebratory

   I know, I know, just what I need, another blog! But this one will be different for me. You see, I have my free crochet patterns scattered all over the internet, and even I have trouble keeping track of which one is where. I've had the brilliant idea of stashing them all in one central place, hence this new blog. 

      I'm not feeling particularly brilliant today, so I'm going to start of with one of my tried and true patterns: OldBagLadys Fish Bag Pattern. This was and is, originally published on the crochetville.org forum.

OldBagLady's Fish Bag

Materials Used:
Worsted Weight Yarn in red, black and white.
(I used: Caron Simply Soft in Rubine Red, Black, and White for mine.)
F Hook (3.75mm)
Tapestry needle for sewing parts together

Bag - Body of the fish:

With red yarn: Chain 2, 6 sc in second chain from the hook. Join with a slip stitch, chain one. Do not turn.

(Note, you will join each row in the same way.)

Row 1.) sc in each st (6)
Row 2.) 2 sc in each st(12)
Row 3.) sc in each st (12)
Row 4.) *sc in first st, inc; repeat from * around (18)
Row 5.) sc in each st (18)
Row 6.) * sc in next 2 sc, inc; repeat from * around (24)
Row 7.) sc in each st (24)
Row 8.) * sc in next 3 sc, inc; repeat from * around
Row 9.) sc in each st
Row 10.) * sc in next 4 sc, inc; repeat from * around
Row 11.) sc in each st
Row 12.) * sc in next 5 sc, inc; repeat from * around
Row 13.) sc in each st
Row 14.) * sc in next 6 sc, inc; repeat from * around
Row 15.) sc in each st
Row 16.) * sc in next 5 sc, inc; repeat from * around
Row 17.) sc in each st
Row 18.) * sc in next 6 sc, inc; repeat from * around. Fasten off.
Row 19.) Join black in beginning st, sc in each st. FO
Row 20.) Join white in beginning st, * sc in next 5 sc, inc; repeat from * around
Row 21.) sc in each st
Row 22.) * sc in next 6 sc, inc; repeat from * around
Row 23.) sc in each st. FO
Row 24.) Join black in beginning st, * sc in next 5 sc, inc; repeat from * around. FO
Row 25.)Join red in beginning st, sc in each st
Row 26.) * sc in next 6 sc, inc; repeat from * around
Row 27.) sc in each st. FO
Row 28.) Join black in beginning st, sc in each st. FO
Row 29.) Join white in beginning st, sc in each st
Row 30 - 34.) sc in each st
Row 35.) sc in each st FO
Row 36.) Join black in beginning st, sc in each st. FO
Row 37.) Join red in beginning st, sc in each st.
Row 38 - 43.) sc in each st
Row 44.) sc in each st. At the end of this row, after joining, chain 3.
Row 45.) double crochet (dc) in first st, chain one, skip the next st, *dc in next, chain one, skip the next st; repeat from * around. Join, chain 1.
Row 46.) sc in each st and chain 1 space around. FO Weave in ends.
This completes the body of the bag.

Tail

Row 1) With white, ch 7, join to form a ring, chain 3. In ring work 2 dc, ch
3, (3 dc, ch 3) 7 times, join. (8-3 dc groups)
Row 2: Slip st to next ch-3 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same sp, (3 dc,
ch 2, 3 dc) in each ch-3 sp around, join; FO
Row 3: Join black with slip st in any ch-2 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same
sp, *ch 2, skip next 3 dc, sc in sp before next dc, ch 2, (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc)
in next ch-2 sp (shell made); rep from * around ending with slip st to beg
ch-3; FO
Rnd 4: Join red with slip st in ch-2 sp of any shell, ch 3, in same sp
work (3 dc, picot, 4 dc); * ch 5, sc in next sc, ch 5, (4 dc, picot, 4 dc)
all in ch-2 sp of next shell; rep from * around ending with slip st in beg
ch-3; FO Weave in ends.

Fold bag flat with joining seam running along the bottom edge of bag. (I hope this makes sense)

Now comes the tricky part, fold tail in half, and sew it to the bottom of the fish bag with white yarn. It will form around the bottom of the fish. You might want to pin in it place before sewing to make sure.

Bottom Fins (Make 2)

With red yarn, ch 5. sc in second chain from hook and each chain across. Chain 3, turn. (4)
Row 2.) dc inc, dc in each stitch. (5)
Row 3.) dc inc, dc in next 3 stitches, dc inc. Chain 4, turn. (7)
Row 4.) Treble crochet in first 2 st, dc in the next 2 st, half double crochet in next st, sc in next, and slip st in last. Fasten off.

Eyes (Make 2)

With black, chain 2. Make 8 sc in the second chain from hook, join with slip st, FO leaving a long tail for sewing. Set aside.

With white, chain 2. Make 8 sc in second chain from hook.
Row 1.) 2 sc in each stitch around.
Row 2) *sc in first st, inc; repeat from * around. FO. Center the black ring you made and sew into place.
Row 3.) Join red yarn, and sc in each st around.
Row 4.) *Dec 1 st, sc; repeat from * around
Row 5) *Dec 1 st; repeat from * around Fasten off leaving long tail for sewing.

Top Fin

Working along the top edge of the bag, attatch red yarn with a slip stitch in the 15th row from the open edge or mouth of the bag. Do 21 sc along top of the bag. Chain 1, turn.
Row 2.) Skip the first stitch, sc in next st, sc across. Chain 1 turn
Row 3.) Skip the first stitch, sc in next 3, hdc in next 2, dd in next 3 st, hdc in next 2, sc in next 2, hdc in next 2 st, dc in next 2 st, hdc in next, sc in next and slip st in last st. Chain one, turn.
Row 4.) skip first stitch, sc in 2 st, hdc, dc in next st, 3 tdc in next st, hdc, sc, sl st, hdc in next, sk next, dc in next st, 3 tdc in next st, tdc in next 2 st, dc in next, hdc, sc, slip, slip, FO. Weave in ends.

Position Bottom fins and eyes and sew into place on bag.

Drawstring

Chain 125, slip st in second chain from hook and in each chain across. FO. Weave drawstring in and out of the dc row along top of fish. Tie ends together in a knot, or sew together as I did.