Blue Tang fish- free crochet pattern

Check out my Youtube video tutorial for this pattern: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZPLilc8TiQ

Tips:

• When made with the stated yarn weight and hook size, the finished fish is approx 10cm long and 6cm wide.

• The body is worked in continuous spiral rounds with a stitch marker.

• How to change colour when working in sc: change colour as you finish the last st of the previous colour- push hook in the stitch, yarn over and pull through, pull a loop of the new colour through the two loops on the hook. This completes the sc in the previous colour and changes to the new colour so that future stitches will be in the new colour.

• On the colour changing rounds, work in the front loops only (the loop on the V which is closest to you) to prevent the colour changes from sloping as it's worked in a spiral so it would otherwise.

• Work the other colour into the back of your stitches all the way around so that it's in the right place when you need it and you don't have to carry it over, which would pull the work out of shape.

• When working with 2 yarns attached they can get tangled and become twisted and thin, to avoid this, keep one yarn on either side of you and try not to cross them over when you change colour.

Materials needed:

• DK yarn in royal blue, navy blue, yellow and black

• 3mm crochet hook

• Stitch marker

• Sewing needle (appropriate size for yarn)

• Scissors

• Pins to help with sewing

• Clear monofilament nylon thread 0.3mm- to hang the fish up with

  
  

Abbreviations (US crochet terms):

st- stitch

ch- chain

mr- magic ring

sl st- slip stitch

sc- single crochet

hdc- half double crochet

dc- double crochet

inc- increase

invdec- invisible decrease

FLO- front loops only

ctb- change to blue

ctn- change to navy

Body, starting with the mouth end:

In royal blue:

Rnd 1: 6 sc in mr (6)

Rnd 2: (sc in nxt st, inc) x3 (9)

Rnd 3: (sc in nxt 2 st, inc) x3 (12)

Rnd 4: (sc in nxt 3 st, inc) x3 (15)

Rnd 5: (sc in nxt 4 st, inc) x3 (18)

Rnd 6: (sc in nxt 5 st, inc) x3 (21)

Rnd 7: sc in nxt 7 st, ctn, sc in nxt 2 st, ctb, sc in nxt 2 st, ctn, sc in nxt 2 st, ctb, sc in nxt 8 st (21)

Work in FLO for every round from now on.

Rnds 8- 9 (2 rnds): Repeat rnd 7 (21)

Rnd 10: sc in nxt 4 st, ctn, sc in nxt 12 st, ctb, sc in nxt 5 st (21)

Rnd 11: sc in nxt 3 st, ctn, sc in nxt 2 st, ctb, sc in nxt 2 st, ctn, sc in nxt 6 st, ctb, sc in nxt 2 st, ctn, sc in nxt 2 st, ctb, sc in nxt 4 st (21)

Rnds 12- 13 (2 rnds): Repeat rnd 11 (21)

Rnd 14: sc in nxt 3 st, ctn, sc in nxt 14 st, ctb, sc in nxt 4 st (21)

Don't fasten off, make eyes now:

The eyes are made by making french knots- one on either side. Cut a 30cm long piece of black yarn and tie a double knot in the end. Thread onto needle and go through the open end of the work, come out through a space between rnds 6 and 7, just below the lower navy single crochet stitch, pull through until the knot is stopped on the inside.

Wrap the yarn around the needle twice, hold the yarn taut at all times, turn the needle downwards and go back in the space you came out of and then come out on the other side of the fish in the same place (below the lower navy st) hold onto the yarn at all times and pull through, making a french knot. Repeat the same on the other side, then come out of the opening and find a back loop on the last round, go through it but not all the way- leave a loop and go through the loop from behind, pull tight to make a knot and this fastens off. Trim end and push inside.

Now continue crocheting the body:

Rnd 15: sc in nxt 3 st, ctn, sc in nxt 2 st, invdec, sc in nxt 5 st, invdec, sc in nxt 3 st, ctb, sc in nxt 2 st, invdec (18)

Rnd 16: sc in nxt 3 st, ctn, sc in nxt st, invdec, sc in nxt 4 st, invdec, sc in nxt 3 st, ctb, sc in nxt st, invdec (15)

Rnd 17: sc in nxt 3 st, ctn, invdec, sc in nxt 3 st, invdec, sc in nxt 3 st, ctb, invdec (12)

Rnd 18: sc in nxt 2 st, ctn, invdec, sc in nxt 2 st, invdec, sc in nxt 2 st, invdec (9)

Cut both yarns leaving short tails, fasten off by wrapping both ends around the hook and through the loop on the hook.

Tail fin:

In yellow:

Leave a longer tail at the start of the slip knot to use for sewing.

Row 1: ch 4, starting in 2nd st from hook: sc in nxt 3 st (3)

Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc in nxt st, inc, sc in nxt st (4)

Row 3: ch 1, turn, sc in nxt st, inc, inc, sc in nxt st (6)

Row 4: ch 1, turn, sc in nxt st, inc, sc in nxt 2 st, inc, sc in nxt st (8)

Fasten off and weave tail into back of stitches, trim excess.

Pull up a loop of blue in the corner of the first row, ch 1, sc in same space, sc in nxt 4 spaces in between the ends of the rows (5) Fasten off and weave tail into back of the blue stitches, trim excess. Repeat same on opposite edge working in opposite direction, fasten off and weave in tail.

Use the tail from the slip knot to sew to the end of the fish, going through both layers to close the hole, fasten off in the same way as you did with the eyes. Weave tail inside body, cut the yarn close to the edge and use your needle to push end inside.

Top fin:

In blue:

ch 15, starting in 2nd st from hook: sc in nxt 7 st, hdc in nxt 4 st, sc in nxt 3 st, fasten off leaving tail for sewing.

With the right side facing you, pull up a loop of black in the first sc you did, ch 1, sc in same st, sc in every st along the row, then sl st in the bottom of the last blue chain space. Fasten off and weave tail into the back of the black stitches, trim excess. Sew to the top edge of the body with the end next to the tail fin, pick up loops from the surface of the stitches and use the remanining chain loops. Fasten off and weave in end.

Bottom fin:

In blue:

ch 12, starting in 3rd st from hook: hdc in nxt 3 st, sc in nxt 7 st, fasten off leaving tail for sewing.

With the right side facing you, pull up a loop of black in the first hdc you did, ch 1, sc in same st, sc in every st along the row, then sl st in the bottom of the last blue chain space. Fasten off and weave tail into the back of the black stitches, trim excess. Sew to the bottom edge of the body with the end next to the tail fin, pick up loops from the surface of the stitches and use the remanining chain loops. Fasten off and weave in end.

Side fin- for the side with head pointing to the left (so that the right side of the stitches face outwards on each side):

In blue, leave a longer tail at the start of the slip knot for sewing:

Row 1: ch 3, starting in 2nd st from the hook: sc in nxt 2 st (2)

Row 2: ch 1, turn, inc in nxt 2 st (4) Change to yellow as you finish the last sc of the last inc.

Row 3: ch 1, turn, sl st in nxt st, sc in nxt st, hdc in nxt st, dc in nxt st (4)

Fasten off. Cut the blue yarn and tie in a knot with the short yellow tail. Weave all ends into the back of the stitches, use the long tail from the slip knot to sew to the side of the fish. Fasten off and weave in end.

Side fin- for the side with head pointing to the right:

In blue, leave a longer tail at the start of the slip knot for sewing:

Row 1: ch 3, starting in 2nd st from the hook: sc in nxt 2 st (2)

Row 2: ch 1, turn, inc in nxt 2 st (4) Change to yellow as you finish the last sc of the last inc.

Row 3: ch 2, turn, dc in nxt st, hdc in nxt st, sc in nxt st, sl st in nxt st (4)

Fasten off. Cut the blue yarn and tie in a knot with the short yellow tail. Weave all ends into the back of the stitches, use the long tail from the slip knot to sew to the side of the fish. Fasten off and weave in end.

To hang up the fish:

Cut a 30cm long piece of 0.3mm invisible nylon thread, thread onto needle and go through a loop from the surface of a stitch on the top edge, right behind the back side of the top fin, bring the ends together so they meet. Tie a knot but bring one side under the other one twice instead of once (see my Youtube video), then make another tie above it in the same way- wrapping under twice, pull tight to bring the two bits together to make a knot which won't come undone. Thread the short tails onto needle and weave through the same space you came out of.

The Blue Tang fish is finished! I'd love to see a photo of yours, you can share it with me by tagging me on instagram @laura_wilson01

Check out my Etsy shop for more patterns: https://laurawilsondesigns.etsy.com

This pattern was designed by Laura Wilson of Laura Wilson Designs. This pattern is strictly for personal, non-commercial use. Copy, distribution or commercial use of this pattern or any of its parts is not allowed. Please give credit if posting photos or selling finished item. © Laura Wilson 2025- All rights reserved.