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Frankie The F ish

Instructions and PatternFREE

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Table of Contents

Page 1

Frankie The Fish Pattern ............................................................... 2

Materials ........................................................................................... 3

Instructions ....................................................................................... 3 - 7

Running Stitch ................................................................................ 8

Backstitch ........................................................................................ 9

Whip Stitch ..................................................................................... 10 - 11

French Knot .................................................................................... 12

Greeting Card ................................................................................ Last page


BellyCut 1

Fin Cut 2

Tail Cut 1

Frankie

The F ish

Page 2

holiday-crafts-and-creations.comCopyright All Rights Reserved

BodyCut 2

Top FinCut 1

Materials- Felt in two shades of the same color (1 piece each)

- Embroidery thread in two shades (one to match body color)

- Stuffing

- Two black beads

- Scissors

- Needle

InstructionsStep 1 :

Begin by printing out the pattern on page 2 and cutting out

each piece. Trace each piece onto your felt and cut out the felt

pieces. The body and belly should be in one color while the tail

and fins are in your other color.

Step 2 :

Next you will embellish the tail and fins. On the tail, sew

the backstitch in four lines as shown in the picture. For

the top fin, sew the running stitch around the border.

Once you are done, sew the running stitch back in the

opposite direction, filling in all the gaps from the first

time. This way you have what looks like a backstitch from

both sides, since the fin will be viewed from both sides.

For the side fins, simply make three French knots, and

three stitches from the base of each knot to the center

of the fin. Be sure that one fin is opposite from the other

when you sew on these embellishments.

Page 3Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved holiday-crafts-and-creations.com

Step 3 :

Next you will sew on the designs on the body of the fish. Start by lightly drawing on the felt where you

want the scallops to be. The center scallop will hold the fin down. Start at the top, and use the

backstitch to sew on the scallops. Before sewing the middle scallop, fold the end of the fin under, and

sew the scallop over the top of the fin. This anchors it in place. Then finish the bottom scallop. For the

eyes, first cut out a small circle of felt in the color of the tail and fins. This could be done using a hole

punch, but you could just cut it out free hand. Then place the circle where you want the eye to be, and

sew a black bead over the circle, securing both to the fish. Of course be sure that you sew these

embellishments to the opposite sides of the body pieces as shown in the picture below.

Step 4 :

Now place the two sides of the fish together. Place the top fin in between these two pieces. Adjust

the pieces until they look in place and good to you. You will now begin sewing the fish together using

the whip stitch. Use the color of embroidery thread that best matches the color of the fish body. Also,

to make the stitches less noticible, it is a good idea to seperate the embroidery thread into three

strands rather than the six it comes with. This way the stitches will be thinner.

Start just behind the top fin as shown in the

picture. When sewing through the area where the

top fin is, do the whip stitch as normal. The only

difference is that you will need to sew through the

fin in order to complete each stitch.

Once you have sewn across the top and you are

past the top fin, continue sewing with the whip

stitch.


Step 5 :

Continue sewing around the mouth. When

you get a stitch or two below the mouth,

place the belly piece in between the two

body pieces. Then continue sewing the whip

stitch, only start sewing one side of the body

piece to the belly piece, ingnoring the other

side of the body for now. Sew until you are

about 1/2" from the end of the belly piece.

Now thread a new piece of embroidery thread on a different needle. Go back to where the belly piece

begins. You now want to begin sewing the other side of the body to the belly piece. Do this using the

whip stitch. You may have to make a few repeated stitches at odd angles to assure that there is no hole

left at the point of the belly piece.

Step 6 :

Sew along the other side of the belly until you are

about 1/2" from the end (same as the previous

side). Now start stuffing your fish. You will stuff him

a little more later, but get the majority of the

stuffing in him at this point. Don't over stuff him,

but you may want to put more in than you might

think. Also at this step you can try to flatten out

some of the seams so there is less of a ridge.

Page 5

Step 7 :Pick one side to continue sewing on until you've

reached the end of the belly. Then knot off that

thread and you are done with that side. Now finish

sewing the other side of the belly, but don't knot

this side off yet. You will use this thread to finish

sewing the fish together.


Step 8 :Next, fold the tail evenly in half with the good side facing out. Place the tail in between the two ends of

the body that are still left unsewn. How far in you put the tail and at what angle, is up to you. However,

the tail should be in at least 1/2" and probably more. You may have to adjust the stuffing inside the fish

for the tail to go in as far as you want it to. When you have it in place, still using the whip stitch, sew

the tail end together. This will be done in the same way you had to sew through the top fin.

When you get to the top of the tail, you should have a small hole left in the fish. Use this hole to finish

stuffing your fish. It may not seem like enough room, but you should be able to get the stuffing in using

your finger. Once your fish is stuffed enough, finish sewing the hole shut.

Step 9 :

Page 6

Now that the fish is completely sewn shut, you just

have to knot off your thread. To do this, stick the

needle under the previous stitch, and then loop the

needle through the loop you just made two times.

When you pull the needle and thread, this should

tighten the thread into a knot that is tight to the

seam of your fish.


Step 10 :

The last step is to hide the tail end of the thread. To do

this, poke the needle down through the seam of the

fish where you just tied the knot. Push the needle down

into the fish and out it's side. Then pull the thread tight

so no loose thread is visible from the seam. While the

thread is pulled tight, snip the thread off right next to

the side of the fish. The tail end of the thread should

then sink into the fish and no longer be visible.

You have now completed

Frankie the F ish!


Running Stitch

Step 1 :

Begin the running stitch by poking your threaded needle up through the fabric.

Step 2 :

Poke the needle back down through the fabric next to where you just came up, and pull the thread

down into your first stitch.

Now poke your needle back up through the fabric, leaving a space from the previous stitch. Then

poke the needle back down through the fabric again making your second stitch.

Step 3 :

Now just continue this and you

are on your way!


Backstitch

Step 1 :Begin the backstitch by poking the needle up through the fabric, and then back down to make a

single stitch. Then poke the needle back up through the fabric a space away from the first stitch, as

if you were doing the running stitch.

Step 2 :

Now poke your needle back down through the fabric at the end of the first stitch. This is the "back"

part of the backstitch.

Step 3 :

Now poke your needle up through the fabric a space away from the previous stitch. You will then

stitch back again. Just repeat this pattern of stitching and you are good to go!


Whip Stitch

Page 10

Begin the whip stitch by tying a knot in the end of your thread. Then

poke your needle up through the top layer of fabric, about 1/8" in,

from between the two pieces. This way the knot will be between the

two pieces of fabric and will not be visible.

Step 1 :

Step 2 :Next, poke the needle up through both layers of fabric so the needle

and thread come up in almost the same place as in step 1. By doing

this, the thread should be wrapped around the edges of the fabric in

one neat stitch. It is important to pull the stitches so that they are

snug, but not overly tight.

Step 3 :

Once again, poke the needle up through both layers of fabric. Poke

the needle though the same hole as before, so this next stitch will

cover the first stitch. However, this time you will angle the needle

so that it comes up about 1/8" from the first stitch (as well as 1/8"

from the edge of the fabric). Pull this stitch tight, and you should

have what still looks like one stitch, but the thread is coming out of

the fabric next to it.


Step 4 :Now poke the needle up through the fabric, directly under where the

thread is coming up. But again, angle the needle so that the end

comes out next to this second stitch. When you pull this stitch tight,

it should be straight up and down, not angled. In others words, it

should be parallel to the first stitch.

Step 5 :Continue this pattern of poking the needle through the two layers at

an angle, coming up next to the previous stitch. When you have

reached the end of the section you want to stitch, or you need to

start with a new piece of thread, make the final stitch come straight

up, rather than angled off to the side. Then poke the needle through

the bottom of this stitch again (making the stitch doubled) but only

go through the bottom layer, so your thread is in between layers.

Basically you are trying to do the reverse of how you started the

whip stitch, so you can make a knot in between the layers of fabric.

Step 6 :To make the knot, you may have to pull the two pieces of fabric

apart a little. This will let you see the backs of the stitches you

made. Poke the needle through the backside of the last stitch you

made. Then loop the needle through this loop of threadtwice. Now

as you pull the thread tight, this should create a knot that is tight

against the seam. You now can cut your thread free. Now you are

done!

If you were knotting off the thread because it was getting too

short, but you weren't finished, simply get a new piece of thread

and start again from the beginning of this tutorial.


French Knot

Step 1 :Begin your French knot by poking the needle up through the fabric.

Pull enough thread through so that you can point the needle back at

the thread. It is helpful if you knot the thread on the underside of the

fabric so more thread doesn't keep pulling through.

Step 2 :Wrap the thread around the end of your needle once and pull it tight.

Then wrap the thread around the needle a second time. Again, make

sure you pull the thread tight around the needle.

Step 3 :While continuing to pull the looped thread tight around the needle,

poke the end of the needle back down into the fabric, fairly close to

where you came up. Put one hand under the fabric to slowly pull the

needle through while the other hand keeps the thread taut.

Once the needle has been pulled all the way through, let go of the

thread and pull the rest of the loop of thread down through the knot.

Pull the thread so it forms a nice knot, and you are finished!

Step 4 :


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