Shark!

Shark!

I got a request for a shark, and I looked around at the existing patterns. I didn't see one that had the look I really wanted, so after some trial-and-error, I came up with this shark.

This is a fairly advanced project. I used some unorthodox techniques to get the look I wanted. The grey backside and white belly are each worked as a single piece, completely in the round using a shaping technique I've personally never seen before, but it worked.

Notes:

    • All crochet is worked in the round, except for the teeth.

    • For back, belly, and fins, unless otherwise noted, all rows are finished with a slip stitch in the first stitch of the row. The next row starts with a ch 1 and the first stitch is worked in the same stitch with the ss/ch1.

Materials:

    • Worsted weight yarn: grey (70 yd/64m), white (30 yd/27m), red (12yd/11m)

    • 10mm black safety eyes

    • Size F (3.75mm) hook or hook required to get tight fabric

    • Fiberfill (lots and lots of it)

    • About 3 square inches (7.5 cm2) of stiff plastic needlepoint canvas

    • Yarn needle

Special term:

I used something I call an "extension-increase," which I've abbreviated to ext-inc, to get the pointy elongation. Here's how to work it:

The extension is worked in its own sc stitch. When you come to an ext-inc, do a slip stitch in that stitch. (Slip stitch does not count as a stitch and will be skipped on next row.)

    1. Chain 3.

    2. Ch 1, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, ss in base sc. (Ss does not count as stitch.) Continue working the round.


On the next round, when you get to the base of the extension:

    1. sc in 2 ch along the right-hand side. (A half-double crochet is sometimes substituted for the 1st sc.)

    2. 3sc in the end chain

    3. And sc in each of 2 sc on left-hand side. (A half-double crochet is sometimes substituted for the 2nd sc.)

Special Extension Method for Shark!
Special Extension Method for Shark!
Special Extension Method for Shark!
Special Extension Method for Shark!
Special Extension Method for Shark!

When stitch counts are given, a newly-made extension-increase won't count toward the total but will be noted as "+ ext."

All other abbreviations use American crochet terms.

Back:

Join all rows with ss and start new row with ss, except where noted. (See Notes.)

7sc in magic circle in grey yarn

Row 1: inc x3, sc, inc x3. (13)

Row 2: (inc, sc) x3, ext-inc in next sc, (sc, inc) x3. (18 + ext)

Row 3: (2sc, inc) x3. Over ext-inc: hdc, sc, 3sc-in-1, sc, hdc. (inc, 2sc) x3. (31)

Row 4: (inc, 3sc) x3. 3sc, 3sc-in-1, 3sc. (3sc, inc) x3. (39)

Row 5: (4sc, inc) x2. 9sc, 3sc-in-1, 9sc. (inc, 4sc) x2. (45)

Row 6: (inc, 5sc) x2. 10sc, ext-inc in next sc, 10 sc. (5sc, inc) x2. (48 + ext)

Row 7: (6sc, inc) x2. 10sc. Over ext-inc: 2sc, 3sc-in-1, 2sc. 10sc. (inc, 6sc) x2. (59)

Row 8: (inc, 7sc) x2. 13sc, 3sc-in-1, 13sc. (7sc,inc) x2. (65)

Row 9: (8sc, inc) x2. 14sc, 3sc-in-1, 14sc. (inc, 8sc) x2. (71)

Row 10: (inc, 9sc) x2. 15sc, ext-inc in next sc, 15sc. (9sc, inc) x2. (74 + ext)

Here we work an extension-increase for the snout on the first stitch of the row. The initial slip stitch is not needed as the one to join the last row suffices. This will make working the body somewhat asymmetrical.

Row 11: ext-inc. 9sc, inc, 10sc, inc. 15sc. Over ext-inc (from previous row): 2sc, 3sc-in-1, 2sc. 15sc. inc, 10sc, inc, 9sc, hdc in last st. Do not work ss to join the row. (84 + ext)

Row 12: Over ext-inc: hdc, sc, 3sc-in-1, sc, hdc. hdc, inc, 9sc, inc, 11sc. 18sc, 3sc-in-1, 18sc. (11sc, inc) x2. Join with ss in 1st hdc of the row. (97)

Resume using ss to join row and starting new row with ch 1. Rows start in the 1st stitch of the extension-increase.

Row 13: 3sc, 3sc-in-1, 3sc. 11sc, inc, 12sc, inc. 19sc, 3sc-in-1, 19sc. (inc, 12sc) x2. (105)

Starting decreases.

Row 14: 3sc, 1sc-in-3 (decrease), 3sc. 2sc, (dec, sc) x2, dec, 36sc, 1sc (in center of tail) 36sc, dec, (sc, dec) x2, 3sc. (95)

Row 15: dec, 3sc (tip of snout), dec. sc, dec, 2sc, dec. (6sc, dec) x4, 3sc, 1sc-in-3 (dec), 3sc, (dec, 6sc) x4. (dec, 2sc) x2. (79)

Row 16: dec, sc (tip of snout), dec. 5sc. (5sc, dec) x2, 16sc, 1sc-in-3 (dec), 16sc. (dec, 5sc) x2, 6sc. (71)

Fasten off.

Belly:

In white, work same as back through row 9.

Row 10: (inc, 9sc) x2, 15sc, 3sc-in-1, 15sc, (9sc, inc) x2. (77)

Fasten off.

Mouth:

6sc in magic circle in red. (This is worked in continuous rows, so it's not necessary to join at the end of each row.)

Row 1: inc around (12) Row 2: (inc, sc) x6 (18) Row 3: (sc, inc, sc) x6 (24) Row 4: (inc, 3sc) x6 (30) Row 5: (2sc, inc, 2sc) x6 (36) Row 6: (inc, 5sc) x6 (42) Row 7: (3sc, inc, 3sc) x6 (48) Row 8: (7sc, inc) x6 (54) Fasten off.

Fold in half and make slight binding seam along fold line on wrong side. Cut needlepoint canvas into a circle slightly smaller than the mouth. Cut canvas piece is half. Whipstitch one piece to wrong side of the mouth on either side of the seam.

Shark in progress

Sew crease on wrong side of mouth

Teeth:

Holding the mouth, with wrong side facing, join white at folded edge. Ch 2, dc in same st. Ch 1, work 1ss through front of (dc and 2ch together), work hdc and sc in next sc of mouth, ss in next sc. [In next sc: ss, ch 2, dc in same, ch 1, ss through front of dc and 2ch together, hdc and sc in next sc, ss in next sc]. Repeat [] around edge, being careful to place a complete tooth before the fold crease, then repeat on bottom half. There should be about 8 or 9 teeth on each half. Fasten off.

For fins, join at the end of each row and start next row with ch 1.

Shark in progress

Wrong side of mouth with plastic canvas attached and teeth worked on.

Dorsal fin:

4sc in magic circle in grey.

Row 1: inc around. (8)

Row 2 and all even rows: sc around.

Row 3: (inc, 2sc, inc) x2 (12)

Row 5: (inc, 4sc, inc) x2 (16)

Row 7: (inc, 6sc, inc) x2 (20)

Row 9: (inc, 8sc, inc) x2 (24)

Row 11: (inc, 10sc, inc) x2 (28)

Fasten off after row 11.

Tail:

For top part, 4sc in magic circle in grey.

Row 1: inc around (8)

Rows 2-4: sc around

Row 5: (inc, 2sc, inc) x2 (12)

Rows 6-8: sc around

Row 9: (inc, 4sc, inc) x2 (16)

Rows 10-12: sc around

Fasten off.

For bottom part, 4sc in magic circle in grey.

Row 1: inc, sc, inc, sc (6)

Rows 2-3: sc around.

Row 4: (inc, sc, inc) x2 (10)

Row 5: sc around

Fasten off.

Lateral fins (x2):

4sc in magic circle in grey.

Row 1: inc around (8)

Row 2: sc around

Row 3: inc, sc, dec, dec, sc, inc (8)

Row 4: sc around

Row 5: inc, 6sc, inc (10)

Row 6: sc around

Row 7: inc, 2sc, dec, dec, 2sc, inc (10)

Row 8: sc around

Row 9: inc, 8sc, inc (12)

Row 10: sc around

Fasten off.

The fins will show some bias (twist), so you may want to block them into shape before attaching them to the body.

Assembly:

To join the belly and back pieces evenly, start at the tail end. Cut about 1yd (1m) of white yarn. Join at the pointy end of the white belly piece, drawing the yarn halfway through. Using mattress stitch, and working one top stitch to one bottom stitch, join 24 stitches along one side. Thread the other end and work 24 stitches the same way up the other side. Attach the eyes between the 11th and 12th rows. Do most of the stuffing after sewing in the top half of the mouth. Use white yarn to sew in the mouth, hiding the stitches in the teeth. Be careful to hide the stitches when sewing through the grey body yarn. This seam needs to be very secure, so keep the tension firm and the stitches close together. Stop sewing here and stuff the body. A lot. Stuff it more. Shove a lot of stuffing in that space between the mouth and the top of the head. Stuff it and when you think you can't stuff it more, stuff it more. The shark will look lumpy and misshapen and weird unless he's really, really stuffed to the gills. Sew the bottom of the mouth in. When you are mostly done but still have a gap to work with, put stuffing in the lower jaw. Then put some more in. Keep shoving in bits of fiberfill until you've finished joining the mouth to the body. Refer to the pictures for fin placement. Whip stitch them into place. Don't stuff the fins.

And you're done!

Shark in progress

Joining belly and back pieces, leaving mouth opening.

Shark in progress

Shove in that last bit of stuffing before finishing attaching the mouth.

Shark in progress

Ready fins for attachment.

Shark!

September 2009

Creative Commons License

This pattern for "Shark!" is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Finished objects made from this pattern are for personal use only (to keep or to give as a gift). Neither the pattern nor finished objects made from the pattern are to be sold without written permission from the author. Please contact me by sending an email to gmail.com user knittincrap if you have questions.