Zig Zag Fish

 Another Fish for the Adventurous Aquarium!  

This 15cm Zig Zag Fish features different ways to insert colour in the center of a tape lace trail using an extra pair or two of sparkle threads.  Although I use Idrija techniques for the corners and joining bars, this is NOT classed as Idria narrow tape lace because it has more than 5 pairs and uses a feature pair in the trail.

The zig zags inside the crescent fins were made first. I added a pair of Gutermann blue Sulky glitter thread spread between the three passives, using 2white-1blue-2white-1blue-2white bobbins, making four passives and an extra pair for the worker.  This split the blue into two rows of little dashes through the trail.

The zig zags inside the tail fin were made with the same blue thread, this time the blue pair stayed together inside four pairs of passives  4white-2blue-4white  threads creating a solid blue line down the centre of the trail.  This allowed the two white pairs needed for sewings to stay on one side of the blue pair, and the two white pairs needed to make the fixing stitches on the outer side of the blue pair.  This avoided having to move white pairs through the blue to correct the colour order. 

The body used two Adriafil glitter crochet threads, one blue, one gold, 16 wraps per centimetre.  I added them into the centre of the trail by tying the two single threads together and pinning the knot an inch or so away from the start.  The two threads worked a rope design in the centre of the trail.  These two glitter threads are not used as passives,  the worker pair doesn't show on either side of the rope and the colours swap over at every row.   

Work the passives up to the glitter thread, lift the left glitter thread and pass the worker PAIR over the right glitter thread and place the left glitter thread back in the original position on the left.  Twist the two glitter pairs so they change places.  Keep the twist going the same direction throughout the trail.  Work the last two passives to complete the row.   The twist made on the rope remains the same direction each row. 

The Outside Edge.  The outer edge crosses over the body trail.  To join both together, sew into the pinholes already there on the body, and add an extra zig to create an extra pinhole on the longer edge of the crossover, this will keep the worker on track for continuing the outer edge trail. 

Chevron stitch, an interlocking 'V' is made with two different colour PAIRS of glitter threads.  One coloured pair is put inside the second pair, making one colour in the center, and the other colour on each side.  These threads are thick and do tend to grab a bit so care is needed in tensioning.  Make sure the threads are laying without loop or bubbles, they will show on the opposite side if you are turning over at the end.  Avoid pulling tight because they can be a little bit stretchy and will ruckle the edge if you pull too tightly.  I add these threads at the start of the trail by pinning away from the start.  I don't knot them at the end, it would make such a huge lump, and they do tend to stay where you put them so I will cut them close at the end. 

The chevron method is very similar to the rope method.   Work the two passives.   Lift the center pair, pass the workers under this pair, and over the lower pair.  Work the next two passives and put aside the worker.   Lift the inner pair of the chevron, split them apart, place one on each side of the underneath pair.  The pairs have swapped places, one pair together inside, and one thread of the other pair placed on either side.    This is repeated on every row.    

Option:-   You can swap the chevron pairs on alternate rows, this will give a longer chevron, ideal if the lace has pins close together.  See my video for working a Chevron Edge in one of my other free patterns, the Adventurous Seaweed.

Click here for the    Chevron Stitch Video 

The video shows alternate rows, for this fish, use the technique every row as shown at the end of the video. 

The Pointed Corners.  Four standard thread passives are needed to make the pointed corners, so to avoid any coloured or sparkle threads being caught in the turning stitches or sewings, I add them as extra pairs, leaving the worker/passive pairs to make the sewings and fixing stitches in any pointed corners.   If I had used only three passives and a coloured pair, I would have had to let the coloured pair leave its position and become part of the point, which can be a nice effect in its own right but was not what I wanted this time. 

To make the long points, I made a standard pin on the way out, made the sharp point turn, and on the way back, I sewed into the pinholes of the trail without using any twists on the worker.  This helped to keep the trails together.  

The Stacked Sequin Eye  was made with three sequins placed in reverse order, because I would be turning the piece over at the end.  A 5mm black, 8mm holographic, and a 10mm green large sequin were added as one by sewings when the different trails arrived at the right place to make the four bars.  A sewing was made through all three of the sequins at the same time, and a short false plait filled the space between sequin and trail.   To avoid the white threads crossing over the sequin and making a visible X, I dabbed with a permanent marker pan to colour the white, making the eye more dramatic. 

The eye could be made using a small, tight circle or disc of lace, a tiny flower for instance, sewn into the edge with bars at appropriate places, a whirlpool, or web technique using different thread could also make a good eye. 

 The downloadable .pdf pattern sheet is in the Files tab on my Lesley's Lace facebook page.

The A4 .jpeg can be copied from here, or my Lesley's Lace facebook page.

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Have fun!