Today I’ll be showing you this crochet clown fish pattern. In my teens and twenties I lived in Papua New Guinea and went snorkeling and saw a lot of these and other tropical fish, as well as some sharks.
I also have a video tutorial for the clown fish available on my YouTube channel at Crochet Clown Fish Tutorial.
You can view the full pattern for free on this page by continuing to scroll down. Or if you would like to download the pattern it’s available on my Ravelry store in PDF format for $1 at Crochet Clown Fish Pattern.
This pattern will be using US terminology. If you would like to view the UK version go to Crochet Clown Fish Pattern (UK Version).
Crochet Clown Fish Pattern
Abbreviations
- st – stitch
- sts – stitches
- ch – chain
- sl st – slip stitch
- sc – single crochet
- hdc – half double crochet
- dc – double crochet
- tr – treble crochet
- dtr – double treble crochet
Materials Used
- Orange, white and black cotton or wool, I used 4 ply crochet cotton.
- Crochet hook, I use a 1.25mm hook.
- Scissors.
- Thread to sew together.
- A sewing needle.
- A darning needle to weave in ends.
- I used a tiny bit of brown crochet cotton for the chain for the mouth, but you could embroider on a line on the mouth with brown cotton.
- A tiny bit of grey cotton, if desired to stitch around the eye.
Main Part of Fish
Make a magic loop.
Row 1: 1 ch. Work 6 sc into circle and pull circle tight. Sl st into ch.
Row 2: 1 ch, work 2 sc in each st. Join with a sl st in ch.
Row 3: 1 ch, work a joined sc over 1st 2 sts, (2 sc in next st and 1 sc in following st) 4 times, work a joined sc over next 2 sts. Turn. (14 sts)
Row 4: 2 ch, work a joined hdc over 1st 2 sts, (1 sc in each of next 2 sts, 2 sc in following st) 3 times, work a 3 hdc cluster over last 3 sts. Turn. (14 sts)
Row 5: 2 ch, work a joined hdc over 1st 2 sts, 1 sc in each st to last 2 sts, work a joined hdc over last 2 sts. Turn. (12 sts)
Row 6: 1 ch, (1 sc in each of next 3 sts, 2 sc in following st) repeat to end. Turn. (15 sts)
Row 7: 1 ch, (1 sc in each of next 3 sts, 2 sc in following st) repeat to end. Turn. (18 sts)
Row 8: 1 ch, work a joined sc over 1st 2 sts, (1 sc in each of next 3 sts, 2 sc in following st) repeat to last 2 sts, work a joined sc over last 2 sts. (19 sts)
Change to black
Row 9: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (19 sts)
Change to white
Row 10: 1 ch, 1 sc in each of next 2 sts, 1 sc and 1 hdc in following st, 1 hdc in each of next 2 sts, 2 hdc in following st, 1 hdc in each of next 2 sts, 1 hdc and 1 dc in next st, (1 dc in each of following 2 sts, 2 dc in next st) repeat to last 2 sts, work a joined dc over last 2 sts. Turn. (23 sts)
Row 11: 2 ch, 1 hdc in each of next 10 sts, 1 sc in each st to last 2 sts. A joined sc over last 2 sts. Turn. (22 sts)
Change to black
Row 12: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (22 sts)
Change to orange
Row 13: 3 ch, a 3 dc cluster over 1st 3 sts, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 2 dc in following st, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 2 hdc in following st, 1 hdc in next st, 1 sc in each of next 3 sts, 1 hdc in following st, 2 hdc in next st, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, a joined dc over last 2 sts. Turn. (23 sts)
Row 14: 3 ch, a joined dc over 1st 2 sts, a joined dc over next 2 sts, (1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 2 dc in following st) repeat to last 4 sts, work 2 joined dc over last 4 sts. Turn. (25 sts)
Row 15: 3 ch, work a 3 dc cluster over 1st 3 sts, 1 dc in each st to last 3 sts, a 3 dc cluster over last 3 sts. Turn. (21 sts)
Row 16: 4 ch, work a 3 tr cluster over 1st 3 sts, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 2 dc in following st, work 1 dc in each of next 10 sts, 2 dc in following st and 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, work a joined tr over last 2 sts. Turn. (20 sts)
Row 17: 3 ch, work a joined dc over 1st 2 sts, 1 dc in each st to last 3 sts, a 3 dc cluster over last 3 sts. Turn. (17 sts)
Row 18: 3 ch, work a joined dc over 1st 2 sts, 1 dc in each st to last 3 sts, a dc cluster over last 3 sts. Turn. (14 sts)
Row 19: 3 ch, work a joined dc over 1st 2 sts, 1 dc in each st to last 3 sts, a dc cluster over last 3 sts. Turn. (11 sts)
Row 20: 3 ch, work a joined dc over 1st 2 sts, 1 dc in each st to end. Turn. (10 sts)
Row 21: 3 ch, work 1 dc in each st to last 2 sts, work a joined dc over last 2 sts. Don’t fasten off. (9 sts)
Neatening Row
Using the orange cotton from the main part of the fish work 1 ch then 1 sc in each st around to the beginning of the last row, using white where needed. 
Continue on with the tail
Change to black and join at end of tail as shown
Row 22: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (9 sts)
Change to white
Row 23: 3 ch, work 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 1 hdc in each st to last 2 sts, 1 dc in each of last 2 sts. Turn. (9 sts)
Row 24: 3 ch, work 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 1 hdc in each st to last 2 sts, 1 dc in each of last 2 sts. Turn. (9 sts)
Change to black
Row 25: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn. (9 sts)
Change to orange
Row 26: 2 ch, 1 hdc, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 1 tr in each of following 3 sts, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 1 hdc in last st. Turn. (9 sts)
Row 27: 2 ch, 1 hdc in 1st st, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 1 tr in following st, 2 tr in next st, 1 tr in following st, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 1 hdc in last st. Turn. (10 sts)
Row 28: 2 ch, 1 hdc in 1st st, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 2 tr in next st, 1 tr in following 2 sts, 2 tr in following st, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 1 hdc in last st. Fasten off.
White Middle Part
23 ch.
Row 1: Miss 1st ch and work 1 sc in each st to end. Turn.
Row 2: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each of next 4 sts, 1 hdc in following st, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 1 tr in each of following 3 sts, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 1 hdc in each of following 2 sts, 1 sc in each st to end. Turn.
Row 3: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each of next 7 sts, 1 hdc in each of following 2 sts, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 1 tr in each of following 3 sts, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 1 hdc in following st, 1 sc in each st to end. Work 1 sc in each st along end. Fasten off.
Join white cotton to other end and work 1 sc in each st along end. Fasten off.
Join black cotton and work 1 sl st in each st along both sides. Fasten off.
Stitch white middle part to body as shown. 
Top Back Fin
Join orange to 1st st after the white middle part where shown.
1 ch, 1 sc in same st as ch, 1 hdc in next st, 1 dc in following st, 1 tr in each st to last 2 sts of the orange, 1 dc in next st, 1 hdc and 1 sl st in last st. Fasten off.
Back Bottom Fin
Join orange to 1st st after the white middle part on wrong side where shown.
Row 1: 1 ch, 1 sc in each st between the back black row on the white middle part and the 1st black row on the tail. Turn.
Row 2: 1 ch, 1 sc in same place as ch, 1 hdc in next st, 1 dc in following st, work 1 tr in each st until 3 sts left, 1 dc in next st, 1 hdc in following st and 1 sc and sl st in last st. Fasten off. 
Join black to the top back black part of the white middle part as shown.
Sl st into 1st st on fin, 1 sc in next st, 1 hdc in following 4 sts, 2 hdc in next st, 2 dc in following st, 1 dc in each st to 1 st before next black row, 1 hdc in last st, sl st into next st. Sl st in each st to top of tail. Don’t fasten off and continue with the black tail edging.
Black Tail Edging and Around Bottom Back Fin
2 ch 1 hdc in 1st st, 2 dc in each st to the last st, 1 hdc in last st, 2 ch, sl st in same place as hdc, work 1 sl st in each st down the side to the top of the bottom fin. Work 1 sc in 1st st, 2 hdc in next st, 1 dc in each of following 2 sts, 2 dc in each st to last 2 sts of fin, 1 hdc in next st and 1 sc in last st, sl st in behind the white middle part. Fasten off.
Front Top Fin
Join orange to 1st st after the white middle part on wrong side where shown.
Row 1: 1 ch, 1 sc in each of next 3 sts, 1 hdc in each of following 3 sts. Turn.
Row 2: 3 ch, 1 joined dc over 1st 2 sts, 1 joined hdc over following 2 sts, 1 sc in next st and 1 sl st in last st. Fasten off.
Join black cotton to beginning of fin and work 1 sc in each st to 1st black row of white middle piece. Fasten off.
Body Fin
Make a magic loop.
Row 1: 2 ch. Work 4 hdc into circle and pull circle tight. Don’t join. Turn.
Row 2: 2 ch, work 1 hdc in 1st st, 2 hdc in each st to the end. Turn.
Row 3: 1 ch, work 1 sc in each st to the end. Don’t turn.
Neatening Row
1 ch, work 1 sc in each st around sides and bottom of fin. Fasten off.
Join black to 1st st as shown.
1 ch, 1 sc in next st, 1 hdc in following st, 2 dc in each st to the last 2 sts, 1 hdc in next st, 1 sc in last st. Fasten off.
Front Far Bottom Fin
Make a magic loop.
3 ch, 2 dc in circle, pull circle tight but don’t join. Turn. Fasten off.
Change to black
3 ch, work 2 dc in each st and top of ch. Fasten off.
Front Bottom Fin
Make a magic loop.
Row 1: 3 ch, 2 dc in circle, pull circle tight but don’t join. Turn.
Row 2: 3 ch, 1 dc in same place as ch, 2 dc in next st, 1 dc in top of ch. Fasten off. 
Change to black
Row 1: 3 ch, work 2 dc in each st, 1 dc in top of ch. Turn.
Row 2: 3 ch, work a dc cluster over all sts. Fasten off.
Inner Eye
Make a magic loop.
1 ch, work 3 sc into circle, pull circle tight and join with a sl st in ch. Fasten off.
Outer Eye
Make a magic loop.
1 ch, work 7 sc into circle, pull circle tight and join with a sl st in ch. Fasten off.
Mouth
4 ch, I used brown for the chain then changed to orange.
Join orange cotton to end ch.
1 ch, 1 sc in each ch to last ch, into last ch work 3 hdc, work 1 sc into the back of each ch. Fasten off.
To Make Up
Weave in ends. Attach inner eye to outer eye.
Sew the eye to the fish where shown. 
Embroider a line of grey stitching around the outer eye if desired.
Stitch the mouth to the fish.
Attach the body fin to the fish. Embroider black markings to the end of each black row if desired. 
Stitch the front bottom fin and then the front far bottom fin to the fish.
And that’s the finished crochet clown fish pattern. I hope that you’ve enjoyed the pattern and tutorial. If you’re interested in sea creatures I’ve also designed this fantail goldfish and a humpback whale.
