Goldfish cross stitch pattern

About this design

The fish swims to the left, with a Tangerine (741) body, a Burnt Orange (900) outline and a pale Tangerine Light (742) tail and fins. The eye is Black with a single Blanc stitch, and three Sky Blue (3761) bubbles float above. It is a cheerful little design for a bathroom, a child’s room or a pet lover’s card.

Stitch counts: 69 in 741 (Tangerine Med), 28 in 742 (Tangerine Light), 27 in 900 (Burnt Orange Dark), 3 in 3761 (Sky Blue Light), 3 in 310 (Black) and 1 in BLANC (White), 131 full cross stitches in all. One skein of each colour is plenty.

How to work it

Stitch the dark outline first, then fill the body; the pale fins go in last. Two strands of floss on 14-count Aida give good coverage, and working each colour in rows of half stitches, then coming back to cross them, keeps the stitches neat and even.

Finishing ideas

Finished, it measures roughly 1.4 × 0.9 inches on 14-count (1.1 × 0.7 inches on 18-count), so a 4-inch hoop suits it. It is also the right size for a card or a gift tag.

Colour plan

DMC 741 Tangerine Med does the most work, 53% of the 131 stitches, followed by DMC 742 Tangerine Light at 21%. DMC 3761 Sky Blue Light (3), DMC 310 Black (3) and DMC BLANC White (1) are used only a little: small details worth marking on the chart so you don't miss them. 47% of the grid is left empty.

Working notes

14 squares stand alone in their colour, with no same-coloured neighbour along a side; stitch those as you pass rather than starting a new thread for each. The busiest row changes colour 9 times.