Crochet Mermaid Dolls

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• 1 Skein Lion Brand Skein Tones Yarn
• 1 Skein Yarn (fin and hair color yarn)
• US G Hook
• Black Embroidery Floss
• Red Embroidery Floss
• Poly-Fil

DIRECTIONS:

FINISHED DOLL MEASUREMENTS: 10" from head to base of fin.

HEAD:
With skin tone yarn,
Ch 2, Sc 6 into first ch.
Working into the first sc to create a round piece of work, 2 sc into each stitch around. (12sc).
(Sc 1 into next sc, 2 sc into next sc) 6 times. (18 sc).
Work one round of sc.
(Sc 1 into the next 2 scs, 2 scs into next sc) 6 times. (24 sc).
Work 3 rounds of sc.
Sc 12. To work nose bauble, yo, pull through one loop 5 times, yo, pull through all loops. Sc the next 11 stitches.
Work 1 round of sc.
(Sc into the next 2 scs, sc2tog) 6 times. (18 sc).
(Sc into the next sc, sctog) 6 times. (12 sc).
Pause crocheting the doll to work on the face stitching. Do not break yarn. Using embroidery floss or yarn, stitch eyes and a mouth surrounding the bauble nose. Stitch in small smile in red embroidery floss below the nose.
Place a small amount of stuffing into the head. Add more stuffing for a firmer toy.
Sctog 6 times. (6sc).
(Sc 2 in the next sc) 6 times (12 sc).
(Sc into the next 2 scs, 2 scs into next sc) 6 times. (18 sc).
Sc one round.
Shoulder increase round: (Sc 8, 2 sc in the next stitch) twice. (20 sc).
Sc one round.
(Sc 9, 2 sc in next stitch) twice. (22 sc).
Sc two rounds.
(Sc 10, 2 sc into next stitch) twice. (24 sc).
Sc one round.
Sc until working yarn is at the center of the back. Slip stitch into the next stitch. Snip yarn.

FIN:
With fin color, begin where the last round left off, sc around the post of each sc of previous round. This method will create a ridge to create a smooth transition between the torso and fin.
Crochet 24 scs into the skin tone row below your new fin colored row.
Working into the back loop only, sc 3 rounds.
Continuing to work through the back loop, (Sc 6, sctog) 3 times. (21 sc).
Sc 3 rounds through the back loop.
Continuing to work through the back loop, (Sc 5, sctog) 3 times. (18 sc).
Sc 2 rounds through the back loop.
Continuing to work through the back loop, (Sc 4, sctog) 3 times. (15 sc).
Sc 4 rounds through the back loop.
(Add stuffing to torso at this point).
Continuing to work through the back loop, (Sc 3, sctog) 3 times. (12 sc).
Sc 1 round through the back loop.
Continuing to work through the back loop, (Sc 2, sctog) 3 times. (9 sc).
Continuing to work through the back loop, (Sc 1, sctog) 3 times. (6 sc).
Join with a slip stitch into the next stitch. Snip yarn leaving a long tail.

FIN TEXTURE 1:
As seen on lavender doll.
Beginning at center back of the start of the fin, join with a slip stitch. Work the following stitch pattern into the horizontal bar stitch that was the front loop of the previous step, working down the spiral.
Slip 1, (Hdc 3 into next stitch, skip one stitch, slip stitch in next stitch) repeat until about halfway down the fin.
For the remainder of the fin: (Sc 3 into next stitch, skip one stitch, slip stitch in next stitch) until end of fin, join with slip stitch in base of the tail. Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Pick up instructions for bottom of fin.

FIN STYLE 2:
As seen on mint doll.
Beginning at center back of the start of the fin, join with a slip stitch. Work the following stitch pattern into the horizontal bar stitch that was the front loop of the previous step, working down the spiral.
Ch3. *Skip 1 stitch, (Dc 1, ch 1) 3 times into next stitch. Skip 1 stitch, slip stitch in next stitch. Ch 1, repeat from star until about a quarter down the fin, or about 4 rows of fin "petals."
*3 hdc into next stitch, skip 1 stitch, slip stitch into next stitch. Skip 2 stitches. Rep from * until last inch fin. Join with a slip stitch in the next stitch and fasten off, leaving a long tail. Pick up instructions for bottom of fin.

FIN STYLE 3:
As seen on blue doll.
Beginning at center back of the start of the fin, join with a slip stitch. Work the following stitch pattern into the horizontal bar stitch that was the front loop of the previous step, working down the spiral, Hdc in each until about halfway down the doll. Then, switch to working one sc in each bar stitch until about an inch remains. Switch to one slip stitch in each bar stitch until end. Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Pick up instructions for bottom of fin.

FIN STYLE 4:
As seen on the pink doll. Leave as is. Pick up instructions for bottom of fin.

BOTTOM OF FIN:
Ch 32.
Ch 1, slip stitch into 2nd chain from the hook. *Sc 1 into each of next 2 chains. Hdc 1 into each of the next 2 ch. Dc 1 into each of the next 2 ch. Tr 1 into each of the next 3 ch. Dc 1 into each of the next 2 chs. Hdc 1 into each of the next 2 chs. Sc 1 into next ch. Rep from *, slip stitch into last ch.
Ch1, working across the other side of the foundation chain, repeat from the #, finishing with a slip stitch in the first slip stitch. Fasten off, weaving in ends.
Sew in the center to the bottom of the mermaid, scrunching the stitches in the middle for a fuller look.

ARMS
Make 2.
Ch 2. Sc 4 into first chain. Working into the first sc to join in the round, work 2 rounds of 4 sc, being sure to flip the work for that the outside is facing you.
To make the hand bauble: Yo, pull through one loop 4 times, yo, pull through all loops. Sc 2 into next sc. Work in a round tube of 5 sc until the arm measures 3.5", join with a slip stitch and snip yarn, leaving a long tail to use to sew to the body.

HAIR
This creates the "cap" for you to latch hair onto.
With fin color yarn, Ch 2, Sc 6 into first ch.
Working into the first sc to create a round piece of work, 2 sc into each stitch around, into back loop only. You will continue to work all stitches through the back loop only. (12sc).
(Sc 1 into next sc, 2 sc into next sc) 6 times. (18 sc).
(Sc 1 into the next 2 scs, 2 scs into next sc) 6 times. (24 sc).
Work one round of sc through the back loop.
Turn work to work back and forth. Ch 1, Sc in front loop of the stitch. Sc 15 through front loop only.
Turn work, Ch 1, sc2tog, sc 11, sc2tog, all through the back loop. (13 sc).
Turn work, Ch 1, sc2tog, sc 9, sc2tog, all through the front loop.
With wrong side facing, work a sc border across side edge, front bang edge and down the other side. Join with a slip stitch in the first sc of previous row. Fasten off, leaving a long tail to sew.

FOR LONG HAIR (as in lavender and pink dolls):
Fasten off. Wrap a cd case, a small book or a piece of cardboard with the hair color yarn. The larger the object the longer the hair pieces will be. For extra interest, add in complementing or contrasting yarn colors for hair with a little more depth. Cut the yarn, creating a bundle of hair strands.
Begin attaching the yarn strands to every horizontal bar stitch on the cap piece, working in rows, beginning at the bottom of the cap. Experiment with hair placement for a fuller look. It doesn't have to be perfect because you can cut and style the hair as a final step.

FOR BRAIDED PIGTAILS (as in mint doll):
Wrap a cd case with your hair color yarn. Cut the yarn, creating a bundle of even strands.
You will begin creating two rows of bundles of hair in even lines beginning at temples and ending at back of the head. Beginning about 2 rows up, attach three strands in a lark's head knot to the cap base. Create 6 bundles on each side, working from temple to back of the head. Braid strands together.

FOR FULLER, UNBRAIDED PIGTAILS (as in blue doll):
Follow instructions for mint doll, adding another row of 3 strand bundles above the first row of hair bundles.

ALL HAIR STYLES:
Sew hair cap to doll's head, hiding the ends within the doll.

SHELL BIKINI TOP
Ch 50. Fasten off, weave ends. This will be the chest strap.
Insert the hook into the 20th ch. Ch 1, sc 1 into same ch. Sc 1 into next ch. Hdc 3 into next ch. Skip next ch, slip stitch in next ch. Skip 1 ch, slip stitch in next ch, Hdc 3 into next ch. Sc 1 into each of the next 2 chs. Slip stitch in next stitch, fasten off and weave in ends.

NECK STRAPS:
Join with a slip stitch into the 3rd hdc of the two clusters of the bikini top. Ch 20, fasten off and weave in ends. Repeat for the other cluster. Tie around doll.