Now you can make this for a baby in your life! Turn it into a doll, or add the rattle for fun, and the hair serves as fun textures for little fingers to play with! Wow your friends with this fun baby shower gift!  

Materials:
Hook size D – 3.25mm
Worsted weight yarns in the colors of your choice. I used yarns on the thinner side, due to the size of the hook, so a 3 might be best, but 4 would work too.
Used here:
Tail – Fairy Tale Knits hand dyed yarn, Triton colorway (her variegated yarns are absolutely perfect for mermaid tails!) – approximately 12 yrds
Skin – Vanna’s Choice, Beige – approximately 15 yrds
Hair – Red Heart Soft, Coral – approximately 35 yrds
Small amounts of worsted weight yarn in black for the eyes.
1.5 inch rattle insert (their smaller sized rattle would also work, just use extra stuffing!)
Small amount of polyester fiberfill for stuffing
Tapestry needle

Terms and abbreviations to know:
Magic ring
rnd, rnds – round, rounds
ch, chs – chain, chains
st, sts – stitch, stitches
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
hdc – half double crochet
BLO – back loop only
inc – increase, 2 sc together into the same st
dec – decrease, connect 2 sts into 1 sts
hdc2tog – half double crochet 2 together, a decrease using hdc
​inv – invisible
invsc2tog  – invisible single crochet 2 together; this is essentially a decrease, but done in such a way as to make the continuous stitching smoother and the decrease not as noticeable

1. Insert hook into front loop only of next stitch, DO NOT yarn over.
2. Insert hook into front loop of second stitch.
3. Yarn over. Pull through 2 loops.
4. Yarn over and pull through last loop.​

Notes: This pattern begins at the bottom with the tail fin, working in rows, but switching to rnds after completing the fin. Chs do not count toward sts on the turns, and rnds are worked continuously, without joining. Arms and hair are made separately and sewn onto the body. 

Amigurumi Mermaid Doll Free Pattern

​Ch 11
Row 1: hdc in 3rd ch from the hook and next 5 chs, sl st in last 3 chs; 9 sts
Row 2: ch 1 and turn, BLO sl st in next 3 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, 2 hdc2tog; 7 sts
Row 3: ch 1 and turn, BLO, 2 hdc2tog, sl st in next 3 ts; 5 sts
Row 4: ch 1 and turn, BLO, sc in each st across; 5 sts
Row 5: ch 1 and turn, BLO, 2 hdc in each of the next 2 sts, sl st in next 3 sts; 7 sts
Row 6: ch 1 and turn, BLO, sl st in next 3 sts, hdc in 2 next sts, 2 hdc in each of the next 2 sts; 9 sts
Row 7: ch 1 and turn, BLO, hdc in next 6 sts, sl st in next 3 sts; 9 sts
Ch 1, but do NOT turn. Work 5 sc across the flat end of the rows.

The pattern will switch here to working in rnds. 
Rnd 1: ch 1 and turn, sc 5 across in FLO, then turn and sc 5 across in the unworked loops behind, do not join; 10 sts

Rnd 2: sc in each st around; 10 sts
Rnd 3: (inc, sc in next st)5x; 15 sts
Rnd 4: sc in each st around; 15 sts
Rnd 5: (inc, sc in next 4 sts)3x; 18 sts
Rnd 6: sc in each st around; 18 sts
Rnd 7: (inc, sc in next 2 sts)6x; 24 sts
Rnd 8: (inc, sc in next 3 sts)6x; 30 sts
Rnds 9-11: sc in each st around; 30 sts
Rnd 12: (invsc2tog, sc in next 3 sts)6x; 24 sts
Attach skin color and fasten off fin color.
Rnd 13: (sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts)6x; 18 sts
Stop here to tidy up the tail. Using your beginning string, weave through the base of the tail, between the tail and the fin. Pull it snug to give it a thinner look through there, weave the end into the inside of the body, and knot it off.
Then begin with a little bit of stuffing in the bottom of the tail. Add the rattle, and stuff around the rattle gently. 

Stuff a little more around the rattle insert. Then continue with skin color.
​Rnd 14: (sc2tog, sc in next st)6x; 12 sts
Rnd 15: sc in each st around; 12 sts
Stuff a bit more, then we will be working on the head. 
Rnd 16: inc in each st around; 24 sts
Rnd 17: (inc, sc in next 3 sts)6x; 30 sts
Rnds 18-23: sc in each st around; 30 sts
Rnd 24: (sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts)6x; 24 sts
Rnd 25: (sc2tog, sc in next 2 sts)6x; 18 sts
Stop here to embroider the facial features. Place the nose over the center 2 sts of rnd 20, and the eyes each beginning 1 st over from the nose, spanning over 2 sts. 

Rnd 26: (sc2tog, sc in next st)6x; 12 sts
Complete stuffing.
Rnd 27: (sc2tog, sc in next st)4x; 8 sts
Fasten off, and use the tail to weave through the top, sewing it closed. Knot, and weave in end. Arms (make 2)
Begin with a magic ring
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring; 6 sts
Rnds 2-7: sc in each st around; 6 sts
Do not stuff.
Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Sew down to sides. Hair
Begin with magic ring
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring; 6 sts
Use BLO throughout
Rnd 2: inc in each st around; 12 sts
Rnd 3: (inc, sc in next st)6x; 18 sts
Rnd 4: (inc, sc in next 2 sts)6x; 24 sts
Rnd 5: (inc, sc in next 3 sts)6x; 30 sts
Rnd 6: sc in each st around; 30 sts
Now, sl st into the BLO of next st, and turn work so that you can work in the opposite direction, working backwards around the spiral. First using the back loops of last rnd, then working your way through the unworked front loops of all the previous rnds; sl st into first loop, (ch 6, turn, inc in 2nd ch from hook, inc in next ch, sc in next 3 chs, sl st into next 2 front loops). Do this all the way back to the center of the hair, following the unworked loops. 

More Amigurumi Mermaid Doll Ideas: