Sunset mermaid amigurumi doll crochet pattern

A chenille mermaid doll. One 4.0mm hook. About a weekend to finish.

Sunset mermaid amigurumi doll crochet pattern
Sunset mermaid amigurumi doll crochet pattern
  • LevelIntermediate
  • Time4-6 hours
  • Hook4.0 mm
  • YarnChunky

About This Pattern

This mermaid sits in your lap for an evening or two. She is cream chunky yarn up top, coral and peach moving down her tail. Her head holds firm stuffing. Her tail stays soft, so she drapes over a shelf edge. She needs patient hands for the braid, and a steady hook for the chenille. Nothing about her is rushed. She asks for a quiet table and good light.

In the basket

For the body and head

For the tail

For the hair

For details

Abbreviations

Magic Ring (MR)
An adjustable loop that closes completely, leaving no hole at the center of your work. You’ll start most pieces this way.
Chain (ch)
The foundation stitch. Yarn over, pull through the loop on your hook.
Single Crochet (sc)
Insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop (2 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through both loops.
Increase (inc)
Work 2 single crochets into the same stitch. This adds one stitch to your count.
Invisible Decrease (dec)
Insert hook through front loops only of the next 2 stitches, yarn over and pull through both front loops, yarn over and pull through both loops on hook. This creates a neater decrease than the standard method.
Slip Stitch (sl st)
Insert hook, yarn over, pull through stitch and loop on hook in one motion. Used for joining or creating a flat finish.
Front Loop Only (FLO)
Work into only the front loop of the stitch, leaving the back loop unworked.
Back Loop Only (BLO)
Work into only the back loop of the stitch.

Sunset mermaid amigurumi doll crochet pattern

Head (Cream Chunky Yarn, 4.0mm Hook)

Work in continuous rounds. Use a stitch marker to track your first stitch.

  1. Round 1MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 sts)
  2. Round 2Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
  3. Round 3*Sc 1, inc* repeat around. (18 sts)
  4. Round 4*Sc 2, inc* repeat around. (24 sts)
  5. Round 5*Sc 3, inc* repeat around. (30 sts)
  6. Round 6*Sc 4, inc* repeat around. (36 sts)
  7. Round 7through 12: Sc in each st around. (36 sts)
  8. Round 13*Sc 4, dec* repeat around. (30 sts) Insert safety eyes between Rounds 9 and 10, approximately 8 stitches apart. Take your time with placement. I always pin them first and look from multiple angles.
  9. Round 14*Sc 3, dec* repeat around. (24 sts) Begin stuffing firmly.
  10. Round 15*Sc 2, dec* repeat around. (18 sts)
  11. Round 16*Sc 1, dec* repeat around. (12 sts) Add more stuffing. The head should feel solid but not stretched.Do not fasten off. Continue directly to body.

Arms (Make 2, Cream Chunky Yarn)

  1. Round 1MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 sts)
  2. Round 2*Sc 1, inc* repeat around. (9 sts)
  3. Round 3through 10: Sc in each st around. (9 sts) Stuff lightly, mainly in the hand area. Arms should be slightly floppy.
  4. Round 11Flatten opening, work 4 sc through both layers to close. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Fins (Make 2, Light Peach Chunky Yarn)

  1. Round 1MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 sts)
  2. Round 2Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
  3. Round 3through 5: Sc in each st around. (12 sts)
  4. Round 6*Sc 1, dec* repeat around. (8 sts) Stuff lightly.
  5. Round 7Dec 4 times. (4 sts) Fasten off, leaving tail for sewing. Make two identical fins.

Seashell Top (Make 2, Golden Yellow Worsted, 3.5mm Hook)

  1. Round 1Ch 4, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 2 ch, turn. (3 sts)
  2. Round 2Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc 1, 2 sc in last st, turn. (5 sts)
  3. Round 3Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc 3, 2 sc in last st. (7 sts) Fasten off, leaving tail for sewing. These small triangular shapes create the classic seashell bikini top look.

Body (Cream Chunky Yarn)

  1. Round 17Working into the 12 stitches remaining, *sc 1, inc* repeat around. (18 sts)
  2. Round 18Sc in each st around. (18 sts)
  3. Round 19through 22: Sc in each st around. (18 sts) Fasten off cream yarn. Join coral yarn.

Tail Upper Section (Coral Chunky Yarn)

  1. Round 23With coral, sc in each st around. (18 sts)
  2. Round 24*Sc 7, dec* repeat twice. (16 sts)
  3. Round 25through 28: Sc in each st around. (16 sts) Fasten off coral. Join light peach yarn.

Tail Lower Section (Light Peach Chunky Yarn)

  1. Round 29With light peach, sc in each st around. (16 sts)
  2. Round 30*Sc 6, dec* repeat twice. (14 sts)
  3. Round 31and 32: Sc in each st around. (14 sts)
  4. Round 33*Sc 5, dec* repeat twice. (12 sts)
  5. Round 34Sc in each st around. (12 sts)
  6. Round 35*Sc 4, dec* repeat twice. (10 sts) Stuff the tail section now. Pack it moderately, not as firmly as the head.
  7. Round 36*Sc 3, dec* repeat twice. (8 sts)
  8. Round 37Dec 4 times. (4 sts) Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Sew the opening closed.

Waist Ruffle (Light Peach Worsted, 3.5mm Hook)

This creates the frilly detail where the body meets the tail.

Ch 30, 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 3 dc in each remaining ch across.

Fasten off. This creates a naturally ruffled strip. Wrap it around the waist at the color change line and sew in place.

Hair

This is my favorite part, and it’s easier than it looks.

Cut approximately 40 strands of your variegated orange/gold yarn, each about 16 inches long.

Using your hook, attach strands to the head using the latch hook method: fold strand in half, insert hook under a stitch on the head, pull the folded loop through, then pull the cut ends through that loop and tighten.

Start at the hairline (around Round 7) and work in rows toward the crown and down the back. Cover the entire back and top of the head, leaving the face clear.

For the braid, gather a section of strands from one side and create a simple three strand braid. Secure the end with a small piece of matching yarn tied tightly.

For the flowers in the hair, use peach worsted weight yarn:

MR, *ch 2, sl st into ring* repeat 5 times. Fasten off. This creates a tiny rose. Make 2 or 3 and sew them into the hair near the top of the head.

More pictures

Sunset mermaid amigurumi doll crochet pattern — photo 2
Sunset mermaid amigurumi doll crochet pattern — photo 3

Before the first stitch

  1. Check your chenille yarn amounts against the materials list before you wind a single ball.
  2. Place a stitch marker at round one of the head. You will track it for all eleven rounds.
  3. Work a quick test swatch in chenille first. The strand splits easily, so your hook needs practice catching it whole.

Minutes per piece

  • Head and body about 1.5 hours, because the head alone runs eleven rounds of careful shaping

Other yarns that work

  • Acrylic bulky weight Loses the chenille's soft halo. Stitches stay crisper, so shaping looks more defined and less bobbled.
  • Cotton worsted weight Smaller finished doll overall. Drop to a 3.5mm hook throughout and stuff a touch firmer for structure.

Where it ends up

  • A soft decoration for a child's shelf, paired with a small woven basket nearby.
  • A gift for a mermaid-loving child, wrapped alongside a simple picture book.
  • A display piece for your own craft room, set near other finished amigurumi.

Joining up

  1. Step 1 Sewing the arms: Position arms at Round 18, just below where the neck meets the body. Pin first, then sew securely using the long tails. I go around twice for durability.
  2. Step 2 Attaching the fins: Sew one fin to each side of the tail bottom, angling them slightly outward. They should sit at the very end of the tail, giving that classic mermaid silhouette.
  3. Step 3 Seashell top: Position the two shell pieces on the chest area, points facing down, about 4 stitches apart. Sew in place. You can add a small chain between them for a strap detail if desired.
  4. Step 4 Face details: Using pink yarn, embroider a tiny curved mouth between the eyes. Add small pink circles for rosy cheeks using satin stitch or French knots.

Small notes

  • Stuff the head firmly so it keeps its shape, but keep the tail softer and the arms light so everything drapes naturally.
  • Work the chenille slowly. It splits if you rush, so let your hook catch the full strand every time.

Little questions

  • Why does the head need firmer stuffing than the tail?

    The head holds the face and the eyes, so it needs to keep its shape under handling. The tail bends and drapes, so soft stuffing lets it curve naturally.

  • Can I skip the test swatch for the chenille yarn?

    I would not skip it if you are new to chenille. A few practice rounds help your hook learn to catch the full strand before you start the head.

  • Where exactly do the arms attach?

    Pin them at round eighteen, just below where the neck meets the body. Sew with the long tail, going around twice for durability.

  • What if my eye placement looks off at first?

    Try different spots before inserting the safety eyes permanently. Lower placement looks sweeter, and wider spacing looks more innocent, so trust your eye.

Original pattern: https://crochr.com/sunset-mermaid-amigurumi-doll-free-crochet-pattern/

About the Author

Tamsin Okoro Who writes the patterns at Yarn Gallery, how a pattern gets from the hook to the page, and what this site will never do.

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