The Merry Mermaid Infant Cocoon free pattern!

Mermaids. They are everywhere!! And I mean EVERYWHERE! Crocheters around the world are swimming in these projects. (<---See what I did there?) So, it's only natural for me to jump on the boat. (<--- See what I kinda did there, too?)

Actually, I designed this tail to be sold at a theme park in Branson, Mo, but that doesn't mean I can't share it with you all. Mermaid patterns are all over the place. Paid, free, stolen. (Let's hope not stolen, but whatever.) And since there are SO MANY OPTIONS for patterns, I wanted to offer this one for free in the hopes that you can add it to your crochet ocean of mermaid patterns. (<--- See what I did there, as well. Okay, I'll stop with the bad puns. Sorry.)

I'm a texture freak, and I really do love the texture to this one. All the different stitches makes it very texture happy. I have found myself caressing it on more than one occasion. But we won't go into that now...

How about we just jump to the pattern.

Introducing the Merry Mermaid Infant Cocoon!

US Terms

Materials Used:

• Caron Simply Soft Paints – approximately 4 skeins
• J hook
• Yarn needle for weaving in ends

Stitches Used:

• Slip Stitch (sl st)
• Single Crochet (SC)
• Half-Double Crochet (HDC)
• Half-Double Crochet Third Loop (HDC3rd)
• HDC3rd decrease
• Double Crochet (DC)
• Shell Stitch (5 DC in same stitch)
• Crocodile Stitch (using Front Post Half-Double Crochet – FPHDC)
• V-Stitch (DC, Ch 1, DC in same stitch)
• Whip Stitch

Gauge:

12DC in 6 Rows = 4 inches x 3.5 inches

Notes:

• This is made using joined rounds using 2 strands of yarn held together.
• Chains at the beginning of a row do NOT count as a stitch, other than in the shells where chains DO count as your first stitch..
• If you crochet tightly, you may want to go up a hook size.
• Caron Simply Soft is a #4 Worsted Weight Yarn, but it seems to be on the lighter side compared to other #4 yarns. If using a yarn like Red Heart or ILTY, take that into consideration as it may affect your gauge.
• For this pattern the Crocodile stitches will be made with Half-Double Crochet, but if you prefer Double Crochet Crocodile stitches, that is fine. The HDC makes it a little less bulky. Either way works and looks beautiful.
• The decreases in the fin are Half-Double 3^rd loop decreases, these are done the same way as a regular HDC decrease, only you do them in the 3^rd loop instead of the regular loops.
• Final dimensions of the cocoon (minus the fin) is 17 inches long x 8.5 inches wide (at the top.)

Pattern:

With 2 strands of yarn held together, Chain 13.

Round 1.) Double Crochet (DC) in 2nd chain from hook and in remaining chains. Continue crocheting around the other side of the chains. Slip Stitch (Sl st) to join. (24 DC)

Round 2.) Ch 2, DC in each stitch around. SS to 1st to join. (24DC)

Round 3.) Ch 2, *2DC, 1DC in next 3 stitches. Repeat from * around. Sl st to join. (30DC)

Round 4.) Ch 2, DC in each stitch around. Sl st to join. (30DC)

Round 5.) Ch 2, *2DC, 1DC in next 4 stitches. Repeat from * around. Sl st to join. (36DC)

Round 6.) Ch 2, DC in each stitch around. Sl st to join. (36DC)

Round 7.) Ch 2, *2DC, 1DC in next 5 stitches. Repeat from * around. Sl st to join. (42DC)

Round 8.) Ch 2, DC in each stitch around. Sl st to join. (42DC)

Round 9.) Ch 2, *2DC, 1DC in next 6 stitches. Repeat from * around. Sl st to join. (48DC)

Round 10.) Ch 2, DC in each stitch around. Sl st to join. (48DC)

Round 11.) Ch 2, *2DC, 1DC in next 7 stitches. Repeat from * around. Sl st to join. (54DC)

Round 12.) Ch 2, *2DC, 1DC in next 8 stitches. Repeat from * around. Sl st to join. (60DC)

Round 13.) Ch 1, Single Crochet (SC) in same stitch, *Skip 2 stitches, 1 Shell stitch (5DC) in next stitch, Skip 2 stitches, SC in next. Repeat from * around, ending with a shell stitch. Sl st in 1st SC to join. (10 Shells)

Round 14.) Ch 3 (counts as DC), 2DC in same stitch, *Skip 2 stitches, SC in next (middle of shell from previous row), Skip 2 stitches, Shell stitch in next (SC from previous row). Repeat from * around until you get back to the beginning stitches. In the same stitch as the Ch 3 and 2 DC, add 2 more DC to finish that shell. Sl st to the top of the Ch3 to join. (10 Shells)

Rounds 15-30.) Repeat rounds 13 then 14 until you have 18 rows of shells. You can add more or less rows if you wish, but make sure your last row is a repeat of round 14. (10 shells each row)

Round 31.) Ch 1, *SC in next (1st SC in same as Ch 1), HDC in next, DC in next, HDC in next, SC in next, Slip Stitch (SS) in next, Repeat from * around, slip stitching in to the Ch 1 at the end of the row. (60 stitches)

Round 32.) Ch 4 (=DC + Ch 1), DC in same stitch, Skip 1 stitch, *DC + Ch 1 in next, Skip 1 stitch,V Stitch (DC, Ch 1, DC) in next, Skip 1 stitch, Repeat from * around, ending with a DC + Ch 1, slip stitch into Ch 4 to join.

Round 33.) *5 Front Post Half-Double Crochets (FPHDC) around the first half of the V Stitch from the previous row working from the top to the bottom of the stitch, Ch 2, work 5 more FPHDC stitches on the second half of the V Stitch working from the bottom up (you may need to rotate your work a little to make it easier), Sl st to the next stitch, Repeat from * around. Sl st to the first stitch in the row to join. (15 Crocodile Stitches)

Round 34.) Ch 4 (=DC + Ch 1), DC in same stitch, *DC + Ch 1 in the center of the Crocodile stitch from the previous row, V Stitch in the space between the two crocodile stitches, Repeat from * around, ending with a DC + Ch 1, slip stitch to the Ch 4 to join.

Round 35.) Repeat round 33.

Fasten off, weave in ends.

{Mermaid Fin}

Leave a long tail when starting and ending your fin. The tails will be used to sew the fin onto the rest of the blanket. 

Ch 31

Round 1.) HDC in the second chain from hook and in each chain across. Ch 2 and turn. (30 Stitches)

Round 2.) Half-Double Crochet in the 3rd loop (HDC3rd) 28 times, HDC3rd decrease, Ch 2 and turn. (29 Stitches)

 

Round 3.) HDC3rd decrease, 1 HDC3rd in remaing stitches across, Ch 2 and turn. (28 stitches)

Round 4.) HDC3rd 26 times, HDC3rd decrease, Ch 2 and turn. (27 Stitches)

Round 5.) HDC3rd decrease, 1 HDC3rd in remaing stitches across, Ch 2 and turn. (26 stitches)

Round 6.) HDC3rd 24 times, HDC3rd decrease, Ch 2 and turn. (25 Stitches)

Round 7.) HDC3rd decrease, 1 HDC3rd in remaing stitches across, Ch 2 and turn. (24 stitches)

Round 8.) HDC3rd 22 times, HDC3rd decrease, Ch 2 and turn. (23 Stitches)

Round 9.) HDC3rd decrease, 1 HDC3rd in remaing stitches across, Ch 2 and turn. (22 stitches)

Round 10.) HDC3rd 20 times, HDC3rd decrease, Ch 2 and turn. (21 Stitches)

Round 11.) HDC3rd decrease, 1 HDC3rd in remaing stitches across, Ch 2 and turn. (20 stitches)

Round 12.) HDC3rd 19 times, 2 HDC3rd in last stitch, Ch 2 and turn. (21 stitches)

Round 13.) 2 HDC3rd in first stitch, 1 HDC3rd in each remaining stitch across. Ch 2 and turn. (22 stitches)

Round 14.) HDC3rd 21 times, 2 HDC3rd in last stitch, Ch 2 and turn. (23 stitches)

Round 15.) 2 HDC3rd in first stitch, 1 HDC3rd in each remaining stitch across. Ch 2 and turn. (24 stitches)

Round 16.) HDC3rd 23 times, 2 HDC3rd in last stitch, Ch 2 and turn. (25 stitches)

Round 17.) 2 HDC3rd in first stitch, HDC3rd in each remaining stitch across. Ch 2 and turn. (26 stitches)

Round 18.) HDC3rd 25 times, 2 HDC3rd in last stitch, Ch 2 and turn. (27 stitches)

Round 19.) 2 HDC3rd in first stitch, HDC3rd in each remaining stitch across. Ch 2 and turn. (28 stitches)

Round 20.) HDC3rd 27 times, 2 HDC3rd in last stitch, Ch 2 and turn. (29 stitches)

Round 21.) 2 HDC3rd in first stitch, HDC3rd in each remaining stitch across. Ch 1 and turn. (30 stitches)

You will now finish the edges of the fin by doing a SC border. SC in each stitch across (in both loops, no more 3rd loop!), in the corners add 2 SCs, then SC across the bottom of fin, back up the other sideand across the top. Once you are done going around the entire fin, finish off, leaving another long tail making sure to leave the long tail you started with intact. Both of the tails should be at the top of your making sure to leave the long tail you started with intact. Both of the tails should be at the top of your fin. You need them for the next step.

{Sewing it all together}

Lay the tail out flat. Take the top corner of one side and fold it toward the center, you want the outside corner of the fin to meet the middle top of the fin. Use the long tail on that side and whip stitch the top on that side together. Do the same for the other side as well.

Once your fin is whipped stitched together it's time to sew it on to the rest of the blanket. The top of the fin should be about the same width as the bottom of the body. Now, simply use the long tails you used in the last step and sew/whip stitch it to the body. Then fasten off and weave in all your ends. 

That's it! You now have a cute little Mermaid Cocoon! I hope you enjoy making this one. I'd LOVE to see what you come up with. So make sure to head on over to my Facebook page (HERE!) and share a photo or two of your tail!

And, as always, you are more than welcome to sell any finished product made from my patterns. Just please, credit me (link back to www.MapleGroveCreative.com) when you do. 

If you wish to purchase an inexpensive PDF of this pattern, you can do so in my Etsy shop by clicking HERE or by going to www.maplegrovecreative.etsy.com

Happy Hooking!