Crochet Merbaby Rattle Doll
I have always wanted to turn a mermaid into a baby rattle! But in my heart, I felt like an adult looking mermaid wouldn’t be right. It needed to be a baby. This merbaby rattle doll is the cutest! And she comes with a story!
Legend has it, that when merbabies hatch, they are still quite small. Much like fawns have spots for camouflage, merbabies all have coral or orange colored hair that stands up, so that they can tunnel into the sand, and disguise themselves as sea coral or anemone with only their hair sticking out! When mommy mermaids need to find them food, they can leave their babies protected along the sea floor. As they get older, their torsos lengthen, as does their hair, and their hair might even change color, but for this brief little time in their lives, they have this built in protection.
Now you can make this merbaby rattle doll for a baby in your life! You can make her 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:
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:
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
- Insert hook into front loop only of next stitch, DO NOT yarn over.
- Insert hook into front loop of second stitch.
- Yarn over. Pull through 2 loops.
- 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.
Text and images copyright ©2018 by Erin Greene of ekayg, all rights reserved. No pattern may be reproduced or distributed in any form by any method without written permission. Finished products made from this pattern may be used for sale. Please credit back to ekayg. Please direct any questions about the pattern to my email, ekaygcrafts@gmail.com . I will respond as quickly as I am able.
Merbaby Rattle Doll
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.
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Work 5 sc across the flat end of the rows.
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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
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When you turn your work, continue to sc into the 5 unworked loops behind your sts to complete the rnd.
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Now you will be working through both loops.
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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.
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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.
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Pull skin color through, and sew over the same sts a few times to make your nose, and knot off inside the head.
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To hold the eye up, I wrap the yarn around itself after pulling it through the rnd above the initial point of entrance.
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Then, sew up and over another rnd and st for the lash. Using the beginning tail, create the bottom lash.
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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.
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.
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.
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Wrong side facing you, you will begin by using the back loops of the last rnd completed.
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Work your way all the way around, and then, continue on using the unworked loops from all previous rnds, spiraling back to the center.
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Sew evenly around the top of the head.
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Want more mermaid patterns?
Check out this Mermaid Hand Puppet!
Mermaid Tail ChapStick Holder
Mermaid Ripple Back Pack/Purse
Chastity Mermaid Lovey Dolls
Absolutely adorable! Love the pattern and the step by step pictures. I will definitely be trying it
Thank you so much!! 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!
CUTE !!!!! CUTE !!!!! CUTE!!!!
Thank you! Thank you! 🙂
I am working on the merbaby’s hair and it is curling down towards the head. I doesn’t stand up.
Hi Jeana!
The hair doesn’t automatically stand up. It is actually designed to curl. I made it stand up on mine by playing with it, after it was all done. 🙂 Hope that helps!
Dear Erin, your little meermaid is so sweet. Ilove it and I imade it already.You made a great job and it was fun to work after yor description. Love hilde
So lovely! Thanks for the pattern.
It is truly beautiful! thanks for sharing!
‘Just wanted to say thanks for the pattern, and to commend your work and name for your shop. FYI: There are a number of FREE Christian resources (designed to encourage, inspire, and equip) posted on our ministry website (www.IAmAWatchman.com). A number of free eBooks can be downloaded here: https://iamawatchman.com/ebooks/
Take Care and Thank you