Several weeks ago, a few of my friends contacted me showing me a photo they found online of a mermaid blanket. Not all mermaid blankets were exactly the same, so I did my own research and used variations of different stitches and patterns I found on the internet, I created my own mermaid afghan. Since I borrowed stitches from several different patterns (including this pattern by Mad Hooker), I combined them to make my own in this exclusive FREE pattern that I have written. Below you will find the instructions to make 3 different sizes (Small, Medium, Large). You can use any combination of colors to create the scale look. This is an easy to follow pattern, and I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to follow along if you get stuck. Enjoy and Happy Hookin’! ~Nadia
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Teacher: Nadia Fuad
Video and Editing: Fuad Azmat (My Daddy)
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Pattern:
Designed by Nadia Fuad You *may* sell items made from my pattern, but please reference my website YARNutopia.com.
Please do not copy, sell, and/or post this pattern and claim it as your own.
Sizing: Size Small will fit a child that is 4 feet-5 feet tall. The Medium will fit anybody that is 5 feet to 6 feet tall (this is the one I filmed), and the Large fits anybody over 6 feet tall. The Width for each is the same so it can fit larger or skinnier people. It measures approximately 50 inches wide.
View this video to help with making SIZE MEDIUM of this Mermaid Afghan:
Although I used Red Heart Yarns in this project, here is a great substitution of yarn that works great as well. Brava yarn by WeCrochet/Knit Picks
-Red Heart Super Saver Medium (worsted) weight yarn: The skeins of yarn are Approx.364 yds (333 m) per skein. Please keep that in mind when you are purchasing yarn.
Size Small: 2 skeins Macaw, 1 skein Jade, and 1 skein Peacock (Peacock comes in Red Heart With Love) Size Medium: 3 skeins Macaw, 2 skeins Jade, and 2 skeins Peacock (Peacock comes in Red Heart With Love) Size Large: 4 skeins Macaw, 3 skeins Jade, and 3 skeins Peacock (Peacock comes in Red Heart With Love)
If you cannot get these exact brands of yarn, go to Yarnsub.com to find an equivalent type of yarn.
Ch: chain
Sl st: slip stitch
DC: double crochet
Sc: single crochet
Sc2tog: Single crochet 2 together
Notes:
-When you finish this project, you may sew up the “open” side to make this a full cocoon style. You may also crochet a single crochet around the entire edge to “cover up” the edges where you sew in your ends.
-To sew in your ends, just take a yarn needle and hide all the ends back into your work. (I do not show how to do this in this video, but if you watch any of my other video tutorials, I show how I sew in my ends if you want to do it like me).
-The chain is the same in all sizes, but if you dont want it that wide, chain something that is in groups of 6 +2. So if you chain something that is 114 + 2, you would have 116 chains. I hope that makes sense!
-Ch 3 at beg of rnd counts as dc throughout.
–Change color after every row, sew in ends as you go
-sc2tog on “blanket” portion means to go into the middle st of 5dc group, yarn over, go into the middle st of the next 5dc group, yarn over, then yarn over and pull through all 3 loops on your hook.
-To make the tail fin bigger: Repeat rows 2 and 3 for however big you want it to be (maybe 60 or 70 stitches), then repeat rows 14 and 15 to decrease for the other half. I hope that makes sense!
Small
Ch 153
Row 1: dc in 3rd ch from hook and across, ch 1, turn (150 dc)
Row 2: sc in first dc, *skip 2 sts, 5dc in next st, skip 2 dc, sc in next st, repeat from * across, ch 3, turn (25 shells made)
Row 3: 2dc in same spot you chained up 3, skip 2 sts,* sc in next dc (the middle dc of shell), sk 2 sts, 5dc into sc, repeat from * until you reach the last sc, 3dc in the last dc, ch 1, turn
Row 4: Sc in first dc, skip 2 dc, *5 dc into sc, skip 2 sts, sc in next dc (middle DC), skip 2 sts, repeat from *, ending with a sc in the beginning ch 3, ch 3 and turn.
Row 5-50: repeat rows 3-4 (Your last row will need to be a repeat of row 3, so you may need to do an extra row at this point.) If you feel like this is not long enough, or too long, you can add or eliminate rows and just continue to work the next round whichever row you end on. Make sure to end on a repeat row of row 3. The blanket should reach from the top of your hips to right above your ankle at this point. If it does not, make more rows and then go onto the instructions for row 51.
Now you will be connecting and working in the round (continuous circle) I highly suggest watching the video to understand this part.
Round 51: Sc in ch 3 of beginning of row 50 (this completes the circle), *sk 2 dc, 5dc into sc, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, repeat from *around, ending with sc in 3rd dc of prev row.
Round 52: sk sc from previous rnd and sk 2 dc, sc in middle st of 5dc grouping, *sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, sk 2 dc, 5dc into sc, repeat from *around, ending with Sc2tog into middle of 5dc group from prev. rnd (rnd 51) AND the middle st of 5 dc grouping of rnd 52. (see video to help explain this)
Round 53:5dc in next sc st, sc in the middle of the next 5dc st all the way around, ending with 5 dc in the last sc
Round 54: (dec round) Sc2tog (see Notes), *5dc in next sc, Sc2tog, repeat from * around, ending with Sc2tog
Round 55: *5dc in next sc st, sc in middle st of 5dc grouping, repeat from * around, ending with 5dc grouping
Round 56: *Sc in middle st of 5dc grouping, 5dc in next sc st, repeat from * around, ending with Sc2tog into middle of 5dc gropuing from prev. rnd (rnd 55) AND the middle st of 5 dc grouping of rnd 56. (see video to help explain this)
Round 57: (dec round) *5dc in next sc st, Sc2tog, repeat from * around, ending with 5dc in sc st
Round 58: *Sc in middle st of 5dc grouping, 5dc in next sc st, repeat from * around ending with sc
Round 59: *5dc in next sc st, sc in middle st of 5dc grouping, repeat from * around ending with 5dc in last sc
Round 60: (dec. round) *Sc2tog, 5dc in next sc st, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc of round. (You should only have 2 shells left, if you have 3 or 4 shells, thats okay too! Fasten off anyway and sew it closed.)
Fasten off with long tail, sew remaining hole closed.
Medium (Demonstrated in Video Tutorial)
Ch 153
Row 1: dc in 3rd ch from hook and across, ch 1, turn (150 dc)
Row 2: sc in first dc, *skip 2 sts, 5dc in next st, skip 2 dc, sc in next st, repeat from * across, ch 3, turn (25 shells made)
Row 3: 2dc in same spot you chained up 3, skip 2 sts,* sc in next dc (the middle dc of shell), sk 2 sts, 5dc into sc, repeat from * until you reach the last sc, 3dc in the last dc, ch 1, turn
Row 4: Sc in first dc, skip 2 dc, *5 dc into sc, skip 2 sts, sc in next dc (middle DC), skip 2 sts, repeat from *, ending with a sc in the beginning ch 3, ch 3 and turn.
Row 5-66: repeat rows 3-4 (Your last row will be a repeat of row 3, so you may need to do an extra row at this point.) If you feel like this is not long enough, or too long, you can add or eliminate rows and just continue to work the next round whichever row you end on. Make sure to end on a repeat row of row 3. The blanket should reach from the top of your hips to right above your ankle at this point. If it does not, make more rows and then go onto the instructions for row 67.
Now you will be connecting and working in the round (continuous circle) I highly suggest watching the video to understand this part.
Round 67: Sc in ch 3 of beginning of row 66 (this completes the circle), *sk 2 dc, 5dc into sc, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, repeat from *around, ending with sc in 3rd dc of prev row.
Round 68: sk sc from previous rnd and sk 2 dc, sc in middle st of 5dc grouping, *sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, sk 2 dc, 5dc into sc, repeat from *around, ending with Sc2tog into middle of 5dc group from prev. rnd (rnd 67) AND the middle st of 5 dc grouping of rnd 68. (see video to help explain this)
Round 69:5dc in next sc st, sc in the middle of the next 5dc st all the way around, ending with 5 dc in the last sc
Round 70: (dec round) Sc2tog (see Notes), *5dc in next sc, Sc2tog, repeat from * around, ending with Sc2tog
Round 71: *5dc in next sc st, sc in middle st of 5dc grouping, repeat from * around, ending with 5dc grouping
Round 72: *Sc in middle st of 5dc grouping, 5dc in next sc st, repeat from * around, ending with Sc2tog into middle of 5dc gropuing from prev. rnd (rnd 71) AND the middle st of 5 dc grouping of rnd 72. (see video to help explain this)
Round 73: (dec round) *5dc in next sc st, Sc2tog, repeat from * around, ending with 5dc in sc st
Round 74: *Sc in middle st of 5dc grouping, 5dc in next sc st, repeat from * around ending with sc
Round 75: *5dc in next sc st, sc in middle st of 5dc grouping, repeat from * around ending with 5dc in last sc
Round 76: (dec. round) *Sc2tog, 5dc in next sc st, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc of round. (You should only have 2 shells left, if you have 3 or 4 shells, thats okay too! Fasten off anyway and sew it closed.)
Fasten off with long tail, sew remaining hole closed.
Large
Ch 153
Row 1: dc in 3rd ch from hook and across, ch 1, turn (150 dc)
Row 2: sc in first dc, *skip 2 sts, 5dc in next st, skip 2 dc, sc in next st, repeat from * across, ch 3, turn (25 shells made)
Row 3: 2dc in same spot you chained up 3, skip 2 dc,* sc in next dc (the middle dc of shell), sk 2 dc, 5dc into sc, repeat from * until you reach the last sc, 3dc in the last dc, ch 1, turn
Row 4: Sc in first dc, skip 2 dc, *5 dc into sc, skip 2 dc, sc in next dc, skip 2 dc, repeat from *, ending with a sc in the beginning ch 3, ch 3 and turn.
Row 5-74: repeat rows 3-4 (Your last row will be a repeat of row 3, so you may need to do an extra row at this point.) If you feel like this is not long enough, or too long, you can add or eliminate rows and just continue to work the next round whichever row you end on. Make sure to end on a repeat row of row 3. The blanket should reach from the top of your hips to right above your ankle at this point. If it does not, make more rows and then go onto the instructions for row 75.
Now you will be connecting and working in the round (continuous circle) I highly suggest watching the video to understand this part.
Round 75: Sc in ch 3 of beginning of row 74 (this completes the circle), *sk 2 dc, 5dc into sc, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, repeat from *around, ending with sc in 3rd dc of prev row.
Round 76: sk sc from previous rnd and sk 2 dc, sc in middle st of 5dc grouping, *sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, sk 2 dc, 5dc into sc, repeat from *around, ending with Sc2tog into middle of 5dc group from prev. rnd (rnd 75) AND the middle st of 5 dc grouping of rnd 76. (see video to help explain this)
Round 77:5dc in next sc st, sc in the middle of the next 5dc st all the way around, ending with 5 dc in the last sc
Round 78: (dec round) Sc2tog (see Notes), *5dc in next sc, Sc2tog, repeat from * around, ending with Sc2tog
Round 79: *5dc in next sc st, sc in middle st of 5dc grouping, repeat from * around, ending with 5dc grouping
Round 80: *Sc in middle st of 5dc grouping, 5dc in next sc st, repeat from * around, ending with Sc2tog into middle of 5dc gropuing from prev. rnd (rnd 79) AND the middle st of 5 dc grouping of rnd 80. (see video to help explain this)
Round 81: (dec round) *5dc in next sc st, Sc2tog, repeat from * around, ending with 5dc in sc st
Round 82: *Sc in middle st of 5dc grouping, 5dc in next sc st, repeat from * around ending with sc
Round 83: *5dc in next sc st, sc in middle st of 5dc grouping, repeat from * around ending with 5dc in last sc
Round 84: (dec. round) *Sc2tog, 5dc in next sc st, repeat from * around. Sl st to first sc of round. (You should only have 2 shells left, if you have 3 or 4 shells, thats okay too! Fasten off anyway and sew it closed.)
Fasten off with long tail, sew remaining hole closed.
Tail Fin (Same for all sizes)
Row 1: Chain 43, dc in 4th ch from hook and across, ch 2, turn (40dc)
Row 2: Dc2tog, dc in each stitch across, ch 2, Turn (39dc)
Row 3: DC in each stitch until the last 2 sts, dc2tog, ch 2, turn (38)
Row 4-11: repeat row 2 & 3 until you have 30 sts
Row 12: Dc2tog, Dc2tog, dc in each st across, ch 2, turn (28)
Row 13: Dc in each st across until the last 2 sts, 2dc in each of the last 2 sts, ch 2, turn (30)
Row 14: 2dc in first st, dc across, ch 2, turn (31)
Row 15: dc across until the last st, 2 dc in last st, ch 2, turn (32
Rows 16-23: Repeat rows 14 & 15 until you have 40 sts
Row 24: Dc across
Sc around entire tail, put 3 sc in each corner around, once you come back to the beginning do not fasten off, ch 1 and turn so you are working on the flat side of fin (the side edge that is going to be sewed to the tail)
I suggest watching the video to understand this next part.
Enjoy this video and subscribe to my channel on YouTube for more tutorials on how to crochet!
Leave a comment, and share with your friends!
Happy Hookin’
~Nadia
This post contains affiliate links, which I may be compensated for when you make a purchase. That means if you click on any link and buy from the linked websites, I will receive a small percentage of the value of your order. The amount you pay is not changed. Thank you for all your support in clicking the links in my blog!! You all are so amazing!! ~Nadia
The yarn provided for this pattern is courtesy of Red Heart Yarns
in your video you tell us to cut the color, but in the written form i dont see it. i have a size 6 yarn its bulky and i dont want to cut the yarn. what do i do?
I just finished my First Mermaid Tail Afghan for my Niece who is in college it turned out great only took two days t do and it was so easy with your tutorial looking forward to more patterns to do by you
[…] I absolutely love my new Furls Yarn Bowl and can’t wait to start my new crochet project (a mermaid tail afghan) and use my new Furls crochet hook. Lovely Christmas gifts from my […]
Just a quick question when you do the last row (66) it says repeat the directions for row 3 so i have two row 3’s? So where i would do single crochet is where i did the 5 DC before? Or just make sure you end with a row 3? Thank you so much for this pattern my niece is going to love this surprise!
Hi I got stuck on this as well but you need to do extra rows as its 66 shell rows and not row 66 (if that makes sense) so count 66 rows not including the foundation row. Worked it out by watching the video 🙂
Where does row 67 start on the video, do you remember? I just don’t have time to watch a video that long, and the beginning of the pattern is so easy I didn’t expect to have such trouble with the last 10 rows.
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Megan
I am having problems with the counting of the stitches on the first row. I double checked my amount of stitches many times, but at the end of the first row of shell stitches I end up with two stitches after my last single crochet, and only 24 shells. Any suggestions?
How did u figure out wot was wrong coz I’m having the same outcome? ? Thanks
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Ashley
I’d like to know how you figured it out because I have the same problem. Is the counting the half shells on the sides?
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Bonnie
I have redone it like ten times and i always end up with 40 shells for the first row of shells. Any suggestions
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jamie
I love this pattern- however- I made the medium one per your instructions- making sure to crochet loose and not tight- I wanted to to look relaxed, not tight- and it came out several inches (about 4 or 5) below the middle of my hips. I talked to some others who have worked the pattern out and they agree it came out shorter than it was supposed to. I am only 5’6″, there is no way it would fit on someone my height, let alone a 6 foot tall person. I would add a few more rows to make sure it’s long enough- and thank you so much for the pattern!!
[…] YARNutopia’s Mermaid Tail Afghan. I am making the small size for a cute toddler, Miss E. I suggest watching the video tutorial as there are mistakes in the written pattern (which Nadia notes in video-just hasn’t been corrected in the written version). I love Nadia’s enthusiasm for all things crochet and am glad she is on the road to recovery after a recent surgery. […]
id like to make one for a toddler – how many chains do you think I should use initially? I have made the small one and it has turned out beautifully but I want one smaller xx thanks in advance xx
calculate YOUR gauge. Then measure the dimensions for the toddler. Now chain in multiples of 6 and add 2 more chains. Then you will have an appropriate size for your toddler. While you are doing your rows….measure how many rows to the inch or how many inches to a row….which ever works for you….and calculate how many rows you need for the length you need. Once you have that figure….you can work out how many rows you need for the pattern. Don’t forget to calculate a smaller fin for the toddler size. A young fish does not have the same size tail fin as an adult fish.
It’s been too long since I crocheted & it was self taught. I am unsure of the exact process after you complete the 153 chain stitches. When you are putting your hook into a chain (stitch) to do a SC or a DC after you yarn over do you put the hook through one loop of the chain stitch or two? If two, do you go through the top of the front two loops of th stitch & the behind hump loop or do you put it through the top two?
Nadi’s video doesn’t show the 153 chain stitch method. I watched several beginner crochet tutorials & it appears to be different in each one. Help
Thank you.
Question for you Nadia. Why not strand the yarn up the sides while making this so that there aren’t all of those ends to weave in at the end? Then you just cover the strands by doing a single row of sc or hdc along the edges. Then you are done without all of those ends needing to be woven in when you are done or along the way while you are crocheting.
If you chain 153 and begin your dc in the third chain from hook, this is going to leave you with 152 dc, not 150 dc. In your video while explaining the foundation dc you have us begin by inserting our hooks into the 4th chain from the hook instead of the third. So, on the video, your first stitch consists of 3 ch but in the pattern if you chain to start with (if you want that nice finished look along the top of the afghan) you have us inserting our hook into the 3rd ch from hook. This means that the first stitch would consist of 2 ch instead of 3 ch.
When you begin working in the round you are telling us NOT to turn our work anymore. But if we don’t continue to turn our work at the beginning or each “round” then the afghan will have one row front, one row back, one row front, one row back, and so on until you begin working in the round, and from that point on the rows become front, front, front, front….instead of alternating front and back. This does cause a difference in appearance. I would suggest that you connect the sides at the end of a row and then connect the new color and turn as you did in the first part of the afghan. This way you have continuity in the appearance of the entire afghan.
I am scared to watch the rest…..plus my brand new computer is having a horrible time trying to buffer such a long video. It has already crashed twice. I would strongly suggest that you cut such a long video into multiple parts…..shorter videos. That way if the video does crash, it is a shorter video to try to find our places once again.
I play the video on my iPad 3 which is an older version iPad & have had no issues playing this video. I’ve also played it on an eight & twelve year old laptop with no issues.
If a new computer is crashing when attempting to play this video then I would suggest returning the computer.
Maybe it is the building I live in and there is nothing I can do about that and there are many many people around the world that live in older buildings with poor wiring that the owners won’t upgrade. Therefor……shorter videos would be sooooo much better for so many. Therefore…..the computer is not to blame as you are insinuating.
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Mary
By the way AussieGirl, I never said my computer was crashing…..I said it had problems BUFFERING such a long video. It has EVERYTHING to do with the fact that the wiring is so old. If the wiring is old, then it can not handle the amount of information trying to be accessed at one time.
Time for you to begin thinking before you open your keyboard.
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AussieGirl
Mary, no insult intended towards you or your computer. I apologize that my comment made you defensive as that was not the intent. You did not mention wiring issues, older building, etc., in your first message so my response was based on the information at hand. I’ve had buffering issues with my old computer though not with Nadia’s videos. I can understand your frustration.
I’m very appreciative that Nadia goes to all the effort she does for us, especially with her health issues… & it’s free.
In case you didn’t get through this yesterday Alexis….she has the number of chains wrong and has not corrected it. You want to chain 151 chains…..or when you got to the end of your DC and had 2 left over…..just undo them from the tail so there are none left. I refuse to do it the way she does it in the video (which is “foundation” double crochet) which does not leave you with a finished looking edge at the top…..which is the bottom as you are working. I prefer a finished edge without having to go back and do a sc row along that unfinished edge when I am done.
I did the 153 chain then the single row of double crochet. I believe you skip the first three chains & your first double crochet is on chain #4.
I’m no expert as I haven’t crochet for decades… I’m now just starting my fifth row.
I would prefer not to undo the DC row so would try something to incorporate as in Mary’s recommendation. Good luck.
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Cheryl lee
If you had to sell adult mermaids what would u charg
[…] searched the net and found a relatively simple looking pattern on Yarnutopia with the added bonus of there being a YouTube tutorial to follow if I got […]
Hi I have made two mermaid tails watched video once and followed pattern for the second one. Tried to put pictures on here to show you can’t connect to your Facebook. Do I put in a friends request. Love your patterns now making shark. You are an amazing lady.
How horrible for you! You should demand your money back… oh wait. She put all this together and shared it for free to be nice. What a shame that she has to deal with nasty comments for all her efforts.
I have never crocheted before. I’ve set a goal for myself to learn how to crochet and knit this year. Once I get the gist of what I’m doing, is this pattern at all possible for a novice like myself? Or is it more likely to be something i have to approach after a lot of experience?
[…] I’m so excited to share my Mermaid Tail Afghan I made. The original pattern (below in medium size) is by Nadia Fuad, from YarnUtopia. There are Small, Medium & Large Sizes on her website. […]
Hi, I started making the small one for my 6 year old. I am only on the third row but it seems like it is going to be extremely big around the waist. Has anyone else been doing it per instructions and feel the same? I’m new at crocheting and was afraid to switch the pattern up.
In the notes section at the beginning of the project, she mentions how to adjust the width. I adjusted mine for a toddler and had no issues following the rest of the pattern.
[…] PINTEREST probably looking for an oil remedy and TOTALLY got distracted and found this –> free pattern on yarnutopia.com to make a mermaid tail lap […]
I just finished my Mermaid tail a couple of weeks ago and i liked the tail bur thought the fin was way to small and just didn’t look right with the tail. A couple other people i know had the same problem but other than that good instructions
Love your mermaid afghan how long did it take you to make it and on your video did you make
The large one as some of the parts I couldn’t hear also want to subscribe as want to see
Your video on finishing ends but I’m not on Facebook please email me
And also not sure how many skeins ounces you used as your voice stopped on that part
Thanks
Hi, I know this may sound a silly question but was wondering if this can be made in just one colour and how many skeins of yarn on average would it take for a medium size blanket? Thanks 🙂
Generally, how long does it take you to make one Child’s sized tail? Wrapping up a blanket right now, thinking of trying this next. Curious if I can get it done before Easter.
Absolutely in love with this!! I thought he tail looked a touch wimpy, so I made the next tail a bit larger and I’m loving the look. Thank you so much for a free patter with video help!!! You are wonderful!
Just found this pattern today. It’s Easter and I can’t wait to get shopping for the yarn. My dear DIL just asked me if I would make one of these for her. It will be a snap as she is only 4’10” tall. Poor little girl is always cold so this will be perfect for her. Thank you for the pattern!
How long is the blanket?? Does it only go to the waist?? I’m just wondering because I want to make one for a friend but her to be able to snuggle under it