Pattern: Mermaid Tail

The mermaid tail was the very first pattern I wrote for Crochet at Play.  As they do, a couple of errata snuck into the final version of the pattern, added to which folks have had some problems with the increases.  Here is a version that is all nice and polished up and includes a crochet chart for the increases to help you along.

Inspiration

New babies spend so very much of their time asleep, a sweet little mermaid tail not only keeps them warm, but makes for some adorable new baby photos.

Skill Level	Intermediate
Size	Newborn
Finished Waist	16 – 18 inches (41- 46 cm)
Finished Length	26 inches (66 cm)
Yarn Requirements	327 yds (299 m)

Materials:

1x 250g hank of Cascade Eco +, (100% wool) 478yd/437m, Pacific (2433)
5mm/H8 Hook
5.5mm/I9 Hook
Tapestry Needle
2 x buttons 1in (2.5cm) diameter

Yarn Review:

This is a warm, chunky yarn which makes this a quick project. The colour has hints of silver, making it sparkle like the sea.

Yarn Alternatives:

Wendy Mode Chunky.

Tension:

Work 14st and 13 rows in double crochet ribbing to measure 10x10cm/4x4in using 5mm hook, or size required to obtain tension.

Work 2.5sts and 7rows in shell stitch to measure 10x10cm/4x4in using 5.5mm hook, or size required to obtain tension.

Special Stitches:

Shell Stitch (Sh)
Set Up Row: miss 2 stitches, 5tr in same stitch, miss 2 stitches, 1dc in next stitch.
Subsequent Rows: 1dc in 3rd tr of shell, 5tr in dc

Shell Decrease (sh dec)
5tr into dc from previous round. Insert your hook into the 3rd tr of the shell from the previous round , yo and draw up a loop. Insert your hook into the next dc, yo, draw up a loop, insert your hook into the 3rd tr of the next shell , yo and draw up a loop. yo and pull through all 4 loop on the hook.

Pattern Notes/Tips:

This sleep sack is as cute as can be, but also practical. The waist band is worked first in ribbing, then then the scallop stitch is worked directly onto the ribbing, first in rows then joined in the round from the top down. A series of increases and decreases are made for the tail, before stitching it closed and constructing the fins.

Instructions:

Waistband:

Using smaller hook, make 10ch.
Row 1(RS): Starting in the 2nd chain from the hook, 9dc.Turn. (9)dc
Row 2- 3: 1ch, 9dc in BLO. Turn. (9)dc
Row 4: 1ch, 1dc, 2ch, miss 2 sts, 3dc in BLO, miss 2 sts, 2ch 1dc. Turn. (5)dc
Row 5-6: 1ch,  working into both the dc and the ch stitches, 9dc in BLO. Turn. (9)dc
Row 7: 1ch, 1dc in BLO, 2ch, miss 2 sts, 3dc in BLO, 2ch, miss 2 sts, 1dc in BLO. Turn. (5)dc
Row 8-64: 1ch, working into both the dc and the ch stitches, 9dc in BLO. Turn. (9)dc
Tail Set up row: Without breaking the yarn, turn your work so you can work across the ribbing, RS facing. 55dc, working one stitch into the end of each row for 55 rows. Turn. (55)dc

Tail:

Row 1: Using the larger hook 1ch, 1dc, 9Sh. Turn. (9)Sh
Row 2: 3ch (counts as 1tr), 2tr in first dc, 8Sh, 3tr in last dc. Turn. (9)Sh
Row 3: 1ch, 1dc 9Sh. Turn. (9)Sh
Row 4: As Row 2. Do Not Turn.

You will now start working in rounds, mark the start of the round with a stitch marker.
Round 1: Fold work in half and dc into the top of the first CH3 in the previous row. This will connect the work into the round. *2Sh, [3tr, 1ch, 1dc, 1ch, 3tr] into same stitch* repeat around. (9)Sh
Round 2: *3Sh, place the dc from the 3rd Sh in the 2nd (centre)tr of the 1st tr cluster you created, 5tr into the next dc, dc into the 2nd tr of the next tr cluster* repeat from * around (12)Sh
Round 3 – 21: Work even in established shell pattern, making 1dc in the 3rd tr of the shell stitch from the previous round, 5tr into the next dc of the previous round.
Round 22: (1Sh dec, 4Sh)twice. (10)Sh
Round 23-24: Work even in established shell pattern.
Round 25: (3Sh,1sh dec)twice. (8)Sh
Round 26-27: Work even in established shell pattern.
Round 28: (1sh dec, 1Sh)twice (6)Sh
Round 29-30: Work even in established shell pattern.
Round 31: (1Sh,1sh dec)twice (4)Sh
Round 32: Work even in established shell pattern.

Finishing: Line up the tail so that the slit at the waistband is just slightly off to one side. Flatten. Dc the tail closed at the bottom. Do not break yarn.

Fin:

Work all double crochet stitches in the fin into BLO. Using larger hook, 21ch.
Row1: Starting with the 2nd chain from hook, 20dc back up to tail. Join into the same stitch that the Ch starts from. Turn. (20)dc
Row 2: slst into the next dc of the tail (counts as t-ch), 18dc. Turn. (18)dc
Row 3: 1ch, 11dc, dc2tog, 5dc back up to tail. Join into the same stitch as slst. Turn. (17)dc
Row 4: slst into the next dc of the tail (counts as t-ch). 5dc, dc2tog, 9dc. Turn. (15)dc
Row 5: 1ch, 9dc, dc2tog, 3dc back up to tail. Join into the same stitch as slst. Turn.(13)dc
Row 6: slst into the next dc of the tail (counts as t-ch). 3dc, dc2tog, 8dc. Turn. (12)dc
Row 7: 1ch, 7dc, dc2tog, 3dc back up to tail. Join into the same stitch as slst. Break yarn. (11)dc
Join wool at opposite side of end of tail. Repeat Fin rows 1-7. Do not break yarn.
Slst the 2 halves of the fin together. Break yarn and weave in tails.

Buttons:

The 2 buttons are sewn on aprox ½ inch (1cm) away from the edge on the end of the ribbing that does not have button holes. Use the buttonholes for a guide on the placement. The 2 sets of buttonholes, allow you to expand the waist of the sleep sack as the baby grows.