Merman

This merman is  based on the 'Roweena the raggedy rascal of the sea' pattern made by Sharon Maher which can be found here

I have made the tail detachable and made it more masculine (and added a shirt). It is also slightly smaller dues to the size of hook used.

You will need:

• a 2.5mm crochet hook (use this when the hook size isn't specified)
• dk yarn in skin colour (use this when the yarn colour isn't specified) and a colour for the tail (the yarn I used was a variety of greeny-blue colours)
• a 2mm crochet hook
• a 1.5mm crochet hook
• 4ply yarn in light green and light blue
• toy stuffing
• a darning needle
• an embroidery needle
• Embroidery thread in black, green, and white
• a rectangle of fabric approx 45 x 25 cm for the hair.
• Scissors

Difficulty:

Easy - medium

For the body (starting from the base):
Make a magic loop with 6sc
Round 1: 2sc in each st (12sc)
Round 2: sc in the first st, 2sc in the next st, rep to end (18sc)
Round 3: sc in the first 2 sts, 2sc in the next st, rep to end (24sc)
Rounds 4 - 5: (2 rounds) sc in each st
Round 6: sc in the first 2 sts, sc2tog, rep to end (18sc)
Rounds 7 - 11: (6 rounds) sc in each st
Round 12: 2sc in the first st, sc in the next 4sts, 2sc in the following st, sc in the last 12sts (20sc)
Round 13: sc in each st
Round 14: Sc in the first 2sts, 2sc in the next st, sc in the next 5sts, 2sc in the following st, sc in the last 11sts (22sc)
Rounds 15 - 16: (2 rounds) sc in each st 

Note: these next 2 rounds are both slightly less than 1 round
Stuff the body you have made so far
Round 17:  Sc3tog, sc in the next 8sts, sc3tog, sc in the next 7sts
Round 18: Sc4tog, sc in the next 5sts, sc4tog, sc in the next 4sts (12sc)
Round 19: Sc in the first 2sts, sc2tog, rep 3 times to end (9sc)
Fasten off

For the legs (make 2):
Make a magic loop with 7sc
Rounds 1 - 3: (3 rounds) sc in each st
Round 4: 3sc in the first st, sc in the next st, slip the following 4sts, sc in the last st
Round 5: Sc3tog, sc in the next 2sts, slip the next 2sts, sc in the last 2sts

Rounds 6 - 26: (21 rounds) sc in each st

Fasten off

Sew these legs to the base of the body

For the tail:
With green/ blue yarn make a magic loop with 8sc
Round 1: sc in each st
Round 2: sc in the first st, 2sc in the next st, rep to end (12sc)
Rounds 3 - 5: (3 rounds) sc in each st
Round 6: sc in the first 2sts, 2sc in the next st, rep to end (16sc)
Rounds 7 - 9: (3 rounds) sc in each st
Round 10: sc in the first 3sts, 2sc in the next st, rep to end (20sc)
Rounds 11 - 13: (3 rounds) sc in each st
Round 14: sc in the first 4sts, 2sc in the next st, rep to end (24sc)
Rounds 15 - 17: (2 rounds) sc in each st
Round 18: sc in the first 5sts, 2sc in the next st, rep to end (28sc)
Rounds 19 - 21: (3 rounds) sc in each st
Round 22: sc in the first 6sts, 2sc in the next st, rep to end (32sc)
Rounds 23 - 40: (18 rounds) sc in each st
Round 41: sc in the first 2sts, sc2tog, rep to end (24sc)
Round 42: sc in each st
Fasten off

For the curlicues (wavy end bits)(make 1 of each length):
Note - these are directly inspired by those added to the 'Rowena the raggedy rascal of the sea' pattern linked above

ch25
Row 1: 2sc in the 2nd chain st from hook, 2sc in every following chain st to end
Fasten off

ch30
Row 1: 2sc in the 2nd chain st from hook, 2sc in every following chain st to end

Fasten off

ch35

Row 1: 2sc in the 2nd chain st from hook, 2sc in every following chain st to end

Fasten off

ch40

Row 1: 2sc in the 2nd chain st from hook, 2sc in every following chain st to end

Fasten off

ch45

Row 1: 2sc in the 2nd chain st from hook, 2sc in every following chain st to end

Fasten off

This tail should be able to be slipped onto the body over the legs

For the head:
Make a magic loop with 6sc
Round 1: 2sc in each st (12sc)
Round 2: sc in the first st, 2sc in the next st, rep to end (18sc)
Round 3: sc in the first 2sts, 2sc in the next st, rep to end (24sc)
Rounds 4 - 11: (8 rows) sc in each st
(The next few rounds are all slightly less than 1 round (except round 13)) 

Round 12: sc3tog, sc in the next 9sts, sc3tog, sc in the next 8sts(20sc)
Round 13: Sc3tog, sc in the next 7sts, sc3tog, sc in the next 7sts(16sc)
Stuff
Round 14: Sc3tog, sc in the next 5sts, sc3tog, sc in the next 4sts(12sc)
Round 15: Sc2tog 6 times to end (6sc)
Fasten off

For the arms (make 2):
Make a magic loop with 5sc
Round 1 - 18: (18 rounds) sc in each st

Fasten off
Fasten off

For the hair:

Tear approximately 22 strips of fabric, each around 1.5 cm wide and 25 cm long. (make sure you leave a section of fabric approx. 10cm x 25cm for the beard)  After you've done that, tear each strip in half length-ways, so you have twice as many 0.75 cm wide strips.
To tear the strips make a small cut in one end of the fabric first, then pull the two sides apart, so that it tears in half lengthways.

Attach these strips to the head the same way as you would attach amigurumi hair if you were doing it with yarn, as detailed below:

Bring your hook through a loop of the head, fold the yarn in half and pull the looped end through the head with your hook, then thread the un-looped ends of your yarn through the loop you pulled through. Tighten this, and repeat this process all over the head.



For the shirt:
With 4ply yarn and a 2mm crochet hook ch29
Round 1: sc in the first chain st you made, then sc in every following chain st to make a loop (29 sc)
Rounds 2 - 14 : (13 rounds) sc in each st
Round 15: Sc in the first 5sts. Fasten off
     Fasten on yarn to the same st, and sc in that same st. Sc in the next 5sts. Fasten off
     rejoin yarn to the 3rd st from where you fastened off. Sc in this st and the next 13sts. Fasten off.
Round 16: rejoin to the 3rd st from where you fastened off. Sc in this st and the next 3, sc2tog.
     Fasten off
     Fasten on to the next st (the st you made on the last round when you fastened off and the crocheted
     into the same st). sc2tog between this st and the next st, then sc in the next 4 sts. Fasten off
     rejoin yarn to the first st of the next section (the section you started after skipping two stitches             when you did the last row) (as shown below)

     Sc in this st and the next 5 sts, sc2tog, sc in the next 6sts. Fasten off
Rounds 17 - 18: (2 rows) rejoin yarn to the first st of the next section, as you did before.
     sc in this st and the next 4sts. Fasten off
     Rejoin yarn to the first st of the next section. Sc in this st and the next 4sts. Fasten off
     Rejoin yarn to the first st of the next section. Sc in this st and the next 12sts
Round 18.5: (this is just a little bit that comes between rows 18 and 19 to form the armholes)
     ch2, slip the fisrt st of the next section, Fasten off.
     Fasten on to the last st of the next section, ch2, slip the first st of the next section. Fasten off.
Round 19: Rejoin yarn to the first st after the middle gap at the front of the shirt (the v- bit in between the armholes) (as shown below)

I found it helpful to sew in all the loose ends at this point so that it was easier to see what I was doing.

     Sc in this st and the next 3sts
     Sc2tog between this next st and the first chain st above the armhole, sc2tog between the next chain
     st and the following st, sc in the next 4sts, sc3tog, sc in the next 4sts, sc2tog twice as you did on
     the other side, sc in the last 4sts to end. Fasten off

For the sleeves (make 2):
ch10
Round 1: Sc in the first chain st you made, then sc in every following chain st to make a loop (10sc)
Round 2: sc in each of these 10 sts
Row 3: sc in the first 8sts. Ch1, turn (8sc)
Row 4: sc2tog, sc in the next 4sts, sc2tog. Ch1, turn (6sc)
Row 5: sc in the first 6sts. Ch1, turn
Row 6: sc2tog, sc in the next 2sts, sc2tog. Ch1, turn (4sc)
Row 7: sc4tog
Fasten off

Sew these sleeves to the armholes


For the decoration:
With light blue 4ply yarn slip 9 loosely around the bottom edge of each sleeve. Cut yarn and pull the end through the final stitch (Image 1) , then use a needle to slip the end through the stitch where you started (Images 2 - 3) and then back through where it was pulled up originally (Images 4 - 5)

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3

Image 4

Image 5

Seccure the yarn and the fasten off


Join the light blue yarn yarn to the top left corner of the shirt (looking at it from the front)
Sc6 down the front right edge, turn
Slip1, then sc in each of the 5sts you just made. 

slip 21sts around the neckline, then when you reach the other edge sc6 down this front right edge. Fasten off.

Rejoin yarn to the top right corner of the shirt, as shown below

Sc in this st, sc in the next 4sts, slip the next st
Fasten off

For the eyes:
using black embroidery thread and a 1.5mm hook make a magic loop with 6sc. Join this with a slip st
Fasten off

using green make a magic loop with 6sc
Round 1: 2sc in each st, rep to end (12sc)
Fasten off

Sew the black circle to the centre of the back of this green circle (the back being the more bumpy bit)
Use white embroidery thread to embroider a highlight to the eye (as shown below)



Using white make a magic loop with 6sc
Round 1: 2sc in each st, rep to end (12sc)
Round 2: sc in the first st, 2sc in the next st, rep to end (18sc)
Fasten off

Sew the green circle (with the black in the middle) to the centre of the front side of this circle




Sew these eyes to the face.


For the beard and mustache: 
Tear about 13 strips in the same way as you did before, and then cut these in half crosswise so you have about 26 12.5 x 0.75cm strips . Attach all but 4 of these strips around the bottom of the face (in the same way as you did for the hair), then add the remaining strands above these to make the mustache.

And that's it! I hope you enjoyed this pattern - go and check out the original pattern linked above to make a female companion for your merman. You are welcome to sell finished products but I do ask that you don't repost this pattern or claim it as your own. Thank you!

Why does this image remind me of the 1960s Doctor who mosters?

LGBT Pride flag pencil toppers

Since June is LGBT Pride Month I wanted to do something to celebrate, so,  inspired by the pencil topper made by simply crochet magazine (this pattern can be found here) I made a variety of LGBT pride flags.

The pencil toppers I have made use dk yarn and are slightly smaller than the one made by simply crochet magazine (so should take less time to make (They each took  me around 20  minutes to make)

You can alter the number of chain sts you make to fit it onto pens or similar objects (eg. crochet hooks). I made my Gay Pride flag fit my Parker fountain pen by making ch7 for the first 3 rows then ch6 for the next 3 rows (you will see what I mean when you start making it)

You will need:

• A 2mm hook
• dk yarn in the correct colours for the flag you want to make : gay pride flag = red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple; transgender flag = light blue, light pink, white; bisexual flag = dark blue, lilac, bright pink; pansexual flag = bluey-turquoise, yellow, bright pink; lesbian flag = dark red, brownish-red, light pink, white, bright  (ish) pink, darker pink, dark pink; genderqueer flag = green, white, lilac; asexual flag = purple, white, grey, black; aromantic flag = black, grey, white, light green, medium green; Non-binary flag = black, purple, white, yellow
• A darning needle for weaving in loose ends
• A pencil (or pen) to put it on

Difficulty:

Easy

For the pride flag pencil topper:

With the 2mm hook and purple yarn ch10
Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain st you made, then sc in each of the 8 following chain sts. ch5, then slip the last sc st you made.
Fasten off
Row 2: join blue yarn to the first sc st you made (the other end of where you made the loop). sc in this st and the next 8sts. ch5, then slip the last sc st you made, as you did for the last row. 
Fasten off
Row 3: do as for the last row with green
Fasten off
Row 4: do as for row 2 with yellow
Fasten off
Row 5: do as for row 2 with orange
Fasten off

Row 6: do as for row 2 with red
Fasten off

Sew in the loose ends, then slip the loops you made with your chain sts over the end of the pencil.

To make the transgender flag:

With light blue yarn ch10
Row 1: sc in the 2nd loop from hook, sc in every following loop. ch5, sc in the last sc st you made
Fasten off
Row 2: join light pink yarn to the first sc st you made (the other end of where you made the loop). sc in this st and the next 8sts. ch5, then slip the last sc st you made, as you did for the last row.
Fasten off
Row 3: do as for the last row using white yarn
Fasten off
Row 4: do as for row 2 using light pink yarn
Fasten off
Row 5: do as for row 2 using light blue yarn
Fasten off



For the bisexual flag:

With dark blue yarn ch10
Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain st you made, then sc in each of the 8 following chain sts. ch5, then slip the last sc st you made.
Row 2: ch1, sc in the same st each of the next 8sts
Fasten off
Row 3: join lilac yarn to this same st. sc in this st and the next 8sts. ch5, then slip the last sc st you made, as you did for the last row. 
Fasten off
Round 4: join pink yarn to the same st as where you fastened off. Sc in this st and the next 8sts. ch1, turn
Row 5: sc in each of these 9sts, ch5, slip the last sc st you made in this row
Fasten off


Sew in the loose ends, then slip the loops you made with your chain sts over the end of the pencil.

For the lesbian flag:

with dark red dk yarn chain 11
Row 1: sc in the 2nd loop from hook, sc in every following loop. ch5, sc in the last sc st you made
Fasten off
Row 2: join brownish - red yarn to the first sc st you made (the other end of where you made the loop). sc in this st and the next 9sts. ch5, then slip the last sc st you made, as you did for the last row.
Fasten off
Row 3: do as for the last row using light pink yarn
Fasten off
Row 4: do as for row 2 using white yarn
Fasten off
Row 5: do as for row 2 using bright(ish) pink yarn
Fasten off
Row 6: do as for row 2 using dark (ish) pink yarn
Fasten off
Row 7: do as for row 2 using dark pink yarn
Fasten off


Sew in the loose ends, then slip the loops you made with your chain sts over the end of the pencil.



For the Pansexual flag:

With bluey- turquise dk yarn ch10
Row 1: sc in the 2nd loop from hook, sc in every following loop. ch5, sc in the last sc st you made
Row 2: ch1, sc in this same st that you slipped, sc in every following st to end
Fasten off
Row 3: join yellow yarn to this same st, sc in this st and every following st to the other end. ch5, sc in the last sc st you made
Row 4: As row 2 but using yellow yarn
Fasten off
Row 5: As row 3 but using bright pink yarn
Row 4: As row 2 but using bright pink yarn

Fasten off

For the asexual flag:

Using purple dk yarn ch11Row 1: sc in the 2nd loop from hook, sc in every following loop. ch5, sc in the last sc st you made.
Row 2: ch1, sc in this same st that you slipped, sc in every following st to end
Fasten off
Row 3: join white yarn to this same st, sc in this st and every following st to the other end. ch5, sc in the last sc st you made
Row 4: As row 2 but using white
Fasten off
Row 5: As row 3 but using grey yarn
Row 4: As row 2 but using grey yarn
Row 7: As row 3 but using black yarn

Row 8: As row 2 but using black yarn
Fasten off

For the genderqueer flag:

With green dk yarn ch10
Row 1: sc in the 2nd loop from hook, sc in every following loop. ch5, sc in the last sc st you made
Row 2: ch1, sc in this saem st that you slipped, sc in every following st to end
Fasten off
Row 3: join white yarn to this same st, sc in this st and every following st to the other end. ch5, sc in the last sc st you made
Row 4: As row 2 but using white yarn
Fasten off
Row 5: As row 3 but using lilac yarn
Row 4: As row 2 but using lilac yarn
Fasten off




For the aromantic flag:

With black yarn ch10
Row 1: sc in the 2nd loop from hook, sc in every following loop. ch5, sc in the last sc st you made
Fasten off
Row 2: join light grey yarn to the first sc st you made (the other end of where you made the loop). sc in this st and the next 8sts. ch5, then slip the last sc st you made, as you did for the last row.
Fasten off
Row 3: do as for the last row using white yarn
Fasten off
Row 4: do as for row 2 using light light green
Fasten off
Row 5: do as for row 2 using light medium green

Fasten off




For the non-binary flag:

With black yarn ch10
Row 1: sc in the 2nd loop from hook, sc in every following loop. ch5, sc in the last sc st you made
Fasten off
Row 2: join light purple yarn to the first sc st you made (the other end of where you made the loop). sc in this st and the next 8sts. ch5, then slip the last sc st you made, as you did for the last row.
Fasten off
Row 3: do as for the last row using white yarn
Fasten off
Row 4: do as for row 2 using light yellow
Fasten off