# Sunset Mermaid Amigurumi Doll Free Crochet Pattern
She is here, and she is glorious! This little mermaid doll has a tail striped like a sunset — coral melting into orange, gold, and pink — plus a seashell top and long flowing yarn hair. She stands about 12 inches tall and is the kind of toy that gets carried absolutely everywhere.
Amigurumi looks intimidating until you realize it is just single crochet in the round with some increases and decreases. If you can count to 30, you can make this doll. The color changes do all the visual heavy lifting, so the stitching itself stays wonderfully simple.
What You’ll Need
- Worsted weight yarn — skin tone: ~100 yards; coral: ~60 yards; orange: ~60 yards; gold: ~60 yards; pink: ~60 yards; brown (hair): ~120 yards; cream (seashell top): ~30 yards
- US F-5 / 3.75 mm crochet hook
- 10 mm safety eyes
- Polyester fiberfill stuffing
- Yarn needle and scissors
- Stitch marker
- Blush or pink embroidery thread for cheeks (optional)
Finished size: Approximately 12 inches tall from head to tail tip.
The Pattern
Work in continuous spirals unless noted — place a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round and move it up as you go. Stuff the head and body firmly as you work.
Head
With skin tone:
Round 1: Make a magic ring, 6 sc into the ring. (6 sc)
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch around. (12 sc)
Round 3: (Sc in the next stitch, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around. (18 sc)
Round 4: (Sc in the next 2 sts, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around. (24 sc)
Round 5: (Sc in the next 3 sts, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around. (30 sc)
Rounds 6-10: Sc in each stitch around. (30 sc)
Round 11: (Sc in the next 3 sts, sc2tog) repeat around. (24 sc) Attach the safety eyes between Rounds 8 and 9, about 6 stitches apart. Stuff the head firmly.
Round 12: (Sc in the next 2 sts, sc2tog) repeat around. (18 sc)
Round 13: (Sc in the next stitch, sc2tog) repeat around. (12 sc)
Round 14: Sc2tog around. (6 sc) Fasten off, weave the tail through the remaining stitches, and pull closed.
Embroider a sweet little smile and add blush cheeks if you like.
Body and Tail
Continue from the neck with skin tone:
Round 1: Join skin tone at the neck, chain 1, work 12 sc evenly around the neck opening. (12 sc)
Rounds 2-4: Sc in each stitch around. (12 sc)
Round 5 (arms join later — body only): (Sc in the next 3 sts, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around. (15 sc)
Rounds 6-8: Sc in each stitch around. (15 sc)
Seashell top (cream): Join cream.
Rounds 9-10: Sc in each stitch around. (15 sc) Work two small shells: (chain 2, 3 dc in the next stitch, chain 2, slip stitch in the next stitch) twice across the front, then continue the round. Fasten off cream.
Tail — coral: Join coral.
Round 11: (Sc in the next 4 sts, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around. (18 sc)
Rounds 12-14: Sc in each stitch around. (18 sc)
Tail — orange: Join orange.
Round 15: (Sc in the next 5 sts, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around. (21 sc)
Rounds 16-18: Sc in each stitch around. (21 sc)
Tail — gold: Join gold.
Round 19: (Sc in the next 5 sts, sc2tog) repeat around. (18 sc)
Rounds 20-22: Sc in each stitch around. (18 sc)
Tail — pink: Join pink.
Round 23: (Sc in the next 4 sts, sc2tog) repeat around. (15 sc)
Rounds 24-25: Sc in each stitch around. (15 sc)
Round 26: (Sc in the next 3 sts, sc2tog) repeat around. (12 sc) Stuff the tail.
Round 27: Sc2tog around. (6 sc) Fasten off and close.
Tail Fluke
With pink, make 2 fins: chain 9, sc in the 2nd chain from the hook and across (8 sc), then work (chain 3, 2 dc in the next stitch, slip stitch in the next stitch) 4 times along the edge to make a ruffled fin. Sew both fins to the tail tip, fanning outward.
Arms (make 2)
With skin tone: magic ring, 6 sc.
Round 2: (Sc in the next 2 sts, 2 sc in the next stitch) repeat around. (8 sc)
Rounds 3-8: Sc in each stitch around. (8 sc) Stuff lightly, flatten the top, and sew to the body at Round 5.
Hair
Wig cap (brown): Magic ring, 6 sc; increase to 30 sc over 5 rounds (same as head Rounds 1-5); work 3 rounds even. Sew the cap onto the head. Cut 40 strands of brown yarn, each 14 inches long. Fold each strand in half, pull the loop through a stitch on the cap edge with your hook, and pull the ends through the loop to attach. Work around the cap edge and part line, then trim to shape with long flowing layers.
Sew the head to the body, weave in all ends, and she is ready for her underwater adventures.
Sophie’s Tips
- Stuff as you go, not at the end — getting firm stuffing into a nearly closed tail is nobody’s idea of fun.
- The sunset stripes look best with crisp color changes: complete the last yarn-over of the old color with the new color for a clean jogless join.
- A tiny starfish or shell sewn into her hair makes her extra special — a little button works perfectly.
She is ready to make a splash — happy hooking!
