Difficulty level: Intermediate / Advanced

The Inspiration:
Among the many maritime folklore there is one particularly intriguing hypothesis attempting to explain siren legends. The manatee-to-mermaid theory suggests that misinterpreted sightings of sirenians by sailors and fishertown villagers originated the lore of mermaid.

Manatees have forelimbs containing five sets of fingerlike bones, and neck vertebrae that allow them to turn their heads. They have vestigial pelvic bones, a leftover from their evolution from a four-legged to a fully aquatic animal. They don’t have real knee bones but their anatomy have knee-like structures.

My interpretation of a mermaid also has leg definition as they are fused together in a tail.

APPROXIMATE FINISHED MEASUREMENTS: 44 cm (17”)
APPROXIMATE TOTAL STITCHES: 13,328 (incl. hair)

All kinds of hooks and yarns can be used to make this doll, as long as it is scaled up or down in correspondence to keep the proportion. The details are also perfect for customization; some people prefer safety- or felt-eyes.

PATTERN INFORMATION
This pattern works in rounds from the tail up. The mobility head has a wide range of movement allowed by the ball-and-socket joint on top of the neck. The head is the socket crocheted around the neck ball-joint. The neck must be strong to carry the weight of the head and hair, some people add wire or a chopstick for extra support. The wig cap and eyes are sewn onto the head. Lips are embroidered on the face. Invisible decreases are great for amigurumi to help the stuffing peak out less.

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS
CROCHET HOOKS
Body: 2.5 mm, Shell Bra: 1.5 mm, Eyes: 0.75 mm
YARN WEIGHTS
Medium Cotton 8/4 Yarn | Micro Lace Yarn | Embroidery Yarn
HOT GLUE GUN, STITCH MARKER, SCISSOR, SEWING NEEDLES