Crochet Barbie Mermaid Tail

Today, I will demonstrate how to crochet a mermaid tail for barbies. It is really easy and good for beginners (it's my own design). I finished it in less than two days, with school etc. so its a quick one! 

To start, you will need a crochet hook, yarn, and a yarn needle. I also recommend having a barbie with you so that you can make sure it is the right size while you're in the process of making it. 

First, make a slip knot. You can do this by making a loop with your yarn. With the side that went under the other, pull through the middle of the loop like a knot, but without pulling the end through. It should look like this.

After that, slide the slip knot over the crochet hook and pull the end to tighten. Then we are going to start crocheting. Take the long end of yarn, connected to the ball, and take it around the back and over the hook. Hold it tight, and pull the slip knot over it. Then repeat, take the yarn around the back of the hook and pull it around, then take the last loop over and off of the hook. We are making a chain. Continue that until it is a little longer than the distance from your barbie's waist to her feet. (CROCHETING SHRINKS AS YOU CONTINUE IT, SO MAKE IT LONGER) I learned that the hard way, but it still fits. Just a little short.

Then, we will turn around and make it wider. What ever side your work is on, pull it towards the back, and stick your hook through the middle of the stitch that is closest to you. Then, take the yarn and go around the back and over your hook like we did before, but only pull the chain off of the hook, so now you should have two loops on your hook. Continue that all the way down your chain, until you reach the end.

It will look like this ^

After that, just flip your work up and go back doing the same steps as before, except this time (and all the times after this) do not stick the hook in the middle, stick it in the work you did most recently, on  the side closest to the hook. Go all the way down, turn around, go back, and continue that until it is wide enough to wrap around your barbie's legs. I did about 13-15 rows, and it fits all of my barbies.

Once it is large enough, it should look like a washcloth. Tie off the ends by cutting it from the ball of yarn and just keep knotting it regularly. Then take your yarn needle and cut off a long piece of matching yarn. Thread it through your needle and tie the long end, so it won't undo. Weave the both sides together by folding in half, and going through both sides. Go back and forth to close off the bottom and the side. Then tie the other end.

Then you need to make the fins. Start the same way. My chain was probably 9 stitches and make 9 rows, except instead of turning around like we did before, just keep going around the perimeter to make it round. I kept one side flat though, so once you get back around, turn around and go around the perimeter the other way, so it looks like the shape of a cave. Sort of like this:   Ū
Make two of those.

Then we will weave those to the tail with the yarn needle, but only weave it through the top layer so that her feet can get all the way in. Do it in a slanted angle.

If the tail is too short like mine, just poke a hole through the bottom behind the fins with her feet.

I did the mermaid top by just doing as many stitches you want for the top ( like 8) and doing four rows of that (unless you want it longer). Then I cut the yarn really long and instead of cutting it off after I tie it, I threaded it through the other side with the yarn needle to make it like a halter top. I used the end that I started with and the end that I weaved through the top to tie around the back.

That's all to it! Enjoy your mermaid!